I’ve been dealing with some serious ear troubles as of late. It began with a pain that I mistook for the development of a pimple. The pain began to spread into my jaw, and soon after I was basically unable to talk or eat. It was horrible, to say the least.
I went to see a doctor and he told me I had wax buildup and an outer ear infection. I started putting drops in my ear, along with some olive oil, to break up the wax. But although that ear started getting better, I developed the same pain in my other ear – double horrible.
So I was basically left with two bunk ears – one was incredibly painful and the other I could barely hear with.
Ear problems may seem harmless but cause a lot of trouble. You’re isolated from the rest of the world as you can hardly hear what everybody else is saying, and on top of that the pain is so bad you can’t even sleep well at night. After discussing my ailment with others, I got plenty of recommendations on ways to treat ear problems which I want to share with you because I don’t want any of you going through what I did.
Natural home remedies for ear pain and wax buildup
First and foremost, do not start sticking cotton swabs into your ear. This is an incredibly harmful practice that can cause you more bad than good, especially if you have lodged wax. Furthermore, swabbing can damage the ear canal, and you don’t want that to happen either.
If you have a wax problem, you will want to soften the wax. You can easily do this by putting a few drops of warm olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt water, baking soda, or even hydrogen peroxide in the ear. You simply put the solution in your ear and lay on the opposite side of the affected ear, so the liquid can really get in. After about 10 minutes, rinse the ear and ensure you dry it properly. In a few days, this will soften the wax to the point where it begins to come out on its own – or a doctor can flush it out – without too much pain.
Another method I learned which apparently is very common on flights, is using Styrofoam cups. This remedy is meant to alleviate pain, particularly when flying. Soak a napkin or cloth in hot water, allowing it to absorb. Place this warm, damp napkin in the cup and hold it over the ear. The steam will provide heat to the ears and soften up any hard wax. I found this technique best for relieving pain.
You can also place a hot pack or warm towel over the ear area for pain relief.
Now, the last remedy is specifically for ear infections. You need to get a clove of garlic and remove the outer skin. Cut the garlic clove in half and place it in your ear. You may want to use medical tape to keep the garlic in place. For optimal results, sleep with the garlic in your ear. Garlic is a well known anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, so if you have any infection, the garlic can work to kill it off.
These are just some remedies to deal with basic ear troubles, from wax buildup to pain and even infection. And there are many more natural ways to handle your ear troubles. I’ve even read up on some yoga positions to help relieve ear pain – may want to give that a try as well.
I honestly hope you avoid the pain I went through, but if you do at least you have some easy home remedies to get you through it.
Until next week,
Emily Lunardo
Related: New insight into age-related hearing loss