Ear infections can occur in one or both ears and be caused by several factors. There may be dull or sharp pain and throbbing, and the person may or may not have a fever. Children often have earaches that arise from being in contact with other sick kids, from allergies or from sticking foreign objects in their ears. Most earaches resolve rapidly if caught early; and some parents like to have home remedies on hand when an ear infection first starts. Garlic oil is an old-time folk remedy that has proven helpful in soothing and relieving ear infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If pain persists or worsens, contact a health practitioner.
Step 1
Buy cold pressed organic olive oil or sweet oil, which is pharmaceutical grade olive oil. Use either as a base for this ear infection remedy, suggests Jethro Kloss in "Back to Eden." Sweet oil is unrefined and not suitable for cooking.
Step 2
Sterilize the dropper bottle and the dropper by boiling in water for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to air dry.
Step 3
Crush two cloves of fresh garlic and add to 1/2 cup of olive oil or sweet oil, writes Kloss. Allow the oil and garlic mixture to stand for at least 12 hours. Remove the garlic when time has passed. Pour into the dropper bottle.
Step 4
Place two to four drops of the oil that has been warmed in a pan of water, into the painful ear. Check the temperature of the oil on the inside of your wrist before putting it in anyone's ear.
Step 5
Place a piece of cotton in the ear and have your child or the person with the ear infection lie down with that ear facing the ceiling for about 10 minutes. If the ear infection is in both ears, repeat the procedure in the other ear after the time has lapsed.
Step 6
Store the garlic oil in your refrigerator to prevent spoilage. Garlic oil left out on the counter in a warm kitchen may grow botulism spores over time, advises the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Tips and Warnings
- Apply a heating pad set on low or a warm compress on the painful ear for additional soothing relief. The active ingredient in fresh garlic is allicin, reported to have antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties that may be responsible for destroying the source of ear infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
- Never place liquids in a sore ear if you suspect a ruptured eardrum. If the pain persists or worsens after a 24-hour period, contact your doctor.
Things You'll Need
- Cold pressed organic olive oil
- Sweet oil
- Dark colored 1 or 2 oz. dropper bottle
- Fresh garlic
- Cotton balls
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
- "Back to Eden"; Jethro Kloss; 2002
- University of California Cooperative Extension: Garlic
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