10 Natural Earache Relief Methods That Really Work
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Earaches and ear infections can have a number of causes, but no matter the cause, they are no fun! Here are some ideas for natural earache remedies using things you might have around the home, and they really work!
In this post, we'll talk about some ways to help with earaches while you are trying to determine the cause, and we'll also address the possible overuse of antibiotics in the case of ear infections.
Antibiotic Use and Ear Infections
Did you know that antibiotics aren’t typically necessary for ear infections and that overuse of antibiotics for ear infections can cause long-lasting health problems including gut dysbiosis and antibiotic resistance?
It's a common misperception that an infection means that one must use an antibiotic. In the case of an ear infection, that is definitely not the case. In fact, according to the CDC, for most ear infections, antibiotics are not recommended. Overuse of antibiotics for children’s ear infections can end up causing gut microbial imbalance and even antibiotic resistance.
What's more, ear infections are often over-diagnosed and of course, viral ear infections won't respond to antibiotics.
For these reasons, it's important to know how to address ear infections at home to avoid unnecessary exposure to antibiotics and the problems that can arise from their overuse.
I try to avoid antibiotics as much as possible, for those same reasons. We try to use saline washes, essential oils, probiotics, and other natural methods of addressing issues before turning to OTC and prescription medications.
Ear Infection Symptoms
Following are some symptoms of an ear infection.
- feeling of fullness in the ear
- fever
- pain in ear
- sore throat
- feeling sick
- lacking energy
- difficulty hearing
- discharge from ear
- feeling of pressure or fullness in ear
- itching and/or irritation in or around the ear
When to Seek Medical Care
If any of the following occur, do seek attention from your healthcare provider:
- Symptoms last for more than a day
- Ear pain is severe
- Your infant or toddler is sleepless or irritable after a cold or other upper respiratory infection
- You observe a discharge of fluid, pus, or bloody discharge from the ear
Additionally, an adult with ear pain or discharge should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Natural Remedies for Earache / Ear Infection
Following are some natural helps for ear infections and earaches. You likely have some of these in your home already or they can be purchased at health food stores or online holistic sites.
1. Vitamin C
Personally I like sodium ascorbate but camu camu is a new one that we love; its natural vitamin C power in a whole food form. Or try this Homemade Vitamin C! Vitamin C supports the immune system so it's great to use when the body is fighting something. Homemade Vitamin C is
2. Saline Wash
Saline washes are known to help remove the germs from the nasal passages and the back of the throat to reduce viral load.
3. Garlic Oil
Garlic is well known to help with immune support and has antimicrobial and antiviral properties. And, according to many parents, garlic oil is a great home remedy for ear infections. One to two drops in the ear is often recommended, however, this is not recommended if there is suspicion of a burst or ruptured ear drum.
4. Probiotics
Probiotics help support the body's immune system and also are thought to help with preventing ear infections in the first place.
You can get probiotics in the form of a supplement or fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha. In fact, ferments are known to be exponentially more potent than probiotic supplements, so they are often a better choice unless one is dealing with histamine intolerance. In that case, a low-histamine probiotic is a good option.
5. Mullein
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) oil is well-known as a natural earache remedy. It's also known to be an expectorant. You can easily find mullein tinctures online or in health food stores.
Research published in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine demonstrates how an herbal ear drop containing mullein was just as effective for pain relief as an anesthetic one. Mullein oil is also used to naturally treat ear infections (and more) in dogs too!
6. Breast Milk
Breast milk is full of natural antibodies and is known to have many benefits for a baby's health. Breastfeeding has also been shown to reduce the number of ear infections in babies and in children who were breastfed as babies.
There is conflicting information about putting breastmilk directly in the ear canal. Some say that you can put it in the outer ear canal, whereas others say that putting a few drops in the ear canal has brought relief. Both of those claims lean on the claim that each drop of breast milk has over one million white blood cells.
7. Hydrogen Peroxide
Many sources recommend putting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear and then letting it bubble for a few minutes before draining it out. I personally never got much benefit from this, but have heard of others who have. It's important to not put peroxide or any other liquid in the car if you suspect a perforated ear drum. Also, if you have a cut in your ear, peroxide should not be used as it can be damaging to injured tissues.
8. Vitamin D
It's a good idea to take vitamin K2 with Vitamin D for it to work better.
9. Warm Compress
While warmth isn't going to cure an ear infection, it can help relieve the pain and inflammation so you can get the rest you need. To make a warm compress, wet a clean small towel with warm water, wring it out well, and then hold it against the infected ear. Some people like to alternate warm compresses with cold compresses to help address the inflammation better. You can use a cloth soaked in cold or ice-cold water and then wrung out, or an ice pack can also be used. A heating pad can be used instead of a warm compress.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
Yes, most of us use apple cider vinegar for cooking (like in salad dressings) or for personal care (like in this hair rinse), but ACV apparently can also be used for ear infections. But you do need to be careful when trying this. The reason why this can help is that apple cider vinegar has proven antibacterial and antifungal properties.
To use apple cider vinegar for an ear infection or earache, dilute the vinegar with equal parts of warm water or isopropyl alcohol, and place 5-10 drops in the affected ear. Tilt the head (lying down with the affected ear up works well) so the mixture doesn't run out and leave for a few minutes before letting it drain out onto a cloth. Repeat throughout the day.
We have tried many of the above remedies with varying amounts of relief. To my recollection, we have never had to use antibiotics once for an ear infection or earache for our kids. Natural methods have worked well for us, thankfully!
More Natural Health Topics:
- Eczema and Food Allergies — From Despair to Healing
- Natural Sleep Help for Kids And Adults
- Andrea Fabry's Mold Story — What she learned just might save your life.
What natural ear infection remedies have you used?
I used homemade (takes 4 minutes) garlic oil for earaches for all my 3 children with immediate results….never to use antibiotics again for that. My neighbor had 4 children with recurring ear problems and started this idea as they were requiring tubes. They also had complete success. Not too good to be true…just good and true.
Hi and sorry for the delayed response. I have been so busy! I have heard that it can be an issue of botulism with making garlic oil – have you heard about that? I’m glad it worked for you!
The Muslims have texts of traditions about the use of urine for medical purposes, and everyone laughed at them…..
Good one, I’ll keep this in mind.
Urine does work, providing you are in relative health. But often better is an Apple Cider Vinegar and warm (not hot) solution. Half and Half. Probably best with cotton ball.
Thanks for the tip Adrienne…This is one thing that I did not know about. My grandfather introduced his kids and us to urine therapy. Not sure how he found out it. He is sort of a self-experimenter, trying different therapies (urine, magnetic, juicing, etc). At that time he used ‘Shiv-ambu’ (Indian name for self-pee) to grow hair (he was balding). And within 3 or 4 months he started growing hair. That was totally freaky for us, because now every single day we had to drink our first morning pee! As kids we were disgusted about it, but hey we had to do it! I personally applied it to my hair 2X a week for few years (3-4years), then some how lost the interest! For almost 30 years, he is consuming his own pee (drinking and applying on skin and scalp), last year he entered his 100th year! that’s right 100th year! Head full of hair, skin soft and supple!! He is now experimenting with fermenting his urine for a week and checking its effect on his eye sight! He does not cease to amaze us with his experiments!
Thanks for mentioning its other use.. I’ll pass it to Grandpa.
On side note: My grands is very diligent of what he eats/drinks, how much he eats/drinks, how much he walks and how long he practices yoga.
No way!!! I can’t believe this. Urine for hair growth. How long had he been going bald? Do you know if anything else changed? Why does he think that fermented urine would help his eyesight? Did he live with you all?
Yes, I tried it as a mask for hair before washing – hair is sure looks and feels silky
First thing’s first. Earache is horrific. Ear infection is possibly the worst thing ever.
Last year I had such a bad case I couldn’t even hear properly. The whole pee and breastmilk idea is disgusting though. I would never try that and I would never even think of telling someone to put pee in their ear.
What did help me was a visit to the doctor for antibiotics and ear drops. You can get really cheap ear drops at any pharmacy that WORKS! Maybe you should try that next time 🙂
I’m surprised to hear your response – so many natural-minded doctors recommend breastmilk including Dr. Sears and more. I guess you’ll have to take the urine issue up w/ the many commenters who said they had that advice and it worked and those involved w/ urine therapy :). I try to avoid antibiotics at all costs until absolutely necessary. They will weaken your gut and cause antibiotic resistance. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/escape-from-the-pink-stuff/ https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/candida-my-childhood-and-5-causes-of-gut-dysbiosis-imbalance/ Thanks! I’d love to know what you think after reading more.
Oh Adrienne! You should learn to try new things! I grew up with the knowledge of Urine Therapy.When my sons were about 12 and 6 I PAID them to drink a tiny sip of urine once a day for a month. Just so they could see that they could do it if ever they were in a situation where nothing else was available. They did it. Soon after my older son realised his painful mouth ulcers went away and never came back., My brother used urine therapy for his Burkett’s Lymphoma ( also high doses of vit. C and herb tea) and was healed. I got rid of my severe fish allergy the same way. Just try it.. Or do some reading.first and then take a tiny sip. The first one is the most difficult.
Sorry Adrienne!! I meant to say Aimee! Blame my enthusiasm for the topic of urine therapy. LOVE your
website.
No problem and thanks :)!
Wow. Not sure I am there yet, but wow.
Well… in my family, babyshka’s answer to any ailment was always urine or vodka. If it works, it works, you can’t really argue with that.
Unless it’s toxic of course 🙂 – but point well taken.
We used to do cleansing enemas with fresh urine. Hard to do it for the first time as the thought of it just plain disgusting! LOL! But when it works, it sure works wonders!
Really? Never heard of that!
What did you do it for and what “wonders” happened?
About 15 years ago I was on cyclical cleansing rituals – both food and enemas. It is only done twice a year – Fall and Spring (only 1 month long: every day first week (1 liter in the evening), every other day the second week, every third the third week and 1 time in the last week. You eat mostly vegetarian diet, exercise, take hot bath). I think it was a trend in my country back then. People use coffee, lemon juice/vinegar or sea salt in water liquid. Urine was the cheapest and readily available and encouraged.. I lost weight, my hair, nails and skin looked beautiful, I felt great, my allergy subsided. I did see quite unpleasant things coming out (small hard rocks, mucus, calcium deposits, some fungus looking dark-green formations…) during cleansing. Unfortunately, it is very fussy to do if you have a busy life. I do now.
I am sure I forgot many details… yes, you need to be very clean (wash yourself and the vessel) when collecting your own urine.
Wow. Fascinating. Can I ask how you knew it was calcium? I have a friend who had a rope like thing come out doing a coffee enema. 🙁
Thank you, Adrienne. They were chalk-colored hard, uneven snowflake looking shapes that usually form in the crevices of our intestines. The string-like things I got too. One looked like a worm. Don’t want to gross out anyone, but it was quite shocking to see. During the cleanse the stool doesn’t get stinky and is light in color.
If I ever do it again, I’ll use sea salt dissolved previously boiled water.
Another moment – better to start the session on decreasing moon.
I would encourage your readers to do a full research on it, without jumping into something they only remotely understand.
Wow. Well this is worth considering. Thanks!
This might help – https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=123720#i
I was always getting inner ear infections of the eustachian tube and antibiotics stopped working for me a long time ago. Then i read that using the nasal spray sinusoothe could help because the sinuses are connected to the inner ear. Well I never. After just over three days my ear became unblocked and the pain started to subside. After just over a week I was not only feeling less tired but all of my usual symptoms – pain in ear, dizziness were gone. Now two months on im back to normal.
Great to hear!
Great information, thank you.. I love all the comments and after reading about the use of urine to treat ear infection I had to look a bit further.. what I found was its called “Uropathy” or “Urine Therepy”. It seems that urine has a long list of natural healing besides earaches. Dr. G.K. Thakkar ( author of ” Wonders of Uropathy” claims that urine therepy is amazing when it comes to tooth and gum trouble. YUCK…. He states that wadhing ones mouth with ones own urine has an (almost 100% success) with all manners of tooth and gum trouble. Which Includes
Toothache healed ( even the worse of pain, never failing a single instance, with the serverest toothache disappearing in minutes.
Loose teeth firming up within a week
Gingivitis, pyorrhea/periodontist ( bleeding of the gums) healed in a few days
Absecesses and canker soars healed.. Way to much to list. He also give instructions on how often and how to do this.
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I used Oregano oil when we had sinus and ear congestion going on. But be careful applying to face, it really burns! I read to put some on a cotton ball and then on your ear, but you may want to dilute it with a carrier oil. I also applied thieves, oregano, tea tree, to the feet. Peppermint and Lavender on spine for fever. Peppermint or Vicks on feet for cough. Last time my son was on antibiotic, he had diarrhea for a week afterwards. I would like to avoid that and the Dr’s bill when at all possible. Yech!
I read your recommendation about essential oil companies. To bad I didn’t read it before I spent $80 on DoTerra and Young Living:( Oh well, live and learn… and at least I didn’t sign up as a rep. I checked out NAN and will probably order from them soon. their peppermint looks good and seems reasonably priced. Thanks for doing all this research and making it available!!
Thank you and I so hope you like it!
I have used urine for myself in my EYE for pink eye. It works. I’m from Tennessee and suffered from pink eye all the time. My grandmother told me about using my own urine and put a few drops in my eye. About 5. So after days of being made fun of. Years really. I just got it all the time. I was 9 years old. I did it. I washed my hands cleaned under my index fingernail very good too. I pee’d in a cup. Then I used my own index finger, put it in the pee. Held open my eye with other hand and let the drops fall in. I did at least 5 drops. I never had a problem as a kid again. Then in my mid 30’s I had my beautiful son. We even shared chicken pox together. He was 4 I was 34. He got pink eye and so did I. 5 drops of our own pee later and he is 20, I am 50. We have not had pink eye again. I’ve told many this cure. They believe me but are like gross it must burn. It does not. So I’ve had no pink eye but to help out a friend who does or whose child does. I pee in a cup and show them, lookie No burning it’s my own pee. It won’t kill you as I drink the pee give hugs and leave. Great blog BTW. GOOD NIGHT Patty
Wow. Fascinating. Thanks for sharing and I hope to hear from you again!!!