Home Remedies for Ear Infection

Ear Infection
The infection or inflammation of the ear is represented by a term "Otitis". This is of three types:

1 – Otitis externa or External Otitis
This is also called "Swimmer's ear". The protective film on the top of the ear canal or lipid layer is removed. This canal looks ruddy and swollen. Such a condition arises when water, dirt, sand or some debris enters the ear canal. Malignant external otitis may form when bacteria attack the bones in the ear canal and spread to the base of the skull.

2 – Otitis media or Middle Ear Infection
The middle ear lies behind the eardrum and is a small cavity of air. Infections that lead to sore throats, colds or breathing problems spread to the middle ear and cause Otitis media. When bacteria or viruses enter the middle ear, the area is filled with fluid containing germ fighting cells. The feeling is that the ear is a balloon about to pop and this hurts. This infection generally occurs in childhood.

3 – Otitis interna or Labyrinthitis
This affects the inner ear. This part of the ear has sense organs for hearing and balance. These organs are inflamed and the person feels as if the room is spinning.

Ear Infection Symptoms
If children have an ear infection, the symptoms are:

• fluid drains from the ears
• headache
• fever
• failure to respond to sounds
• trouble to sleep
• pulling of the ears

In case of swimmer's ear, the symptoms of ear infection are:

• sensation of fullness in the ear
• itching
• pain
• moderate to severe pain
• discharge
• hearing loss

In case of middle ear infection, the symptoms are:

• coughing
• irritability
• loss of appetite
• pain or discomfort in the ear
• vomiting
• nasal congestion
• sleeplessness
• fever

For Labyrinthitis, the symptoms are:

• severe whirling nausea
• vomiting
• nausea

Ear infection treatment

For swimmer's ear, the following home remedies would prove useful:

• if the infection is mild, avoiding swimming and hair washing can cure the condition
• topical solutions containing antibacterial or antifungal antibiotics acidify the ear and suppress bacterial growth
• if there is severe soft tissue swelling, then oral anti-pseudomonal antibiotics are prescribed
• drops containing anti-inflammatory steroids enable to minimize swelling and itching
• removing debris like wax, pus and shed skin from the ear canal causes direct contact of the medication with the infected skin and hastens recovery

For children having middle ear infection, the home remedies are as follows:

• antibiotics like Amoxicillin, Septra, Ceclor, Bactrim, Augmentin, Pediazole and Suprax will result in improvement in forty-eight to seventy-two hours. However, these must be taken till the entire infection has disappeared
• analgesics like Acetaminophen assuage the pain and fever
• sinus or nasal congestion is overcome by an antihistamine and/or a decongestant

Some other home remedies are:

• increasing zinc intake to reduce ear infections
• increasing vitamin C to prop up the immune system for tackling infection
• arranging a healthy diet with large amount of calcium
• avoiding processed foods and hydrogenated oils
• breast feeding infants
• avoiding passive smoking and contact with people having cold
• avoiding touching nose and ears
• washing hands periodically

Before the advent of antibiotics, the following home remedies were in vogue.

• pressing a warm water bottle or warm bag of salt against the ear
• drops of tea tree oil has mild anti-bacterial properties, but could irritate the skin
• Otikon, made of garlic or St. John's wort, is an anesthetic having side effects
• avoiding ear candles to remove wax from ears

Sometimes the following home remedies may prove useful:

• Goldenseal and echinacea are herbs that cleanse the body
• consumption of dairy products must be avoided
• essential oils like ginger, peppermint and eucalyptus are mixed with hot steaming water in a bowl. A towel is held over the head and the steam is inhaled