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Does Olive Oil Work For Ear Infections

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How I Treat Ear Infections Naturally In My Home

Olive Oil: for Ear Infections (and Wax)

The first thing I do when I suspect an ear infection is grab the hydrogen peroxide.

For the first and second days, I administer peroxide up to four times daily.

I also rub lavender oil behind the ear and down the neck to provide pain relief since we dont have over-the-counter pain killers in our house.

If my child isnt back to her old self by the end of the second day, I call the chiropractor and schedule an adjustment for the third day.

I still continue the peroxide 3 or 4 times a day.

If Im on the third or fourth day of the infection and it shows no sign of improvement at all, Ill pull out the garlic oil and colloidal silver and alternate them, while still using essential oils for pain relief.

Ear infections are VERY rare in our family, but this is the protocol Ive used each time and neither of my kids have taken an antibiotic in over 10 years.

These 5 natural home remedies for ear infection work quickly for adults and children! I hope youll feel empowered to reduce antibiotic use in your home and give some of these remedies a try next time youre faced with an ear infection!

Causes And Symptoms Of Ear Infection

When you develop an ear infection, your Eustachian tubes will become blocked that will lead to fluid build-up in your ear. This may happen due to several issues, including colds, allergies, excess mucus, sinus infections, tobacco smoking, and swollen tissues called adenoids, which are near your tonsils.

If your child has developed an ear infection, you may notice symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, pulling at an ear, loss of balance, headache, drainage of fluid from the ear, and a fever higher than 100° Fahrenheit. Your child will also cry more than usual, act more irritable, and lose appetite as well. However, adults will experience drainage of fluid, ear pain, and diminished hearing after the development of an ear infection.

Is Tea Tree Oil Safe To Use In Ears

A good practice to implement when using essential oils is to patch test on a surface area on your skin. Check for any adverse reactions and redness. If everything checks out, you should be able to use these sparingly in your ears, to support ear infections.

I use these home remedy ear infection drops on my two, five, and six-year-old children. We only use these drops when ear pain is present, meaning a handful of times per year.

Take heed to make sure the ear drop oil is warm when applying, and only use one to two drops. Gently drop into the ear and massage, lying on your side, about five minutes, to let it absorb in the inner ear.

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How To Use Olive Oil On Dogs Ears

  • Take some oil .
  • Warm very gently over a Bain Marie . The reason I am advising this way is that I dont want you to heat the oil in the microwave. The oil must be warmed gently. The oil must be warm. Not hot.
  • If you have a dropper then all the better, but if not, the tip of a teaspoon will suffice. You can buy a dropper for your dogs ears here.
  • Have your dog lay down by your side. Soothe her and gently rub her ear. Open her ear flap and carefully place a few drops of the warm olive oil into her ear canal. Massage her ear gently so that the olive oil goes deep inside her ear.

Cinnamon And Olive Oil For Ear Infection

Can Olive Oil Help Treat Ear Infections &  Earwax Buildup?

Adding cinnamon to olive oil increases the effectiveness of the remedy.

  • Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder into 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Heat the mixture for a minute and let it cool down to body temperature.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
  • Pour 3 drops of the mixture into the infected ear.
  • Repeat the process 2 times in a day.

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When To See A Doctor For An Earache

Sometimes no amount of self-care or over-the-counter medication can help an ear infection. Knowing when to see a doctor can help further complications from developing.

If your earache is severe or accompanied by other symptoms such as a fever or hearing loss, you should see a doctor. You might be referred to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.

In some cases, people with a chronic ear infection may need to have surgery. Doctors can put small tubes into the eardrum that will help prevent ear infections. The tubes allow air to flow into the middle ear and fluid to drain.

Leaving an ear infection untreated can cause the infection to spread or cause permanent problems with balance and hearing loss.

Preventing A Middle Ear Infection

There are several ways to help children avoid a middle ear infection. They include:

  • Breastfeeding rather than bottle feeding
  • Avoiding a childââ¬â¢s exposure to tobacco smoke
  • Ensuring a child is up-to-date with their routine vaccinations ââ¬â particularly the pneumococcal vaccine and the DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine
  • Avoiding situations where exposure to bacterial infection is a risk
  • Avoiding use of a pacifier

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Treatment For A Middle Ear Infection

The doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to help you fight a middle ear infection. Depending on the type of antibiotics you receive, you can take them orally, or you can apply them directly on the site of the infection using ear drops. The doctor might also recommend pain medications, such as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers, to help you manage the symptoms. They might also suggest nasal steroids, a decongestant, or an antihistamine to people suffering from a cold or allergy symptoms.

Additionally, a health professional can teach you autoinsufflation, a simple technique to help you clear your eustachian tubes. To perform an autoinsufflation, squeeze your nose, close your mouth, and exhale very gently. This sends air through the eustachian tubes, helping to drain them.

Home Care To Relieve Ear Pain

Place 2or 3 drops of olive oil in the ear to remove ear wax and treat infection

If you have ear pain, itâs a good idea to talk with your doctor about it.

Thereâs little research to say whether or not home care works, but most doctors agree these treatments are safe to try yourself:

A cool or warm compress. Soak a washcloth in either cool or warm water, wring it out, and then put it over the ear that’s bothering you. Try both temperatures to see if one helps you more than the other.

A heating pad: Lay your painful ear on a warm, not hot, heating pad.

Over-the-counter ear drops with pain relievers. If they help at all, itâs only briefly. You shouldnât use these drops if your eardrum has a tear or hole, so check with your doctor first.

Pain reliever. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen can often relieve the pain of an earache. Ask your doctor which is right for you.

Chew gum. If youâre on an airplane or driving at high altitudes and your ear pain is from the change in air pressure, chew some gum. It can help lower that pressure and ease your symptoms.

Sleep upright. While it may sound strange, resting or sleeping sitting up rather than lying down can encourage fluid in your ear to drain. This could ease pressure and pain in your middle ear. Prop yourself up in bed with a stack of pillows, or sleep in an armchair thatâs a bit reclined.

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Causes Of A Middle Ear Infection

Middle ear infections are caused by viruses and bacteria, often resulting from other conditions that can cause blockage and swelling of the eustachian tubes that connect the throat and the middle ear. When this happens, a vacuum is created, allowing germs and fluid from the throat to enter the middle ear. A middle ear infection develops when bacteria or viruses grow in this fluid.

Children are more susceptible to middle ear infections than adults, partly because their eustachian tubes are narrower, so they are more easily blocked. Children also have relatively larger adenoids than adults. These are masses of tissue situated at the point where the nose bends into the throat that are vulnerable to infection, swelling and inflammation ââ¬â when this happens, they can block the eustachian tubes and cause a middle ear infection.

Middle Ear Infection Faqs

Q: Are there any home remedies for treating a middle ear infection?A: There are a variety of natural remedies for treating a middle ear infection. These treatment methods may provide some immediate relief, however, a doctor should also be consulted in cases where symptoms persist for more that a couple of days. Remedies include:

  • Salt: Heat salt in a pan, wrap it in a cloth and place the cloth against the affected ear for up to ten minutes. This should help draw out fluid from the ear and provide some relief
  • Garlic or onions: The antimicrobial properties of garlic and onions give them natural pain relieving qualities. Garlic can be eaten raw. Alternatively, it can be boiled and crushed, then wrapped in a cloth and placed against the ear. It can also be cooked in sesame or mustard oil until black, strained and applied to the ears in drops
  • Olive oil: Slightly heat the olive oil and apply a few drop to the ears
  • Warm compress: Heat a cloth to a bearable level and place against the outer ear

Q: Are middle ear infections contagious?A: Middle ear infections are not contagious or spreading. However, part of their causes, like viral infections are contagious and spread from person to person.

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So Why Should You Make Your Own Garlic Oil

There are several concoctions of garlic oil available ready-made at the store, some with additional herbs like mullein, lobelia, calendula or St. Johns Wort. These are often heated and may contain additives/preservatives .

When you make your own garlic oil, you can ensure that it is never heated. You can also use quality ingredients of your choosing and opt for organic garlic and a reputable brand of extra virgin olive oil.

In case you havent heard, there have been reports that some olive oils are tainted with fake fats that may be rancid and definitely not good for your health!

You can also add additional herbs to your garlic oil mixture if you choose to do so, but it is not necessary. In short, making your own allows you to reap all the homemade garlic oil benefitsa pure product that is potent and most importantly, works quickly.

Why Should You Use Olive Oil For Ear Pain

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Before you try any home remedy for an ear infection, it is essential to note the cause behind the ear pain. Ear pain can be caused by an ear injury or an ear infection. It is not necessary that the pain affects both ears at the same time. People have been using olive oil to clear ear wax for ages. Now, the question to be asked is what ear wax is.

Although ear wax can make you feel disgusting, it doesnt have anything to do with hygiene levels. If you have an ear infection applying a few drops of warm olive oil can be very comforting. Olive oil softens the ear wax that is hardened and helps to remove it from the ear canal naturally.

Olive oil is natural oil and has no side effects on your ear. It can work at a slower pace, which is why you need to repeat the process of cleaning your ear with olive oil regularly.

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How To Use Essential Oils For Ear Infections

No matter what you do, do not put essential oils into your ear. You might wonder how the heck essential oils work for ear infections if you cant drop them in your ear like every other ear infection treatment but there are effective ways to use them that will instantly relieve ear pain. Find them below:

When To See A Doctor About An Earache

Dr. Nguyen-Huynh recommends seeing a doctor if:

  • Yoursymptoms remain after twoor three days, even if youve tried over-the-counter or home remedies.
  • Yourear is very painful, oryou have other symptoms that bother you.

Other common conditions, such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction , can masquerade as earache infections. TMJ causes ear pain because the ear canal and the jaw joint share a nerve. If you have ear pain along with trouble chewing, talking or yawning, then you should see a dentist or TMJ expert to be sure youre treating the right condition, notes Dr. Nguyen-Huynh.

The good news? Hot and cold compresses and OTC pain relievers can also help relieve TMJ pain until you sort things out.

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Can Olive Oil Help Treat Ear Infections

Once again, theres no clear scientific consensus on olive oils effectiveness for treating ear infections, but some findings are promising.

The most common type of ear infectionacute otitis media occurs when fluid builds up in the middle ear, and its symptoms include ear pain, a feeling of fullness in the ear, and hearing loss. It is often caused by bacteria , but can also be caused by viruses, according to the CDC. With viruses like colds, fluid builds up in the middle ear and then bacteria grows in the fluid which leads to AOM. Ear infections are much more common in children, but can occur in adults as well.

With AOM, doctors often recommend a watchful waiting approach, since your body can typically fight off the infection on its own, but if symptoms persist for several days, antibiotics may be necessary .

So where does olive oil come into the picture? It may be worth putting some DIY olive oil drops in your affected ear during your watchful waiting period. After all, extra virgin olive oil is unlikely to irritate the ear and its chock full of bioactive compounds, some of which have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, including hydroxytyrosol.

While doctors dont necessarily endorse olive oil as a treatment for ear infections, well known pediatricians like Dr. Bill Sears, MD, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, say that it may help alleviate the pain that accompanies ear infectionsand that’s great, since the pain is the worst part!

How To Make Garlic Olive Oil For Ears

How To Cure An Ear Infection With Garlic

Im grateful that ear infections are very rare in our family, but if one strikes, I immediately head to the kitchen to make this remedy

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • There are two ways this remedy can be made, depending on how much time you have and your preference for heating olive oil or not.
  • The fastest way is to heat the olive oil in a small pan or double boiler and add the minced garlic. Then, keep on very low heat for about 20 minutes to let the beneficial properties of the garlic infuse into the oil. At this point, strain the garlic and remove. I let the garlic cool to just skin temperature and place about two drops in the ear. The warmth and the oil often offer fast relief. This homemade product is not shelf stable, so I make a new batch of this mixture every 24 hours if needed rather than keeping the remaining oil to avoid any problems with contamination.
  • If you prefer not to heat garlic, you can accomplish the same thing by mincing raw garlic and keeping in olive oil without heating for 2-3 hours before straining and using, though this option is not as helpful if you need immediate relief.
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    Can Olive Oil Help Clear Earwax Buildup

    The short answer here is maybe.

    Earwax is naturally secreted by glands in your ear canal, which helps clean and lubricate your ears, and trap dust and other particles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Typically, ear wax gradually makes its way to the ear opening and falls out, since your ears are self-cleaning. But earwax can build up and potentially block the ear canal for a few reasons:

    • You may simply produce more wax than the average person
    • You could also have abnormally narrow ear canals that get blocked by wax more easily
    • If you try to clean your ears with a cotton swab like a Q-tip, you may actually be pushing wax in deeper, causing a blockage
    • You wear hearing aids, which can stimulate ear wax production while simultaneously blocking wax from leaving the ear canal

    This annoying wax buildup can cause pain, mess with your hearing , ear aches, and ear infections. So you want to deal with it quickly!

    Adding several drops of olive oil to your affected ear is thought to soften earwax and help it come out naturally. But how effective is it?

    Another study, from 2013, found that participants who applied 0.05 ml of olive oil to one ear every night for 6 months actually had greater wax buildup in that ear than in their non-treated ear. However, the study also found that short-term use of olive oil right before a doctor removed the ear wax buildup, did make it easier to remove all the wax.

    What Is A Middle Ear Infection

    A middle ear infection, otherwise known as otitis media, is a viral or bacterial infection of the air-filled cavity behind the eardrum. In most cases, a middle ear infection affects just one ear, but can also occur in both ears simultaneously. The infection can cause painful inflammation, as well as a build-up of fluid in the middle ear. Although people of any age can develop the infection, it is most common in younger children, with a high percentage of children experiencing the condition before the age of 10.

    In some cases, a middle ear infection may disappear without treatment. While antibiotics are only sometimes necessary to fight the infection, pain-relievers are commonly prescribed to lessen the pain caused by the condition. Further treatment options are available for recurrent middle ear infections. Complications are rare, meaning it is generally considered a non-serious condition.

    There are three common types of middle ear infection:

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