Earaches are super uncomfortable. Since the you cannot see or touch the part that is aching, it makes the entire experience a nightmare. Also, the ear is a very sensitive part of our body, a part that might get infected really fast. Therefore, you should try these home remedies for ear pain relief instead of products that contain harmful chemicals.

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Ear pain is usually caused by infection, but it can also be a result of fluid buildup in the middle ear. Other common causes are,

• The common cold
• Wax in the ear
• Blockage in the nasal passage
• Physical damage to the inside of the ear
• An increase in air pressure

According to the Mayo Clinic,

“An ear infection is caused by a bacterium or virus in the middle ear. This infection often results from another illness — cold, flu or allergy — that causes congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat and eustachian tubes.”

Ear pain is more common in children than in adults. If you are an adult with ear pain, it is suggested that you immediately visit a doctor or your health care provider. After consulting the doctor, you can use these natural treatments to take care of your ear and ensure that such an infection does not occur again.

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Suggested read: All You Need To Know About Getting Rid Of Earwax Buildup With Home Remedies

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Symptoms

Since ear pain is most commonly caused by infection in the ears, let us take a look at the symptoms that are generally associated with infection/s in the ears.

The signs of ear infection in children, include,

• Ear pain, especially while lying down
• Tugging or pulling at an ear
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Crying or irritation more than usual
• Difficulty in responding to sounds
• Difficulty in hearing
• Loss of steadiness
• Fever of 100 F (38 C) or higher
• Constant drainage of fluid from the ear/s
• Severe headache
• A loss of appetite

The usual symptoms associated with an ear infection in adults are,

• Ear pain
• Drainage of fluid from the ear
• Diminished hearing
• Severe headache

Though treating your ear pain with home remedies is an amazing alternative to chemical meds, you will have to visit a doctor if your condition worsens and you notice the symptoms lasting for more than a day. A proper consultation, diagnosis of the problem and immediate treatment is mandatory for a speedy recovery. If your child is less than 6-months of age, and is showing symptoms of ear pain, then you need to visit the doctor immediately

Risk factors

According to the Mayo Clinic,

“Risk factors for ear infections include:

• Children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years are more susceptible to ear infections because of the size and shape of their eustachian tubes and because of their poorly developed immune systems.

• Group child care.Children cared for in group settings are more likely to get colds and ear infections than are children who stay home because they’re exposed to more infections, such as the common cold.

• Infant feeding.Babies who drink from a bottle, especially while lying down, tend to have more ear infections than do babies who are breast-fed.

• Seasonal factors.Ear infections are most common during the fall and winter when colds and flu are prevalent. People with seasonal allergies may have a greater risk of ear infections during seasonal high pollen counts.

• Poor air quality.Exposure to tobacco smoke or high levels of air pollution can increase the risk of ear infection.”

Home remedies for ear pain relief

Here are the 9 best natural treatments that will help you get relief from your earache.

1. Olive Oil

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Olive oil is a great remedy for ear pain relief. Since the oil acts as a lubricant, it cures the infection in the ear, which subsequently takes away the pain.

If you have any kind of buzzing sensation in your ear too, then his remedy can help you out.

For the treatment, you need to pour about 2 to 3 drops of soothingly warm natural olive oil into your ears. You can also dip a clean cotton ball into the oil, squeeze out the excess oil, and place it firmly into the ear.

Instead of olive oil, one can also use mustard oil, if that is more convenient.

2. Garlic

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This should not come as a surprise. Garlic is analgesic and antibiotic, which makes it one of the best remedies for earache that is caused by infection.

For the remedy, you need to mince some garlic, and heat one teaspoon of this minced garlic with four teaspoons of sesame oil. Remove the mix from the heat, and allow it to cool. Now filter the oil into a clean ear dropper. Put about 2 to 3 drops of this mixture into your ears.

3. Hot Water Bottle

Just place a hot water bottle near your ear, and Voila! You will see how it has relieved your pain. Only one thing: Wrap the bottle in a clean towel first. Do not apply it directly on the ears. Also, press the bottle to your ears lightly, and only for a few minutes.

4. Ginger

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Ginger due to its terrific anti-inflammatory qualities can treat earache effectively. Also, ginger is an amazing natural pain killer.

For the remedy, you will have to extract the juice of fresh ginger, and apply it into your ears. This will help treat all the symptoms associated to ear pain.

Alternatively, you can also mix four teaspoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of grated ginger root (make sure it is fresh), and apply it into your ears after letting it infuse for about 5 minutes or so.

5. Peppermint

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You can use peppermint leaves as well as peppermint oil for this remedy as both work effectively to alleviate ear pain.

For the treatment, you need to extract some peppermint juice into a dropper. Now put 3 drops of this juice into your ears.

You can also dip a cotton ball into some peppermint oil, and place it in the opening of your ear, externally. Remember to dilute the peppermint oil with some olive oil first, since it might be pretty concentrated and strong.

6. Basil

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Basil is anti-inflammatory; it is both antibacterial as well as analgesic, which makes it a great natural treatment for ear pain.

You need to start by crushing some basil leaves and extracting the natural juice. Put about 4 drops of this juice into your aching ear.

You should repeat it twice a day, until your condition improves.

7. Neem

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The next remedy is neem or Indian lilac which is a super effective treatment for ear pain because of its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. As a result, neem fights infection and helps get some comfort from the earache. Neem is also anti-inflammatory and analgesic which has a great effect on the pain.

For the remedy, begin by crushing some neem leaves. You need to extract the natural juice of neem. Now put this juice into a clean ear dropper and apply a few drops into your ears.

You can also take some neem oil and soak a clean cotton ball into it. Squeeze the cotton ball to get rid of the excess oil. Place your ball in the outer ear and leave it on for a while. It will help alleviate the pain.

8. Bishop’s Weed

The next remedy on our list is Bishop’s Weed, which is known as ajwain in Hindi. This is a very effective cure that gives relief from ear pain almost instantly. Bishop’s Weed is antimicrobial as well as antiseptic, which make it an amazing treatment for earaches.

For the remedy, you need to mix three teaspoons of sesame oil with a teaspoon of Bishop’s Weed oil. You need to heat this mix slightly. Once the mixture is body temperature, apply a few drop of it into the infected ear,

An alternative to this option involves mixing two teaspoons of mustard oil with half a teaspoon of Bishop’s Weed. Heat this mix after adding some garlic flakes to it. Once the garlic starts turning red, remove the pan from the heat. Now filter the mix and let it cool. Once the mixture is at body temperature, you need to put a couple of drops in the infected ear using a clean ear dropper.

9. Hair Dryer

This remedy might come as a surprise, but it is one of the easiest yet most effect treatments ever. By applying moist heat using a hair dryer, you can alleviate ear pain in no time.

After your shower, or after you have taken a bath, you should not use your towel to clean your ears. This is because towels can cause infection in the ears really quick. Instead, go for a blow dryer. You should keep the setting of the blower to warm, and hold it a little away from your ear. As the moist heat falls on your ears, it dries them and alleviates the pain that might have been caused due to water in the ear canal.

You should not use the dryer for more than 5 minutes.

That is all we have on today’s post on home remedies for ear pain relief. Was this helpful? Will you be recommending it to others too? If you have some remedies that you would like to share with us, then please do so in the comment section below.

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