An infection in an ear is common among kids as well as adults. Such a condition may tend to occur in one or both ears for which there can be many underlying causes. The most common cause of such an infection is fluid blockage in the internal passages of the ears, which later catches bacteria or viruses.
Most ear infections tend to take place in the middle, the portion between the ear drum and the inner ear. As per MayoClinic.com, people suffering from such an infection as well as doctors should implement a wait-and-watch strategy for the treatment. While most symptoms of the infection are mild and tend to go away on their own in some days, there are cases when they are quite severe and last longer.
It is only in these severe cases that the doctors should consider prescribing medications such as antibiotics. For the rest, there exists an assortment of home remedies that can help reduce the pain and pressure due to ear infection.
Remedies For Curing Ear Infection
Lift Your Head
According to experts and surveys, ear infection symptoms such as pain are most intense at night. This is because the clogged fluid becomes incapable of leaving the ear, as the patient lies down. Therefore, lifting the head is one of the suggested home remedies to relieve ear infection by draining the fluid out of the ear. MotherNature.com suggests placing some blocks under the bedpost to elevate the bed so that the head remains lifted while lying down. Alternatively, pillows and a small stack of blankets can aid in keeping the sufferer upright in case the bed cannot be elevated.
Pour Some Sweet Oil
Also known as pharmaceutical-grade olive oil, sweet oil is an ancient folk remedy for pain and infection in the ear. All you have to do is pour some drops of warm sweet oil in the affected ear and then place a small cotton ball in the ear to relieve the pain swiftly.The warm oil drops work by reducing the pressure due to fluid clogging. You can preserve this oil for long by storing it in the refrigerator.
Start Chewing
This is the best remedy if infection or pain in the ear starts after an airplane travel or while mountaineering. During these trips, the medical condition is actually the outcome of a pressure imbalance in the Eustachian tubes.Therefore, chewing items such as gum and caramel aids in restoring the internal pressure to normal.
Blow By Holding Your Nose
This is one of the famous as well as old folk remedies for relieving ear pain. As per the American Academy of Otolaryngology, the patient should take in a mouthful of air and then force the air back into the nose with the help of cheek and throat muscles. A pop that is made will convey when the pressure has been equalized. As a safety tip, blow very gently so that the eardrums do not get damaged.
Take the Advantage of Hot or Cold Compress
Again, this is another ancient home remedy, which is known to many mothers and grandmothers. Mayo Clinic suggests this remedy for soothing the ear pain due to infection. In order to try this remedy, immerse a soft cloth in a concoction of apple cider vinegar and warm water, squeeze the cloth, and position it against the ear until it cools down. Keep on repeating these steps until the pain is gone.
Even a warm compress can help alleviate the pain due to ear infection, says MayoClinic.com. You can use a sock filled with microwave-heated rice, a hot water bottle, or a heating pad for trying a hot compress remedy. According to Rekha Deshpandey who is the author of the book named Home Remedies, massaging lightly behind the earlobes can help relax the earwax plugs and relieve infection.
Take Drops of Apple Cider Vinegar
Experts highly recommend taking eardrops made up of apple cider vinegar for treating ear infections. This vinegar works by changing the pH of the ear canal that forms a state wherein bacteria and viruses cannot survive, states the book, ‘The pH Miracle.To prepare its ear drops, heat the vinegar and examine its temperature by putting a drop on the inner wrist. If bearable, pour some warm drops in the affected ear and cover it with a cotton ball. The sufferer should remain lying down with the affected ear facing upwards so that the vinegar can penetrate deep inside. As a safety tip, it is better to use only organic apple cider vinegar.
Put Garlic to Test
There are many medical evidences that have proved the effectiveness of garlic in relieving ear infection. Unlike bottled garlic, fresh garlic is richer in antioxidants and possesses anti-microbial and antibacterial properties. This means that fresh garlic is a stronger ear infection remedy, as it has the highest number of potent compounds.
So, make a mix by crushing around 5-6 peeled fresh garlic cloves and soaking them in warm sweet oil or olive oil for some 60 minutes. Avoid boiling the oil. Just use it warm. After the mix is ready, you need to store it in the refrigerator, with or without the cloves in it. This is because keeping it at room temperature will make it less potent.
In order to use this mix, ask the patient to lie down such that the painful ear remains up and then pour some warm oil drops into it followed by covering the ear with a cotton ball. Let the patient lie down in this position for some 10 minutes. You can repeat this treatment as and when required.
Feel The Magic of Eucalyptus Oil
Just like garlic, eucalyptus oil is rich in antimicrobial and antifungal properties, says the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Because the odor is very strong, it needs to be blended with sweet oil for relieving pain due to infection. In order to use eucalyptus oil, mix it with sweet oil and heat it until it becomes warm.The UMMC suggests taking 15 to 30 drops of eucalyptus oil and around half scup of sweet oil. After heating the mix, test the temperature by pouring some drops on the inner wrist. If tolerable, you can now pour some drops in the affected ear and cover with cotton. The treatment is the same as explained above for the garlic remedy.
Warning: Eucalyptus oil is known to trigger some side effects or intervene with a few medications. Therefore, never use this remedy without consulting with your health care practitioner.
