Home Remedies for Earache

More often than not, an earache is a sign of an ear infection. Ear infections, especially infection in the middle ear, are quite common in infants and young children. Trauma to the ear, fluid buildup due to swimming, blockage of Eustachian tube, accumulation of wax due to vigorous cleaning of the ear with cotton buds and infections caused by pathogens, are some of the common contributory factors for pain in the ear. Though it is best to consult an ENT specialist for proper treatment, certain home remedies can also be followed for alleviating pain.

You can make a mixture of one garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped and half of a fresh mullein leaf, finely cut. Mix them with 2/3 cup of olive oil in a clean glass pint jar.

Seal the jar tightly and keep it in sunlight for at least 10 days to extract the active constituents into the oil, from the ingredients. Strain the oil through a fine mesh wire sieve after 10 days. Then again, through clean cotton cloth or muslin.

Take this oil in another different glass container and add few drops of tea tree oil. Put 3 to 4 drops of this mixture into the ear for at least 4 times a day and each time allow it to settle for minimum of 10 minutes.

You can also prepare garlic oil for earache. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. You just have to take a bulb of garlic and crush it well. Put it in small jar and pour some olive oil in it and let the mixture settle for day or two. Before applying, warm up the oil for some time and then allow it to cool at room temperature. Apply in the affected ear with the help of a dropper and place a cotton ball in the ear so that the oil doesn't run out. Keep this for at least 20 minutes before washing. Try this for at least 3 to 4 times a day.

Another home remedy for earache that you can try is a fresh peppermint juice. It is first ground a little and then poured in a cotton cloth, to squeeze the juice out of it. This juice is used to relieve your earache.

Put two to three drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ears and allow it to settle in for few minutes and then flush your ear carefully with warm water. This helps to clean the wax buildup in your ears. Dry your ears with soft dry cotton cloth, after cleaning them.

The mixture of Bishop's weed and Sesame oil is also an effective remedy for earache. Take Bishop's weed oil and add sesame oil to it in 1:3 proportion. Warm it for a while and allow it to cool to room temperature. Pour this oil mixture in the aching ear. Four to five drops are enough at a time. Then wash it with clean warm water.

You can also try the mixture of ginger juice and sesame oil. Mix equal amount of fresh ginger juice with sesame oil. Drop 2 to 3 drops of this mixture in the aching ear and cover the ear with a cotton ball. Allow it to settle in the ear for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This also helps in relieving the pain.

Putting a few drops of mineral oil in ears will prove beneficial for those who often go swimming. Before going into the water, you can apply mineral oil extracted from natural resources such as petroleum and use earplugs also.

Of course, the easiest way is to use heating pads or warm cloth near affected area. It is an all time remedy and you can follow along with any of above home remedies for your earache.

Note: While traveling by air, people usually get the feeling of fullness of ear. Sometimes, pain may also accompany the feeling of fullness. The best way of relieving yourself of this pain is by chewing gum and yawning, which helps in contracting the muscles and opens the Eustachian tubes.

Following the aforementioned remedies will surely provide relief. You should also follow certain precautionary measures. Make sure that you don't allow the wax to settle in your ear for a long period. Do take a hot shower. The stream of hot water will help the wax to soften and will be easy to remove. Apart from all these measures, you have to take care that you don't put anything like cotton swabs, fingers, bobby pins, etc in your ears. This can cause damage to the eardrum and increase the chances of infection and bacteria buildup leading to earache.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.