Treating Ear Infection the Natural Way

What is wrong with the ear when it appears red, itchy, emits discharge and feels warm to touch? Most probably, it is an ear infection. Ear infection is quite common with infants and young children. Not that it spares adults. For a parent, it can be time consuming and expensive to take their child to see a doctor every time they suspect an ear infection.

Read: Home Remedies for Ear Congestion

Few natural remedies can come to rescue if you or someone in the family with the infection does not want to pop antibiotics. Read on:

• Garlic oil: Grandma’s old magic trick works wonders. You can buy a bottle of garlic oil from the local health store. Lie down on the side that is not bothering you and put two drops of oil in the offending ear. Put a ball of cotton in the ear for a few minutes in order to allow the oil to reach the Eustachian tube. Usually, the first dose does the work but you can repeat the process a couple of times. If you want, you may prepare garlic oil at home by heating garlic cloves in a few drops of olive oil and cooling it till room temperature
• Lymphatic massage: A friend who is a masseur can’t be cherished enough. Ask him/her to massage the affected person’s lymph nodes under the ear in a downward motion. Even if you do not know a masseur, someone from the family can do it. If done 5-6 times a day, it will relieve the head banging pain
• Heat treatment: Apply heat to the affected ear as doing so will loosen up the fluid accumulated in the affected ear and help it to drain out. Tie a cup of rice grain in a cloth and microwave it for a few seconds. Lie down with the affected ear pressed against it. You will feel the discomfort fly away
• Drink fluids: When you drink liquids, the swallowing mechanism encourages the fluids to flow out of the Eustachian tube
• Go the onion way: Some people swear by the power of onion to cure ear infection. Slice an onion ring and sauté it in olive oil until it becomes tender. Wrap it in a soft cloth and use it as a heating pad to be pressed against the offending ear. Make sure it’s not too hot as that may burn the ear. The sulphur in the onion penetrates the ear to kill the infection. Repeating it a couple of times can eradicate the infection. You may also bake the onion instead of frying it

Read: How to Get Rid of Ear Pain

• Lavender essential oil: It is a well known fact that essential oils have therapeutic qualities. So, why limit them just to hot water baths? Rubbing lavender essential oil behind the ear not only relieves the pain but also heals the infection. Start from rubbing behind the ear and follow it through the Eustachian tube all the way to the jaw line. It will help the ear heal quickly. You may also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil into it to get the properties a notch-up
• Mullein oil: Putting a few drops in the affected ear every hour will provide great relief from the pain. It can also be massaged behind the ear for perforated ear drums
• Going the natural way can help you avoid bills and efforts in the case of an ear infection.  Though, you must avoid dairy products and gluten of any kind while your ear is infected

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