5 Natural Remedies to Put an End to Ear Infections

Swimmer’s ear is a type of infection relating to bacteria and moisture accumulation. Ear infections can also be linked to the foods you eat, among other things. There are several changes you can make to help raise immunity, lower inflammation and reduce your chance of developing an infection leading to ear problems. To help alleviate your ear infection, consider trying some of these simple methods below.

Refrain from going into the water

As much as you might enjoy going into the water for a swim, you need to stay out of the water temporarily to allow the infection time to heal. If your inner ear does end up getting wet, you can use a hairdryer to dry out the ear carefully to prevent the infection from getting worse. You don’t want to use too high of a setting on the dryer or it could push the water further into your ear.

Use heat to soothe the pain

Take a warm compress and press it against the ear with the infection to help reduce the pain. You can heat the compress up in the microwave or dryer or warm up a bottle instead. Then, you can press it against your ear for as long as you are able to withstand the heat. If the pain gets too bad, you can always use an over-the-counter medication to help alleviate some of the pain. Make sure you don’t overdose on aspirin.

Don’t attempt to remove earwax

Earwax has a number of important functions, such as protecting you from harmful bacteria, providing your ears with a barrier and preventing excess moisture from accumulating inside of your ear. One of the worst things you can do is to use cotton swabs to attempt to get all of the wax out of your ear, especially when you are prone to ear infections. If you think that you are producing more earwax that what’s normal and you find it quite uncomfortable, you might want to discuss your options with a doctor who can safely remove the wax using specialized equipment.

Essential oils work wonders

Essential oils such as basil, garlic and frankincense can all be used on the outside of your ears. Rubbing frankincense and basil oils behind your ears can help reduce pain and speed up the healing process. Not only do the oils smell great, but they work wonders on your pain.

Vinegar and rubbing alcohol are ideal

Rubbing alcohol, mineral oil and vinegar are great for the ears, plus you can pick them up almost anywhere. Use either pure rubbing alcohol, pre-made mineral oil or equal parts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar. Make sure to read the instructions on the label to determine how much to use.

While swimmer’s ear can be quite unpleasant, there are a number of things that you can do to put an end to the pain. Try any number of the different methods above to help counteract the pain and infection in your ear.