An earache can be excrutiatingly painful. As the ear, nose and throat are all interconnected, the pain can also spread to these areas and cause much distress . An earache can be sharp, dull, or burning pain.
Causes and symptoms of earache
Earache is usually caused by a cold getting out of hand. The ear, nose and throat are intimately connected. Any infection in one area tends to affect the other two to a lesser or greater degree. This is especially so in children. Pain can also occur if one has used a pin or matchstick to clean the ears. An erupting wisdom tooth or a toothache can also cause pain in the ear.
Increased irritability or pulling at the ears is often a sign of ear pain in infants. Earache in a child or infant is not always from infection. Other causes include water from bathing, soap or shampoo retention, or ear canal irritation from cotton-tipped swabs.
Earache symptoms may include
- Ear pain.
- Increased crying.
- Pulling at the ears.
Natural home remedies to get relief from earache
- Steam inhalations often clear all the respiratory passages (ear, nose and throat). An infusion of eucalyptus leaves is particularly beneficial.
- A tablespoonful of mustard or sesame-seed oil, heated with a clove of garlic or a pinch of omum, then filtered and cooled to a bearable temperature, can be instilled (1-2 drops) in the ear. Tilt the head so that the oil goes into the ear, and hold the head in that position for a minute or so. Do this twice a day for 2-3 days.
- One or two drops of holy basil-leaf juice in the ear in beneficial for an earache.
- One or two drops of garlic oil, put twice a day in the ear, is also efficacious. However, this may cause irritation in some people, so add a drop of milk to it.
- Use as a ear drop a decoction of neem leaves-1-2 drops-just warm, not hot.
- A few drops of fresh lime juice, diluted with an equal quantity of watertwo drops twice a day-is also very effective.
- Ear drops can be made with the warmed fresh juice of either tender mango leaves, fresh ginger, neem leaves or onion. Put in the ear one or two drops at a time. Do not mix these. Each remedy is individually used.
- Pound fenugreek seeds and put them in hot oil. Filter and cool it to a bearable temperature. This oil should be used as eardrops.
Tip :Do not use hairpins or tweezers to remove foreign bodies in the ear, and do not put water into the ear, as some foreign bodies may swell up with the moisture.