According to the American Academy of Family Physicians ear infection, not only painful they also take 2 to 3 week to heal fully. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery published a journal and sayss that home remedies for ear infections can help to treat in adults and children.
“There no confirm scientific data to support home remedies for an ear infection but they can soothe and could have a placebo effect,” says otolaryngologist Matthew Bush, MD, an Asst professor of otolaryngology.
Table of Contents
Signs & Symptoms Of Ear Infection
Symptoms Of ear infection may include:
- Feeling dull and ill
- Diarrhea (rarely)
- Earache
- Vomiting (rarely)
- A feeling of fullness in the ear
Home remedies for ear infections
Here some of the home remedies for ear infections are:
1. Garlic Oil
Garlic has antimicrobial properties and it also acts as a pain reliever. It can kill fungus and bacteria and helps to heal your ear infection. This warm oil can melt any wax that leads to an ear infection(1).
How to Use It
- Lying on your side and face up your infected ear
- Drop few drops of warm garlic oil in the ear
- Lie in the same position about 15 minutes
- Repeat it twice in a day
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2. Tea Tree Oil For Ear Infection
Tree tea oil is excellent oil that has antimicrobial properties that help to fight against fungi, viruses, and bacteria(2). Along with Olive oil, it may soothe irritation and inflammation(3).
How to Use It
- Mix 3 – 4 drops of tea tree oil with ¼ cup of olive oil and mix well
- Keeping your head tilted sideways and pour a few drops of the oil in the infected ear and leave it for a few minutes
- Take a cotton swab and clean melted wax, oil and other impurities
- You can also gently massage with the oil behind the ear
- Repeat this twice daily until ear infection cleared
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3. Coconut Oil For Ear Infection
The coconut oil has liposomal lauric acids which act as antimicrobial properties(4). Coconut is one of the best home remedies for ear infection with its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties(5).
How to Use It
- Pour few drops of coconut oil into an ear with a dropper
- Close the jaw for a couple of minutes os oil reaches all corners of the ear canal
- To avoid oil leakage place a cotton ball in your ear
- Let it be for 15 – 20 minutes
- Repeat this twice in a day
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4. Hydrogen Peroxide For Ear Infection
A study says that hydrogen peroxide helps to degrade earwax(6). It helps to treat ear wax and reduce earache. It has antifungal and antibacterial which act as good medicine for ear infections(7), (8).
How to Use It
- Mix equal amount of hydrogen peroxide(3%) with hot water
- Lie down in a side and face up the infected ear and pour few drops of the warm mixture ( not hot ) into the ear
- Remains the position for 10 – 12 minutes
- Clean the ear with a cotton swab
Note: Hydrogen peroxide form carbon dioxide and cause bubbling sound in the ear.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar For Ear Infection
Apple cider vinegar has anti-infective properties and helps to kill microbes in-ear which causes infection(9).
How to Use It
- Mix 1 part of ACV with 1 part of water and mix well
- Soak a cotton ball in the mixture
- Wring out the excess solution from the cotton ball and place it in your ear like an earplug
- Let it be for 5 to 7 minutes
- Remove the cotton ball and clean carefully and dry out the ear and ear canal.
- You can use a hairdryer to clean it
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6. Onion Juice For Ear Infection
The warm onion juice help to treat ear infection and swelling. It can draw the fluid and speed the healing process of ear infection(10).
How to Use It
- Take a small onion and keep in the oven and warm or heat it
- Strain the juice from the onion
- Put the few drops of onion juice into the affected ear several times.
- Tilt the head and juice flow out
For Warm compress
- Take half onion ad to bake it for half an hour
- Take a clean cloth and wrap it
- Place it near the ear
7. Rubbing Alcohol For Ear Infection
Alcohol kills microbes and acts as a disinfectant(11). It helps to dry up the excess water in-ear which causes ear pain. Mostly this remedy used for the swimmer’s ear to prevent any ear problems.
How to Use It
- Take rubbing alcohol and soak a cotton ball in it
- Gently drip 3 to 4 drops into the ear
- Do this 2 to 3 time in a day
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Other Home Remedies for Ear Infection
- Sweet Oil
- Breast Milk
- Coconut Oil
- Oil Of Oregano
- Garlic And Olive Oil
- Mullein Oil
- Castor Oil
- Holy Basil
- Echinacea
Tips If You Have Ear Pain
- Avoid swimming during this period.
- Drink warm water.
- Take a bath with warm water
- Cover your ears earplugs or cotton to protect from cold weather
- Avoid consuming cold or sour stuff like ice creams and pickles
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Bottom Line
Try these home remedies for ear infections and soothe them. If the ear infection not responding and become worsen then immediately make an appointment with a doctor.
“If your doctor recommends hearing aids, Blue Angels Hearing is one of the highest-rated hearing aid brands that deliver straight to your home.
References
- https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-ear-infections-deafness
- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ear-infections/in-depth/ear-infection-treatment/art-20047613
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.155.7.796
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ear-infections/symptoms-causes/syc-20351616
- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Otitis-media/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8728460