Earaches are a common childhood ailment, accounting for nearly a third of doctor's visits for children up to age of five. Most childhood earaches are from otitis media infections of the middle ear. These are often the result of bacterial or viral infections that cause swelling and blockage of the Eustachian tube. Middle ear infections frequently follow an upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms include earache, redness or bulging of the eardrum, and a fever of 103 degrees or higher. Outer ear infections affecting the ear canal (otitis externa, or swimmer's ear) are less serious. Most outer ear canal infections are the result of getting water in the canal while swimming or showering. Bacteria growing in the damp environment cause the infection. Symptoms include a watery fluid draining from the ear, itching, and pain. (Pain from wiggling the external car is a sign of an infection of the outer rather than middle ear.) It is important to keep the outer ear canal dry if it has become infected. Shield it from water, even while taking a shower, with ear plugs or a showercap. A simple and effective treatment for an outer ear infection is to mix equal parts of white vinegar and 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Place a few drops in the ear and tilt the head, letting the solution stay in the ear for thirty seconds. Chiropractic Care Nutrition and Supplements Herbal Remedies Homeopathic Remedies Essential Oils Chiropractic Care  coming soon BACK TO MENU Nutrition and Supplements Recurrent middle ear infections may indicate a food allergy, particularly to dairy products and wheat. Avoid saturated fats, which contribute to the excessive production of earwax. People with large amounts of earwax are more prone to external ear infections. Nutritional supplements can help protect against ear infections and speed recovery from them. The following recommendations are for adults. Consult a health practitioner for dosages for children: vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, 25,000 IU: to strengthen mucus membranes and the immune system vitamin C plus bioflavonoids, 2-5 grams daily or to bowel tolerance: to help prevent infections by increasing immune function zinc, 15-30 mg: to strengthen the immune system essential fatty acids, 250-1,000 mg: to reduce the tendency to produce excess earwax Herbal Remedies Warm eardrops are the best way to administer herbs for earaches caused by middle ear infections (provided that the eardrum is not perforated). Warm the bottle in hot water for a few minutes, test the liquid on your wrist to make sure it is not overheated, and then put five to ten drops in the ear every two to three hours. The herbs most often recommended by herbalists for relieving ear infections have antibacterial properties, including: mullein, available as an oil made by steeping the fresh flowers in olive oil garlic, also available as an oil or as liquid garlic extract Herbs to take internally to strengthen the immune system and help fight infection include: garlic, one to two cloves of fresh garlic or garlic capsules two to three times per day echinacea, 1/2-1 teaspoon of tincture three to four times per day BACK TO MENU Homeopathic Remedies The single remedies most commonly recommended by homeopaths to relieve an ear infection include: Aconite: for the onset of an earache, when the outer ear is hot and painful Chamomilla: for the child who is extremely irritable or crying loudly Pulsatilla: for an earache that comes on after a cold, or in a child who tends to whine rather than cry loudly Also available are combination remedy formulas that are prepared with some or all of the above single remedies. BACK TO MENU Essential Oils Methods for using essential oils for earaches include warm compresses to relieve the pain, gargling (to help kill germs in the throat that may be causing the ear infection), and massage around the outer ear and neck. Use any of the following essential oils: chamomile: analgesic, antiseptic, antibacterial lavender: analgesic, antimicrobial, sedative tea tree: anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant (Use caution when using as a massage oil or in the bath, as tea tree oil may cause skin sensitivity in some individuals.) PAGE TOP Powered by ProfessionalPlanets.com™ Copyright 1999 © ProfessionalPlanets.com™ All rights reserved. Terms of Use