Although inflammation and fluid accumulation in the middle ear or outer ear are usually mentioned for the cause of the pain in the ear, sometimes there may not even be an obvious cause. While swimming in the sea or taking a shower, pain may be experienced due to water escaping into the ear, as well as a serious problem such as inflammation in the head area can cause ear pain.
Although the person suffering from ear pain undertakes a specific investigation for right ear pain or left ear pain, the source of the pain does not usually vary according to which ear it occurs. Therefore, the treatment method does not take shape according to which ear the pain is in.
Causes of Earache
First of all, let’s say that it is useful to consult a doctor without wasting time for persistent ear pain. While there are several home remedies available, an advanced infective problem can worsen the pain-causing condition.
- An infection in the teeth or inflammation of the throat area affecting the middle ear area causes ear pain.
- Listening to loud music with headphones can cause earache. Expert opinion is that the volume level should not be more than 60% in instruments that listen to music with headphones.
- Clenching the jaw and grinding the teeth during sleep cause the jawbone to press on the ears, resulting in earache. In order to determine this situation, a sleep center can be applied and the sleep process can be requested to be observed.
- Children pulling on their ears force the eardrum and middle ear, triggering pain. This behavior, which causes ear pain in children, can also damage the auricle and outer ear.
- The most obvious cause of ear pain is otitis media. However, ear pain alone is not a sufficient symptom for the detection of otitis media. Symptoms of ear pain due to otitis media include low-level hearing loss, generally feeling sick or tired, and fire countable. Inflammatory ear pain draws attention as the most dangerous of the factors that cause pain. If not treated properly, it can even lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Shingles can also be counted among the causes of ear pain. The viral infection, known as shingles, caused by the virus named herpes zooster, settles in the outer ear and auricle and causes pain.
- If precautions are not taken and protection is not provided against changes in air temperature, ear pain may be experienced. Under these pains, which become more evident especially in cold weather, other causes related to infection are generally sought.
Natural Remedies for Earache
From past to present, natural methods have been used for the treatment of ear pain, as in many health problems, and some of them have been of great benefit. Although home treatment for ear pain is mostly beneficial, it is worth noting that the most definitive treatment method is always the progress to be made as a result of doctor’s referral. Especially if you plan to apply these methods on your child under the age of 2, your priority should be to consult your child’s doctor. Natural treatment methods applied to children under a certain age may cause more harm than good due to the differences in the physiological structures of children.
1. Onion
Onion is a successful natural treatment tool with its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Onion cure for ear pain is one of the natural treatment methods with the most positive results.
Grate an onion and heat it over low heat so that it extracts about a tablespoon of juice. Drip this water into your ear as a few drops 2 or 3 times a day, depending on the severity of the pain. Continue to lie in a horizontal position for a while so that the droplet penetrates the area and does not flow directly.
2. Garlic
Garlic is mostly used to relieve infections and the pain caused by these infections.
Put a few drops of the garlic oil obtained by soaking the crushed garlic in warm olive oil or sesame oil and drip a few drops into your aching ear. Garlic has both antibiotic and analgesic properties, and some studies have shown that it relieves earache as effectively as medical drugs.
3. Olive oil
Although there is no scientific study proving that olive oil crosses the eardrum and relieves earache, this method is the answer to many people’s fuss about what to do for earache with household ingredients.
A few drops of warm olive oil are helpful in relieving earache. However, before applying this method for children, be sure to consult your doctor and make sure that the olive oil is not higher than body temperature.
4. Ginger
A unique natural pain reliever and an extremely powerful anti-inflammatory, ginger is an effective option for relieving earaches.
You can drip a small amount of ginger juice obtained by grating or squeezing into your ear.
In another method, mix two tablespoons of olive oil with freshly grated ginger root. Allow it to mix completely for about 10 minutes. After making sure that it is mixed, strain the ginger residues from the mixture and put a few drops in your aching ear.
5. Indian lilac
Indian lilac, which stands out with its antibacterial and antifungal properties, is extremely effective in the treatment of earache thanks to these properties.
To extract the pulp of the fruit, crush a few leaves and put a few drops of the liquid in your aching ear. Also, put a piece of cotton wool soaked in this liquid in your ear and hold it for a few minutes and lift it. You can repeat this method several times a day, depending on the severity of your pain.
6. Cold or hot water compress
At first glance, it is doubtful how the earache will go away with this method, but in this method, which does not pose any danger to both adults and children, placing an ice pack or a bottle of hot water on your aching ear for a while allows the pain to go away to a great extent. Keep applying the compress by lifting one of them every 10 minutes and placing the other on your ear. If the passage of hot and cold bothers you, you can also just apply a hot or cold compress.