Earache Help

You are lying down on the couch taking a nap or reading a book, and suddenly you have this inexplicable pain in your ear. You immediately wonder if you should call a doctor, head to your medicine cabinet for some ibuprofen or drive to the local pharmacy for special drops. There are ways to relieve the earache naturally, without the aids of pills, doctors or ear drops.

Sit Upright

Farooq Mirza, the author of “Keeping Children Healthy in Body and Mind,” recommends sitting upright for 30 minutes to help reduce the pain of an earache. This should allow the tubes inside of the ear to drain. If you see discharge coming out of the ear, you might have a middle ear infection. A middle ear infection usually clears up on its own after 72 hours, according to MayoClinic.com. However, if the pain persists after three days, you should see a doctor.

Apply Heat or Cold

People who suffer from joint pain know that a cold compress or a heat pack can work wonders. This same idea can also work for earaches. For heat, “The Doctors Book of Home Remedies” suggests using a hairdryer on the warm setting and holding the dryer 18 inches from your ear. The warm air should help to reduce the pain. If you prefer to use a cold compress, the MedlinePlus website recommends holding a cold pack on your ear for 20 minutes.

Two Drops of Oil

At your local pharmacy, you can purchase over-the-counter ear drops that will help to reduce the pain. Yet, oil you already have in your house, such as olive oil or baby oil, can have the same effect. Place two drops of oil in each ear. If you wish, you can heat the oil in a shallow dish filled with warm water before you place it in the ear> However, heating it is not necessary and can cause burns if you are not careful. Oil drops should never be used if the eardrum is punctured or ruptured, according to “The Doctors Book of Home Remedies.”