5 Ways to Treat an Earache
Updated: Aug. 06, 2019There’s nothing like an earache to take you back to the less pleasant aspects of childhood. Put simply, earaches are no fun. You can approach the problem from the outside in, using carefully chosen eardrops or even a bit of garlic juice, or from the inside out with soups and gargles that help drain mucus and expand the Eustachian tubes. Warm and cold treatments can also help you weather the pain.
Use Ear Drops
Place 3 to 5 drops of 3% commercial grade hydrogen peroxide into the painful ear canal every 3 to 4 hours. This will help quell infection, inflammation, and pain, and is a good way to treat an earache.
Warm a bottle of baby oil or mineral oil under hot water for a minute, then drip a few drops of the warm oil into your ear to help ease discomfort.
Drain and Dry Your Ear
Try a spicy chicken-noodle soup or fiery bowl of chili. The spiciness gets your mucus flowing and can help your ears drain, relieving painful pressure.
Gulp down plenty of water every day. The muscles that work when you swallow will help your Eustachian tubes open up, allowing your ears to drain, helping to treat the earache.
Gargle with warm salt water. It helps increase blood circulation to the Eustachian tubes and decreases swelling that may be blocking them.
Make a healing remedy of echinacea and goldenseal. Echinacea helps your body fight off the infection, and goldenseal helps dry out the fluid in the eat. Put a dropperful each of tincture into a quarter-cup of water, then drink the mixture every two to three hours. Or buy a tincture containing both herbs.
Use an extra pillow to prop your head up slightly more than normal while you’re sleeping. This will help your ears drain, easing pressure.
Warm It and Cool It
Lie on your side and place a comfortably warm hot-water bottle or heating pad over your ear. Or use a towel dampened with hot water. The soothing warmth increases circulation to the ear and also helps relieve pressure.
Use a hair dryer as another source of warmth. Set the dryer on the lowest warm temperature, hold it at least six inches from your ear, and direct the airstream down your ear.
To draw inflammation away from the affected ear, wear ice-cold socks on your feet and apply a warm compress to your ear. Saturate cotton socks in ice water, wring them out, and place them against the soles of your feet. Then pull wool socks over the cold socks to hold them in place. Simultaneously, place a hot moist compress over the painful ear.
Try Garlic
Eat one or two raw cloves of garlic every day. The pungent bulb helps fight viruses and bacteria. Some brave souls just chew on the cloves. A more palatable alternative: Chop up the fresh garlic, mix it with olive oil, and spread it on your favourite bread.
If you find that raw garlic tends to upset your stomach, take a capsule of garlic supplement with each meal.
Squeeze a clove of garlic and put a few drops of the juice in your ear. Because garlic has antibacterial properties, this direct approach fights infection.
Take Vitamins
Take 50,000 IU of vitamin A twice a day until your symptoms improve. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps fight infection, promote healing, and maintain mucus membranes. If you still need to take it after a week, drop the dosage to 25,000 IU a day, and continue taking it for another week, but not longer unless you consult with your doctor.
Take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 500 milligrams of flavinoids three times a day until the infection is gone. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that promotes healing. When it’s combined with flavinoids, anti-inflammatory components extracted from plants, the vitamin works even better.
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