How to treat ears at home: methods and means

Ear pain is a fairly common manifestation of many colds. It causes a lot of discomfort, causes irritation. Especially often it manifests itself in children as a result of the immaturity of their immune system and the underdevelopment of the Eustachian tube (it is shorter and wider than in adults). This facilitates the entry of water, foreign bodies, and pathogens into the auditory canal.

Important! It is possible to treat ears at home only when the cause of the disease is precisely established, and also if it is not accompanied by high fever, acute intoxication, severe headache.

Causes of ear pain

This symptom occurs in the presence of the following diseases and conditions:

In some cases, the phenomenon of irradiation is observed. Due to the proximity of certain nerves, it may seem to a person that his ear hurts, although in fact the cause lies in another organ.

Self-diagnosis - when the ENT is not around

If it is not possible to use the advice of a specialist (in the countryside, hiking, during a trip abroad), you need to pay close attention to the accompanying symptoms and nature.

• If the pain is pulling in nature, accompanied by a partial one, only one half of the body is affected, then most likely we are talking about ear plug.
• If a purulent (white-yellow) or transparent secret is separated from the ear, the pain is acute and sudden (people say), the temperature exceeds 37.5 °, obviously this is acute infectious. Itching and mild pain indicate the fungal nature of the disease. An unpleasant odor from a secret flowing from the ear is a sign of an infection caused by or. For the treatment of otitis media, home measures may not be enough, the doctor usually conducts laboratory diagnostics to accurately identify the pathogen and prescribes antibiotics.

In addition, diseases that are not directly related to the ear can cause ear pain:

1. At lymphadenitis regional ones swell, which put pressure on the ear. In addition, patients report weakness, headache.
2. Dental problems. In young children, teething may be accompanied by ear pain. In this case, the child tries to scratch his gums, behaves restlessly. Caries, tooth loss can also manifest as itching and discomfort in the ear canal.
3. , often also manifest in ear pain. In these cases, it is accompanied by cough, weakness, burning sensation in the throat.

Treatment at home

In the absence of a specialist, you can try to cope with the problem yourself.

Some folk methods are relatively safe (drinking decoctions of plants with phytoncides, using soothing lotions), others can be harmful to health (pouring liquids into the ear canal when).

Washing out or dissolving the ear plug

Another common problem, especially in childhood, are clots of sulfur and epidermis that accumulate in the ear canal. At home, you can try to dissolve them yourself. For this, commercially available drops (Cerumen, Remo-Vax, 3%). They help to clean the ears from traffic jams and prevent their formation. Drops are suitable for use in both children and adults.

Plugs can also be removed with water. To do this, the liquid is heated to body temperature (36-37 °) and smoothly, without pressure, is injected into the auditory canal. Removal of water should be passive, the patient is placed on the affected side and waiting for the free flow of fluid. The presence of dark brown and gray fragments in it, as well as the cessation of symptoms, indicates the success of the event.

Washing your ear at home is not difficult, but there is always a risk of injury. The skin of the ear canal is quite thin and easily damaged. Excessive water pressure can rupture the eardrum. In this case, unsuccessful cleaning of the ears can lead to inflammation. Therefore, the best solution if instillation is ineffective is to contact a specialist.

Folk remedies for infectious lesions of the ear

If the inflammation affects the external auditory canal, auricle and related tissues, then the following remedies can be used:

• Ichthyol ointment. It is applied externally, accelerates the healing process, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Its active substance, ichthyol, is obtained by processing oil shale and introduced into medical practice at the end of the 19th century.
• Buried in the ear solution of menthol in peach oil (1%). It gives a soothing, softening, analgesic effect.

• Iodine. A 5% solution of the drug lubricates the affected shell. Iodine has an antiseptic effect, helping to suppress infection.
• Hypertonic saline (0.8% salt content). They are moistened with a cotton swab and gently inserted into the auditory canal, avoiding pushing. A gauze bandage is applied on top. It is changed 1-2 times a day.
• Behind the ear. It is used in the absence of skin lesions. For wetting gauze use vodka or 40-50% alcohol solution. The compress is placed for 6 hours. Alcohol is able to warm up the ears, locally increasing the lumen of the blood vessels.

With inflammation affecting the deeper parts of the ear and accompanied by purulent compartments, the use of the following remedies is indicated:

1. Furacilin for instillation. It can be purchased as a solution. With otitis media, furatsilin is heated to a comfortable temperature, the drug is used daily for 5-6 drops. Its big plus is the almost complete absence of contraindications for health reasons and age. Furacilin should be used with caution for allergies, it can aggravate its symptoms. It is also worth refusing to use it in the presence of ulcers and erythema in the ear canal and on the sink.
2. Otipax. Available in the form of drops, used for symptomatic treatment. It has anti-inflammatory, anesthetic effect. Suitable for children, pregnant and lactating women, provided that the eardrum is intact.
3. Garlic. The plant can be used both internally and externally. A slurry is made from it, mixed with oil and infused for 10 days. The resulting extract is mixed with glycerol, if available, and instilled into the ear. This type of treatment may be suitable in the absence of a pharmacy nearby and any pharmacological preparations.
4. Juniper. The extract of the plant is used for laying in the ear canal. In its composition, pinenes, camphor, terpinenes can be found. These substances have anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, sedative effects. According to the author Turov A.D. et al. (1987); Makhlaiuk V.P. (1993), “ all organs of the plant contain an essential oil, which differs little in its constituent parts. However, at the maximum concentration, useful compounds are found in juniper cones. Their juice can be used to wet a tampon, which is placed in the ear for several hours.
5. Aloe. Warm drops of this plant will help reduce the symptoms of ear inflammation and overcome the infection. It contains natural antiseptics, in addition, it can be used by people prone to allergies.

With severe swelling before the visit of a specialist, you can try to apply, in addition to treating the ears with folk remedies, the following:

• Naphthyzin;
• Otrivin;
• Galazolin.

They will reduce the lumen of the vessels, stop the flow of fluid to the site of inflammation and temporarily relieve the pain symptom.

In extreme heat, you can take:

1. Paracetamol;
2. ibuprofen;
3. Nurofen.

One of the recommended for infectious diseases of different parts of the ear is the antimicrobial drug Dimexide. Important! It has a number of contraindications: heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, atherosclerosis, age up to 12 years.

You can try to cure the following means:

• Washing the auditory canal with 3% boric acid.
• Instillation of salicylic acid concentration of 2-4%.
• The imposition of alcohol behind the ear compresses.

Allergic otitis media

At home, calcium gluconate, taken one tablet three times a day before meals, will help fight allergic otitis media. Proper nutrition is also an important measure. It is necessary to exclude possible allergens from the diet: citrus fruits, eggs, red fish, spicy, smoked dishes. At the same time, for the correct functioning of the immune system, the presence of a sufficient amount of vitamins and biologically active substances is necessary.

With allergic otitis media, traditional medicine recommends ingestion of decoctions and tinctures of the following plants:

However, it will not be possible to completely eliminate the symptoms with preparations from plant materials. If there is no improvement before the doctor's visit, you can take tavegil.

Removal of a foreign body from the ear canal

Do not try to pick up the object with your hands, a hook or tweezers. The best option would be to wash it with a large volume of liquid (150-200 ml). It can be filled with a syringe without a needle or a rubber bulb. In this case, it is necessary to act smoothly, blowing a jet along the edge of the ear canal. After this, the patient is placed on the side of the damaged ear in order to ensure better drainage of the fluid.

If an insect has entered the ear canal, it is recommended to kill it first. To do this, pour a few drops of pure alcohol or oil (preferably vaseline) into the ear. Pieces of fruit, peas, beans, if difficult to get, can be dried by instillation of alcohol with a concentration of 70%.

Ways to Reduce Ear Exposure to Pressure Drops

The risk group of persons subject to barotrauma includes pilots, divers, people who often use the services of air carriers. With a change in pressure, along with pain in the ear, a feeling of congestion, migraine, a feeling of a sharp blow to the ear canal may occur.

Ear barotrauma

The main prevention of barotrauma is the so-called "purging". They come down to equalizing the pressure between the inner and outer ear. To do this, when landing and taking off the aircraft, you must open your mouth. Children under 5-6 years old are unlikely to be able to blow out their ears on their own. They can be offered to suck on lollipops or mints during the flight. Also, before traveling, it is advisable to get rid of earwax, because. it can interfere with pressure equalization. A very small child can be breastfed during takeoff and landing.

If barotrauma does occur, ear pain persists when the effect of the damaging factor ceases, it is necessary to contact an otolaryngologist as soon as possible. In the period before the examination by a specialist, it is important to avoid exposure to any noise, this can aggravate the damage. It is better to be in a calm, quiet environment, if possible, do not change the position of the body abruptly.

Long-term ear congestion, often found after scuba diving, also requires specialist advice. There is usually no urgent need, but it is also not worth delaying the visit. Most likely, the doctor will prescribe blowing out the ears according to Politzer. This is a quick painless procedure, which, however, is categorically contraindicated to carry out independently. If the airflow entering the auditory canal is too sharp, the eardrum may be injured.

Therapy of other diseases

Self-treatment of tumor processes is unacceptable, since incorrect actions can worsen the patient's condition, provoke the growth of a neoplasm. Usually the disease progresses rather slowly and it makes sense to wait for a specialist consultation. Important! It is impossible to cure a neoplasm at home; no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of traditional medicine methods has been obtained.

Diseases that are not localized in the ear can be tried with local remedies. Rinses and inhalations with decoctions of medicinal herbs help well against sore throats, furatsilin can be applied to an aching tooth. With lymphadenitis, drinking plenty of fluids and taking anti-inflammatory drugs will help. It is possible to treat colds that occur without fever by heating and rubbing the body.

Video: otitis, “School of Dr. Komarovsky”