28 Natural Remedies For Earache And Infection

Like it? Share it!

Facebook

Pinterest

Reddit

Twitter

Google+

Source: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/

Many people may think that an earache is a minor nuisance, but it can cause debilitating pain, making it nearly impossible to work, eat, sleep, or do anything else but think about the pain. It’s even worse when it’s your little one dealing with ear pain, and children frequently get ear infections. In fact, five out of six kids will experience an ear infection by their third birthday because their immune systems are not yet fully developed, and their young ears do not drain as well as adults’ ears do.

The ear is divided into three parts, namely the outer, middle, and inner ear. Most ear infections that affect the outer and middle ear are mild and completely resolve within two weeks, but inner ear infections can last longer. Labyrinthitis is a common inner ear disorder where there’s inflammation in the parts of the ear responsible for balance and hearing. Other times, the infection is caused by a bacteria or virus. When promptly and correctly treated, an ear infection will go away within a few days to two weeks, with no permanent damage to your ear. If left untreated, it may lead to permanent partial or total hearing loss, damage the vestibular system which is responsible for balance, cause severely high fevers, or spread to the jaw or other parts of your body.

Earaches can be unbearable, but not all ear infections are bacterial and require antibiotics. If your ear pain is not severe, or if you’re waiting for the prescription medication to take effect, you may want to try some natural remedies to alleviate the pain. Bear in mind, however, that while home remedies may help relieve your discomfort, they cannot cure inner ear infections. Make sure to immediately seek medical attention if you experience intense pain accompanied by high fever, loss of hearing, or if the symptoms of an ear problem do not resolve within a few days.

Keep on reading to learn about effective natural remedies that can help you ease ear pain without having to step out of your homes.

1. Pop Your Ears

The annoying and painful sensation of your ears feeling full or clogged and needing to pop often happens when you’re sick or when there’s a change in altitude like when you’re flying on an airplane. Fortunately, there are several ways to safely pop your ears to help open the eustachian tube and regulate the pressure in the middle ear. You can try forcing a yawn several times until you hear or feel your ears pop. Swallowing also helps activate the muscles that open the eustachian tube, and you can sip water to help increase the need to swallow.

There are three other maneuvers you can try when yawning and swallowing don’t work. With the Valsalva maneuver, take a deep breath, close your mouth and hold your nostrils, and try to breathe out gently through your nose. Just be careful when performing this action because there’s a small risk of rupturing your eardrum. You can also try the Toynbee maneuver where you close your mouth, pinch your nose shut, and then try swallowing. You can try this move with a mouthful of water to make it a little easier. The last one is the Frenzel maneuver. To perform this action, pinch your nose shut and use your tongue to make a clicking or “K” sound.