Ear Infection Home Remedies

Ear infection remedies are useful to almost all adults as ear infections are a common problem that most of us experience at some point of time. Adult ear infection results due to the infection in the Eustachian tube. This tube is very delicate and is located near the inner ear. It plays the important function of connecting the inner ear to the nasal passage. Due to this connection, the fluid from the ears drains to maintain the balance of pressure within the internal body and external environment. The common reasons of adult ear infection are cold, mucus entering the Eustachian tube and viral or bacterial infections. The symptoms of adult ear infection are usually blocked ears (feeling of stuffiness of liquids inside the ear), swelling, scratchiness in the throat, dizziness and nausea.

Let us have a look at the various home remedies for ear infections:

  • One effective adult ear infection home remedy is to squeeze some onion juice and soak it in a cotton ball. Insert this onion juice soaked cotton ball in the ear. It aids in combating the ear infection.
  • You can also use a few drops of garlic oil in the ear every night while sleeping.
  • The mullein flower oil is also useful as an effective adult ear infection home remedy. When this oil is soaked in a little cotton and put in the ear, it relieves the pain caused due to infection.
  • Lemon balm is a good adult ear infection remedy. This is mainly due to its antiseptic, anti-viral properties that fight the infection. Apply lemon balm in the ear gently.
  • You can also mix some finely chopped garlic or ginger with honey and consume the mixture either with warm water or tea for better results.
  • A few drops of warm olive or castor oil put in the infected ear serves as another adult ear infection remedy. The ear should later be covered with a ear plug or cotton plug. After putting this oil, sleep on the other side so that the oil seeps in rather than trickle back out of the ear.
  • Holy basil leaves are also an excellent adult ear infection home remedy. The juice of holy basil leaves, when put in the ears serves as a cleanser and disinfectant to fight bacteria and viruses present inside.

Apart from these ear infection remedies, ensure that your ears are clean and not too moist. Moist ears help bacteria to breed and spread easily. Most importantly, never take your ear pain lightly. If the adult ear infection remedies that you try yield no results in a couple of days, consult a specialist immediately

An ear infection is one of the most common conditions that people from all over the world suffer from. Considerable inflammation in the ear may lead to the diagnosis of an ear infection. There are three main types of ear infections. These are classified based on the location of the infection in the ear.

Otitis Externa: This outer ear infection is also often referred to as swimmer's ear. This condition is caused when the outer membrane and the film that covers it is breached, and the infection causing microorganisms enter into the ear. The canal may look ruddy and swollen due to this infection. In case the bones underlying the ear canal is affected by the microbes, the condition may spread to the skull and therefore the brain, becoming malignant.

Otitis Media: From where the ear drum ends, the middle ear begins. The Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat, may cause the middle ear infection to spread to the throat and cause sore throat, breathing problems, and also colds. The fluid in the inner ear contains germs that help in fighting germs, but if the immune system is compromised, bacteria can enter the inner ear and cause inflammation. There is a constant feeling of fullness in the ear, and it seems as if the ear will soon pop. It may be extremely uncomfortable and may even hurt you a lot. The infection in the middle ear may occur anytime during the lifetime, but is most common in the childhood.

Otitis Interna: Also known as labyrinthitis, this is a condition in which the infection spreads to the inner ear. The inner ear is responsible for our balance and hearing, but if the organ is inflamed, it may throw the person completely off balance and the room may appear to spin very wildly.

There are home remedies for ear infections that can be used to treat these different kinds of ear infections. Ear infection home treatment is often performed only when the infection is still in its preliminary stages. If the infection is severe, you may have to get to a doctor for proper treatment. Baby ear infection and ear infection in toddlers have the same symptoms. Here are some of the symptoms you may experience when you have an ear infection: fluid begins to drain from the ear, headaches, low grade fever, inability to hear anything in the environment, and therefore a complete lack of responses to the environment, trouble in getting proper sleep during the day or even at night, pain in the ears, itching inside the ear, which is impossible to reach and scratch, loss of appetite, partial loss of hearing, thick mucus discharge, coughing, nasal congestion, vomiting, irritability, and severe nausea. Of these, outer ear infection symptoms are the easiest to treat. The treatment of the inner ear, middle ear infection treatment and the treatment of the external ear are all different from each other.

For infant ear infection home remedy, avoid putting water in any of the ears. If the infection has not yet escalated, stop you child from swimming in a public pool and also stop washing your child's hair till the infection subsides. The treatment of the infection, unlike other infections, does not depend on the causes of ear infections. For instant ear infection relief, use topical ointments and solutions that contain antibacterial medications. These antibiotics can create an acidic environment and treat the any microbial growth. If the tissue swelling in the ear is severe, the antibiotics may take some time to kick in. Though not natural, anti-inflammatory medications like steroids can help minimize the swelling and the pain associated with it. To hasten recovery, you can clean the ears completely and remove all the debris such as pus, wax and dead skin. This allows the medication to contact the infected area directly.

One of the best natural remedies for ear infections is to increase zinc intake. Oysters are the richest source of zinc and therefore, should be included in your diet. You can also improve your immune systems using vitamin C. Include citrus fruits in your diet and also take vitamin C supplements. For baby ear infection and fever, you may have to take the baby to a doctor. Since the causes of ear infections in babies are usually related to low immunity, increasing immunity is most important for them. Similarly, the causes of ear infections in children and the causes of ear infections in infants are also related to low immunity. The causes of ear infections in toddlers can range from low immunity to swimming in water carrying the infection. Ear infection relief at home due to infections caused by swimming in this kind of water can be treated using vinegar. Home remedies for ear infections with vinegar have been used since a long time.

Ear infection relief for adults can be sought by applying a warm compress around the ear. A warm bag of salt can also help you get instant relief. You can also use this remedy for ear infection relief for infants. This remedy is perfect for outer ear infection pain relief. For your infants, arrange a large diet with a large amount of calcium in it. Outer ear infection treatment can be done by pouring a few drops of tea tree oil in the ear. Tea tree oil is an excellent antifungal treatment and can be used for any kind of fungal infections. This outer ear infection home remedy is best when you continue using it for several days until the symptoms of the infection begin to subside.

If you have ear infections, you should avoid passive smoking as well as close contact with anyone who has cold. Also avoid touching nose and ears and wash your hands periodically to avoid spreading the microbes. Breast fed infants are least susceptible to ear infections, so boost your child's immunity by giving it breast milk. Outer ear infection home treatment can also be done by using herbs such as St. John's wort, garlic, peppermint or ginger essential oils and goldenseal.