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Ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria in the middle ear. They are incredibly painful and make most people miserable. There are some great home remedies for ear infection to try out that can relieve the pain and even help you rest and recover.
How Does An Ear Infection Occur?
Fluid gets trapped behind the eardrum, and it causes agonizing pain. They are caused by things such as food allergies, wax buildup, injuries, sinus infections, tonsillitis, cavities and teeth grinding. Symptoms of an ear infection include headaches, loss of hearing, fever, diarrhea and ear drainage. Younger children often pull on their ear if they are too young to talk.
An earache can bring about a vast amount of pain. Some earaches are sharp in nature, but others are dull yet constant pain. This is very unfortunate because children get ear infections more often than adults, and younger children cannot tell you why, how or where they are in pain.
They also cannot describe the intensity of the pain that they are experiencing. The only way to tell that a child has an ear infection is if that child touches the ear, or if that child continues to cry due to pain.
Although most ear infections will clear up on their own within a matter of three to four days, the average person who suffers with an earache just wants fast relief because the pain is so unbearable. This is especially the case if a child is in a considerable amount of pain. Parents want to soothe their children as quickly as possible.
But this doesn’t mean that a trip to the doctor is automatically the right solution. In fact, research has found that ear infections cannot be treated with antibiotics when they are not bacterial, and many ear infections are viral.
Home Remedies for Ear Infection
Instead of taking antibiotics, many prefer to wait for the infection to go away. They opt for natural ways to alleviate pain. Some even create their own home remedies for ear infection. Amazingly, many ingredients found in these home remedies are in the average kitchen cabinet or pantry.
If you don’t want to use fever reducers or doctor prescribed antibiotics to get rid of an ear infection, or if you want to avoid using ear tubes and over the counter drugs, home remedies for ear infection are a good option for decreasing ear pain. They can also help increase your chances of experiencing a fast recovery.
(Note: We are not doctors so please check with your pediatrician or physician on whether these options are safe for you)
The following are a few natural home remedies for ear infection that are known to provide quick relief.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar for ear infection does a good job of eliminating bacteria that causes ear infections. You can make your own home remedy that includes apple cider vinegar. Make a mixture that has equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water.
Take a cotton ball and soak it in the solution. Then put the cotton ball in the infected ear for about five to ten minutes.
Next, take the cotton ball out of your ear and lay down. Make sure that you lay down in a position that allows the mixture to drain out of your ear. Once the mixture has drained completely, ensure that your ear is dry.
Basil
Basil helps reduce pain and get rid of infection. Extract the juice from the basil by crushing the leaves.
Put this juice on the infection, but don’t let it get into the ear canal. You can also put a little bit of this juice on a cotton swab and lightly dab it into the ear.
For great results, follow this procedure two times a day.
Breast Milk
Because of its antibodies, breast milk can treat burns, cuts, eye infections also ear infections. It can be used to treat both adults and children.
It is just a matter of putting a few drops of breast milk into the ear by using a dropper. Continue to do this until the pain and infection as gone.
Elderberries
Elderberry syrup has both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Both of these things are good for treating ear infections. Elderberry syrup also helps to boost your immune system, and this helps the infection to heal faster. In addition, elderberries contain an enzyme that blocks a virus’ ability to infect cells.
The elderberry also has properties that get rid of mucous membrane swelling, which is a major cause of sinus infections. Keep in mind that sinus infections can lead to ear infections due to the lack of drainage. The good thing is that elderberry syrup is easy to prepare as a home remedy.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can increase circulation, which makes the ear drain faster. Use oils such as rosemary, thyme, chamomile, oregano, lavender, eucalyptus and lavender. Put the oil behind the ear and rub it in.
Try to follow the curve of your ear when putting the oil behind the ear. Keep in mind that these oils are all good for adults to use, but they are not recommended for children because they can trigger allergies.
Plain Garlic
Garlic contains microbial properties that can stop the spread of disease. It has both alliin and alliinase, which combine to create a natural anesthetic. It has natural properties that can reduce the pain that is cause by ear infections.
Use a few cloves to speed up the healing process. Crush the garlic cloves until they turn mushy. Strain the oil and put it into your ear to ease the pain of the infection.
Also, chopped garlic and a teaspoon of honey can also help to fight off an infection. However, make sure that the garlic is finely chopped.
Garlic and Mullein
Garlic mixed with other ingredients can also help treat an ear infection. Combine garlic, mullein and virgin coconut oil together to create a mixture.
Crush up a couple of cloves of garlic in a saucepan. Put in about a fourth of cup of mullein and add one ounce of virgin coconut oil.
Put this saucepan into a double boiler filled with water. Turn on the heat and let the mixture get warm. Make sure that you don’t accidentally cook the mixture. Then, strain the juice from the mixture.
Put about two or three drops of oil in the infected ear. Lay still and let the oil drop slowly into the ear canal. This helps to reduce the pain.
You might also want to put a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and stick it inside of the ear opening.
Heat
Get heat on the ear infection as soon as possible. Not only will this help to reduce the spread of bacteria, but it will also help reduce the pain.
This can be done via a warm compress, hot towel, hot water bottle, rice filled heating pad or an electric heating pad.
When using heat to treat an ear infection, make sure that the temperature isn’t so hot that it burns or damages your eardrum.
Mango Leaf Juice
Not only is mango leaf juice a good way to treat an ear infection, but it also works very fast. The goal is to get the juice from the leaves, and this can be done by crushing them.
Ensure that the juice is heated before using it. Put about three or four drops of mango leaf juice into your ear by using a dropper.
Taking this action eliminates the pain that is associated with ear infections. Follow these steps about two to three times daily.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the best ways to alleviate wax blockage, which can lead to an ear infection.
Bacteria or fungus can get onto wax and block the ear canal. It is just a matter of warming the olive oil and putting a few drops into the infected ear.
This makes it easy to clean the wax from your ear with cotton swabs. However, do not risk damaging your eardrum by putting the swab too far into the ear canal.
Onions
You are probably accustomed to seeing onions on foods such as burgers and casseroles, but they also have medicinal uses as well.
You can either use the juice of crushed onion via a dropper, or you can cut the onion into halves and put each warm halve on your ear. Using on onion for ear infection might sound weird- but it works!
Tea Tree Oil Mixture
Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that reduce pain. This mixture contains tea tree oil, colloidal silver, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Lay on your side and use a dropper to fill your ear with this mixture.
Allow it to stay in your ear for about five minutes. Then lay down on the other side and let the mixture drain out of the ear. This should be done about twice a day for two days.
People have found that this type of herbal-based mixture can be just as effective as eardrops found in your local drug store.
How to Sleep with an Ear Infection
If you have an ear infection, sleeping can be difficult. The pain can make it hard to find a comfortable position. Here are a few tips to help you sleep:
Use a pillow: Place a pillow under your head to elevate it. This will help reduce the pain. If you have sinus pressure as well an ear ache, use an angled pillow to keep you more upright.
Apply a warm compress: Before going to bed, apply a warm compress to the affected ear. This will help reduce pain and inflammation. You can also use a heated blanket to sooth the pain.
Try a home remedy: Some home remedies, such as olive oil or garlic, can help reduce pain and inflammation.
Try Benedryl: Benedryl can help reduce pain and inflammation. It can also make you drowsy, which can help you sleep.
See your doctor: If the pain is severe, you may need a stronger medication. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics or other medication to help relieve the pain.
Final Thoughts
Ear infections are serious, and they should be taken seriously in order to avoid rupture of the eardrum. The aforementioned home remedies can help you to wait out a viral ear infection, alleviate pain and increase comfort.