Holistic Treatment for Ear Infections

The usual management of ear infections is to wait and watch for a few days to see if the infection is resolving on its own. If the infections do not seem to disappear, then antibiotics will be started. Antibiotics should be taken as it is instructed by your doctor to avoid the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which will otherwise make the next infection a lot harder to treat.

There are no such holistic treatments for ear infections, but there are surely some holistic remedies that you can try at home. They include:

• Garlic ear drops – Garlic ear drops are an old treatment method that was used to treat ear infections. These are easily available at any health food store. Garlic ear drops will help to fight off the infection. Heated garlic ear drops can also help to relieve your ear pain. However, these should not be used if there is a rupture of the eardrum or if your child has an ear tube inserted.

• Onions – Take one onion and slice it in half. Remove the inner layers of the onion until the last 2 or 3 onion rings remain. Heat this for about 15 minutes at a temperature of 300 degrees until it gets warm and steaming. Wrap the onion with a piece of cloth and place it on the infected ear. The vapor from the onion helps to reduce the pain as well as fight off the ear infection.

• Ear massage – Massage your ears regularly to get rid of the fluid that is blocking your eustachian tube.  

• Resting helps a lot – It is very important that you take enough amount of rest. Taking an adequate amount of rest that your body needs helps your body’s immune system to function at an optimal level. Thus, allowing the body to fight off the infection better.

• Have a healthy diet – Add some easy to digest and healthy foods such as soup to your diet. Healthy foods play and important part in healing as well.

• Take more fluids – Fluids help to thin down the mucus and also clear the clogged ear tubes. Therefore, make sure that your child takes enough amounts of clear fluids when he or she is sick.

• Acupuncture – is one useful way to improve your immune functions.

• Take supplements to improve the healing ability of your body – There are several supplements such as vitamin D, C, omega 3 fats, and probiotics that will help your body to fight off the infection. All these supplements support your immune system, allowing your body to fight off the infection and get rid of the germs very easily from the body. However, it is best that you speak with your holistic health practitioner before giving your child these supplements. Moreover, keep in mind that you should not give these all at once.

Despite these remedies, sometimes you or your child may have to take antibiotics to cure the nasty ear infection. Just make sure that you or your child completes the entire antibiotic course as prescribed by your doctor to prevent the emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms. Along with the antibiotics, supplement yourself or your kid with probiotics to improve the growth of the gut flora and also to improve your immune system.