10 Home Remedies for Earache

Though earaches generally pose no serious health risks, they can be uncomfortable or painful and should be medically investigated if they do not resolve quickly. For decades, doctors prescribed antibiotics to treat earaches. Today, doctors use medication as a last resort rather than a standard response, instead prescribing mild painkillers and allowing the ache to ease on its own. In many cases, home remedies for earache make it possible to safely correct the issue without a doctor’s intervention.

Olive Oil

Thousands of years ago, the olive was a mainstay of ancient agriculture, and it is still a major crop in Southern Europe and the Middle East. We eat the fruit of the olive tree for a healthy snack or side dish, and its oil has flavor and healing qualities. A few drops of olive oil warmed to body temperature may alleviate earaches when carefully placed in the ear. Even though this practice lacks scientific research to back it up, there are many anecdotal approvals. Do not use this method on children, however.

Hydrogen Peroxide

If you get an earache, try placing a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear. Leave the drops in place a few minutes before tilting your head to the side to let them drain. Thoroughly rinse the ear with distilled water.

Garlic

If the citizens of ancient Rome had medicine cabinets in their homes, they probably stocked them with cloves of garlic. While 21st-century technology has introduced many medical advancements, the Romans had knowledge still relevant today. To ease an earache, try soaking crushed garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, then strain out the garlic and put some of the oil in the ear that hurts.

Ginger

This popular cooking ingredient gives a distinctive flavor to gourmet meals, but it’s also useful as an anti-inflammatory to soothe earaches. You don’t want to put raw ginger in your ear, but there’s another way you can use it to cure your earache. Instead, put some ginger juice into the painful ear or place some ginger in oil, warm and strain it before putting a few drops in the ear.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is still relatively unknown to the general public. Natural medicine practitioners appreciate its anti-inflammatory and antibiotic qualities. A few drops of tea tree oil can reduce earache pains. You can dilute it in olive oil to make ear drops. Pregnant women shouldn’t take any medicines containing tea tree oil since this substance can be harmful to embryos.

Make a Compress

Both hot and cold compresses can be used to treat earaches. Make a cold compress by wrapping ice in a cloth. To create a warm compress, place a cloth in hot water or the microwave but be careful to test it for temperature before placing it on your ear. Place the compress on the painful ear for around ten minutes or so. You can use hot or cold compresses or alternate them. Compresses are safe to use for children with earaches.

Visit a Chiropractor

Chiropractors typically treat back problems, but chiropractic care also alleviates pain in a number of other conditions, including earaches. According to some chiropractic associations, chiropractors use spinal adjustments to unblock the body’s natural healing abilities. Conventional medicine has yet to validate these claims, but anecdotal evidence suggests it may work.

Adopting a Better Sleeping Position

When you get an earache, it’s hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. If you sleep with your ear pressed against the pillow, the pain will probably wake you up in the middle of the night. So, sleep on the other ear or flat on your back to keep the fluid in your sore ear from shifting and causing more pain. You can also try sleeping with an extra pillow to raise your head to minimize the shift of fluid.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical technique that has become widely accepted as a valid treatment for certain conditions. Research is inconclusive on the efficacy of acupuncture to treat earaches, but it may reduce congestion and pressure in the ear to alleviate earache pain. Ask your doctor if visiting a chiropractor could help you with chronic earache pain.

Stay Busy

In many cases, an earache eventually goes away on its own without drugs or natural medications. Try to focus on work or a favorite hobby, or try working out to take your mind off the pain. It might even help you sleep better. Children are easily distracted by games, toys or outings. With their thoughts on other things, the earache becomes less onerous.