Watching your child suffer through an earache can be almost as painful for you to endure. The pressure, inflammation, chills and fever so often seen with middle ear infection need to go and quickly.
Your doctor may tell you over the counter medicines are the way to alleviate them, but are they worth the potential side effects to your child’s health?
Natural Remedies To Soothe Your Baby’s Earache
The best thing to do with average earaches is to empower the immune system to sort itself out. In the meantime, we can help it along by alleviating the symptoms.
Luckily, there are many natural remedies to treat earache symptoms and many you already have in your home.
Heat
This obvious inflammation remedy is often overlooked. Placing a gently warmed heat pad behind your child’s ear can help to increase the circulation of blood, reducing inflammation.
The fresh supply of oxygen rich blood also helps to lessen the pain associated with earache.
The Ol’ Onion Trick
You may have heard of this old folk remedy: Cut an onion in half and place it on the affected ear. While it sounds odd, there is validity in the remedy.
Alliums like onions contain potent antibacterial compounds which release easily into the air. By cutting the onion in half, you release these compounds, and send them into the ear to do their healing work.
Essential Oils
Though usually used for aromatherapy, many common essential oils are actually analgesics and anti-inflammatories.
Analgesics help to numb the sensation of pain, while anti-inflammatories reduce the swelling associated with earaches.
A simple natural earache rub:
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 2 oz. coconut oil
Mix well in a small jar with a lid. As needed, rub onto the outside of the child’s ear for relief.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has a long list of benefits. As more uses are discovered, it has become a common staple in our homes. Chances are there is a bottle in your pantry!
Heat a small amount of organic apple cider vinegar to just above body temperature, and then dip a cotton swab into it.
Gently wipe the cotton swab along the outside of the ear canal, spreading the apple cider vinegar throughout.
The anti-inflammatory effect is fast, and will help relieve pain.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Another common household item, hydrogen peroxide is often used for treating minor cuts and scrapes. The same anti-bacterial benefit can help your child with an ear infection.
Lying your child on their side, place 2-3 drops of well diluted hydrogen peroxide in the affected ear. Wait for the bubbling to stop, and then turn them over to let the peroxide drain out.
Doing this as a supplemental method every day can speed healing time dramatically.
Chiropractic Care
Often, lymphatic blockages can be keeping the ears from draining as they should. If the bones in your child’s upper neck are out of alignment, the muscles surrounding them may not be contracting properly.
Muscles which do not contract the way they should produce a host of symptoms in the body system. In areas surrounding lymph nodes, such as the neck, this can manifest itself as poor lymphatic drainage.
If the buildup of fluid in the ear canal does not drain and is allowed to sit, it provides an ideal breeding ground for the bacteria and viruses which contribute to ear infection.
Through gentle realignment, chiropractic care can enable your child’s immune system to better regulate itself.
The Choice Is Yours!
There are many factors to consider when choosing a solution for your little ones. Over anything else, choose what will make them happy, and keep them healthy.
