Earaches, which are caused by any number of reasons, are usually extremely painful. Regardless of your age, an earache can bring tears to the eyes of a grown man or a young child. Having a home remedy on hand to give to your loved ones to relieve an earache may shorten its duration and relieve the pain. Speak to your health practitioner beforehand to confirm that it is safe for you to treat your own earaches or those of your family.
Garlic
Garlic has been used for thousands of years as a healing herb. It possesses multiple medicinal qualities making it an excellent choice to relieve an ear infection. Garlic can be used as an antiseptic, and it is rich in antioxidants. Fresh garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties.
Sweet Oil
Sweet oil is an old-fashioned term for a mild vegetable oil, usually olive oil. It is used as a base for various medicines. Sweet oil is available in pharmacies in pharmaceutical grade. It is not appropriate for cooking. If you are unable to find it, you can substitute light olive oil. Sweet or olive oil is used as a base to make a home remedy for earaches.
Sweet Oil and Garlic Mixture
You can make an infusion of sweet or olive oil and garlic by gently warming 1 cup of oil on the stove and adding 4 to 6 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic. Allow the garlic to soak in the oil for 2 to 4 hours on very low heat. Do not boil or simmer. Leave the garlic in the oil and store in the refrigerator or freezer for safety. Never store garlic and oil mixtures at room temperature to avoid botulism toxin from developing.
To use this mixture, have the patient lie with his painful ear facing upward and drop several drops of slightly warm liquid into the painful ear. Gently place a cotton ball in the ear to hold the garlic oil in place. Never place liquids into an ear where you suspect the eardrum may be ruptured.
Garlic and Gauze Remedy
Another way to use garlic for an earache is to peel a medium-sized clove of garlic and cut one end off. Wrap the clove in a small piece of gauze or cheese cloth and twist the ends together leaving a small amount of cloth that you can grab with your thumb and forefinger. Place the wrapped garlic clove with the cut side facing inward into the painful ear just inside the ear canal. Allow it to remain there for several hours. The natural oils in the garlic will help relieve the pain and infection. Do not use this method of treatment on young children. The garlic should not be pushed deeply into the ear.
Other Considerations
If symptoms persist after treating an earache with garlic oil or a fresh clove of garlic, contact your practitioner. Used topically, garlic is generally considered safe. If you develop a rash or other skin symptoms, stop using garlic and contact your practitioner.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
- University of California at Davis: Garlic
- "Back to Eden", Jethro Kloss; 2002
- "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies"; Joe Graedon MS and Sifu Teresa Graedon; 2002
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