Ear Infection Home Remedies

Ear infection is normally referred to infection of the middle ear. The middle ear is the small part just inside the eardrum. When the Eustachian tube which connects the ear to the throat is blocked due to swelling (e.g. in the case of colds), this will prevent fluid from draining. Middle ear which filled with trapped fluid become a place for bacteria to grow and lead to infection. The infected middle ear will then swell and resulted in severe pain. Other symptoms include fever, headache, stiffness and yellow fluid discharge on the ear. Infants and young kids are tend to suffer from ear infections as their tubes are smaller and get blocked more easily.

Most ear infections will recover without any treatment. However, you might want to relieve the severe pain caused by the infection. You may take the over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or apply eardrops prescribed by doctor. You may also try using home remedies to ease the pain.

Here are home remedies to reduce the pain from ear infection:

Hot Compress: Fill a clean sock with salt and warm it in the microwave oven to the temperature which is acceptable by the body. Place the hot compress on the infected ear and lay down on a flat surface. This will help draining the fluid inside the ear. Hot compress is the best way to remove the fluid from the ear.

Garlic-Olive/Mustard/Castor Oil: Put 2 cloves of chopped fresh garlic in a double boiler and add in some oil (either olive oil, mustard oil or castor oil). Cook until the garlic turns black and the oil mixture is ready. Strain the oil into a small glass bottle and keep refrigerated. Before using, pour some oil in a warm spoon to warm it. Then, use a dropper to apply 2 drops into the infected ear and clog with cotton ball. Repeat 2 times daily for a few day.

White Vinegar-Alcohol: Mix white vinegar and alcohol in 3:1 ratio. Apply 2 to 3 drops to relief earache instantly. It also helps to clear the ear wax.

Apple Cider Vinegar-Alcohol: Mix apple cider vinegar and alcohol in 1:1 ratio. Fill the ear canal with the mixture and leave it for about 10 minutes then drain it out. Repeat 3 times daily for a few days or until the pain is gone.

Vitamin E Oil/Garlic Oil Capsules: Pierced the capsule with a sterilized pin and drop the oil into the ear. This is good for curing ear infection.

Essential Oils: The essential oils of peppermint, cloves or calendula can be used to reduce ear infection. Add 1 drop of essential oil to 1 tbsp of almond oil and apply 2 drops into the ear.

Hot Steam: Add a few drops of essential oils of either ginger, peppermint or eucalyptus into a bowl of hot steaming water. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam.

Vitamin Supplements: Increase Vitamin C intake to strengthen the immune system and zinc to reduce ear infection.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Lay down with your head turned sideways and put the hydrogen peroxide into your ear. Leave it for about 8 min until it stops fizzing and drain it out. Then flush your ear with warm water and dry with clean soft cloth. This will help cleaning the ear wax and kill the infection in the ear. Repeat this a few times.

Onion: Half an onion and grill in pan until hot. Cover the hot onion with paper towel and apply the flat side to the ear. It will help drawing out the infection and alleviating pain in the ear.

Home remedies are an effective way to treat ear infection problems. However, if there is no improvement after trying the home remedies, it is advisable to seek treatment from medical professional.