Ear infections often occur due to viruses or bacteria which infect the middle ear. Children are usually more vulnerable to an ear infection comparing to adults. In order to understand more about ear infection, you need to know your ear.

The Anology

Ear consists of 3 parts which are inner, middle and outer. For the outer part, there is pinna which is the section that sound waves need to go through before going into the ear canal. After the ear canal is the eardrum which belongs to the middle part. Besides eardrum, there are other important components such as middle canal, semicircular, stir up, anvil and hammer. At the end of the ear canal, there is the inner part which consists of nerves, Eustachian tube and cochlea. In here, sound waves will reach the nerves and then they are transferred to the brain for process.

Signs / Symptoms of Ear Infection

The signs and symptoms of ear infection can be obviously ear pain and tugging inside your ear, trouble with sleeping, headache, lack of responsiveness to sound, fluid draining from your ear, diarrhea, vomiting and high fever. The symptoms of ear infections are various. Each person can have different infection signs from others but the popular symptoms are: pain in the ear, problems when sleeping, headache or draining fluid in the ear, etc.

What causes Ear Infection?

There are several factors which either contribute or cause this problem like –
•    Accumulation of wax,
•    upper respiratory infections,
•    allergies to foods or environment,
•    genetics,
•    fetal alcohol syndrome,
•    deficiency of nutrients
•    internal injuries.

The ear infection often occurs in the middle part of ear, which is easier to treat. If your ear is infected in the inner part, you should go to your doctor to be consulted. Some common causes are: deficiency of nutrition, food allergies, accumulation of wax, environmental allergies, inner injuries, etc. Ear infection can happen at any part of your ear. However, the most dangerous part is the inner ear.

12 Amazing Natural Remedies for Ear Infection

1.    Salt 

Heat one cup of salt for a few minutes. You can use pan, double boiler or microwave oven. Put that hot salt on a towel and tie the open end with a rubber band. Lie down and apply the towel on your ear when it is less hot. Leave it on for about ten minutes.

2.    Garlic or Lahsun

Garlic is another effective home-remedy for how to treat ear infection because the antimicrobial property that garlic contains can help your to relieve pain. For this, you need to at first boil 2 garlic cloves with 2 teaspoons of sesame oil till it turns to black to get garlic oil and then filter the same. Wait till it cools down and then you can drop some oil in the infected ear. Also, your ear infection will become better if you eat some garlic cloves everyday.

3.    Holy Basil or Tulsi

Minor earache can be relieved by holy basil. It helps you significantly on how to treat ear infection and reduce the pain it causes. All you need to do is to squeeze about five holy basil leaves to get its juice. Rub it on your affected ear. Although, you need to remember not to get basil juice in the ear canal. Alternatively, you can use the mixture of a few drops of basil oil with some drops of coconut oil. Steep a soft towel in the mixture and then wipe inside the ear.

4.    Apple Cider Vinegar 

Apple cider vinegar is another choice for how to take care of ear infection that you might as well consider. Add some apple cider vinegar with the same amount of water. Steep a soft towel in the liquid. Then, place it in the infected ear, and allow it on for some minutes. Thereafter, you may get rid of the towel and use cotton cloth to wipe your ear. You can also use a hair dryer to dry your ear.

5.    Olive Oil

Olive oil can help to clear the blockage in the eustachian tubes, formed by the wax and bacteria, the main cause of ear infection. Here is the home remedy. Heat up olive oil in some minutes. Drop the warm oil into your ear to make the wax become soft. Use a soft cloth or a cotton-tipped swab to wipe and remove the wax. Note: You should be very careful when using swab because if you put it to deep in your ear, it can damage eardrum.

6.    Warm Compress

If you get an ear infection, the sooner you apply heat onto your ear, the better it is. This is because heat can stop microorganism infestation as well as help relieve the pain. Use a warm bottle of water to compress on your infected ear. Keep in mind that you need not apply the heat on your ear for too long. The average time is about 5 minutes. Then get rid of the warm bottle for some minute before repeating to compress.

7.    Onion or Pyaz

Onion is is one of the ingredients that are used most commonly to cook. However, onion is also a miracle medicine and one of its functions is for mitigating an ear infection. Heat some chopped onion for about two minutes. Wait till it gets cooler and then refine its juice. Drop some onion juice in your ear and allow it in for 5 minutes. Use a cotton cloth to clean your ear or simply turn your head so that it can drain out. Alternatively, you can use baked onion to treat ear infection. For this, you need to bake an onion for 30 minutes.

8.    Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a rich source of mild antibacterial properties, which could help relieve your pain right away. Here is a home-remedy that you can try for easing the ear infection. Lightly heat the mixture of three drops of tea tree oil, two tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of colloidal silver and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Put this mixture in your ear and allow it to sit in for 5 minutes. Use a towel or cotton cloth to wipe and cleanse your ear. Repeat this way twice a day and you can get good results in just two days.

9.    Mango Leaf Juice

Mango leaf juice is another effective home remedy for treating the ear infection. You can easily get some mango leaves that maybe squeezed to get its juice. Heat up this juice slightly and drop it in your ear and leave it in for a few minutes. Repeat this twice per day till you feel better.

10.    Breast Milk

Breast milk is a useful remedy for treating the ear infection because it contains natural antibodies, which are properties that can make your infected ear heal faster. It can also relieve pain and swelling in a few days. This remedy applies for both adults and children. For this, drop some breast milk in your ear and wait for some minutes before cleansing your ear with a cloth. Follow this remedy several times a day until you feel better.

11.    Lemon Balm

Lemon balm makes your ear infection recover earlier due to the antiseptic, anti viral properties it holds. You may take some lemon balm. Put some drops in your infected ear and leave it in for a few minutes. Later go in for cleansing your ear with a cloth or cotton swab. Follow this remedy twice everyday to get the best result.

12.    Mullein Flowers (Swarnadhaanye)

Mullein is also used as an excellent treatment for the ear infection. While it helps relieve the pain, it also heals the infection better. As a home-remedy, you need to add approx. one teaspoon of Mullein flowers to half a cup of boiling water and then wait till it gets cooler. Add 1 tablespoon of each mullein tea and olive oil in the solution to make mullein oil and leave it overnight. Put some drops in your ear. Cleansing your ear with a cloth or cotton swab is suggested after this.