# Treating Ear Infections, Natural and Traditional Remedies



## Themedicalprepper

*Ear Infections*

*Natural Remedies*

Ear infections can be a real pain. There are many natural ways to treat ear infections. But, to figure out which way is best, you need to determine what type of ear infection it is. This involves an assessment. The three best tools for figuring out what type of ear infection a person might have are:


The person's explanation of how they feel (subjective information)
Your own eyes (objective information)
An otoscope (expands objective information)
A note about otoscopes. The little ends on an otoscope which are interchangeable are called specula. For adults, you use a 4.25mm specula, and for children a 2.75mm specula. When inserting the specula into the ear canal you use your index finger as a stop to control how deeply the specula goes into the canal (you do NOT want to touch the ear drum).

The WRONG Way










The RIGHT Way








*Types*

Is it a swimmers ear (an external ear infection)? This is an infection of the ear canal, the "hole" that you can look into from the outside. In external ear infections, the canal swells, is usually red, is always tender, and usually has a milky white to green discharge (sometimes yellow).










External ear infections can be caused by anything that cuts, scrapes, or in other ways damages the skin of the ear canal, like cleaning your ears too vigorously with a swab or your finger. This gives bacteria a chance to take root and start growing.

Treatment for external ear infections should include:


Pain relief with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
Gentle flushing of the canal with warm (never cold) salt water or plain water, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide.
If these measures don't resolve the infection, you can put drops of olive leaf oil or garlic oil into the canal, three times a day for three days.

Internal, or middle ear infections, are very common in children. They are infections _behind_ the ear drum and cause pain, reduced or muffled hearing, and swelling of the ear drum and sometimes the surrounding skin of the ear.










This picture is what you might see when looking through the otoscope. In middle (inner) ear infections, the canal is fine but the ear drum (the middle circle that takes up most of the space in this picture) bulges, may have air bubbles behind it, may be clear or opaque, usually looks distorted (not flat), and is reddened on and around the drum. Fevers will almost always accompany an inner ear infection in children. In a child 6 months of age and older, if a fever is less than 102.5 and they have been complaining of ear pain for 2 days or less, you can watch and wait.

Treatment for middle (inner) ear infections should include:


Pain relief with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
No flushing of the canal is necessary, and drops into the canal are not appropriate - the infection is _behind_ the ear drum.
Watching and waiting in people 6 months of age and older up to 3 days, then afterward starting treatment.
Elderberry syrup (5,000mg per teaspoon), by mouth, twice daily for three days
Mullein leaf oil _with_ olive leaf oil (and optional garlic oil), about 1 to 2 mL three times a day for three to five days.
In a post-collapse world, chiropractors may not abound or be accessible, but visiting one for an adjustment is another treatment option with middle (inner) ear infections.
*Traditional Remedies*

With external ear infections it is usually necessary to start treatment right away, as they don't tend to go away on their own. With middle (inner) ear infections, in people 1 year of age and older, it is fine to watch and wait and see if the immune system takes care of it on its own. Traditional medicine for ear infections include:


External ear infections
Vinegar drops into the ear with OTC pain control OR
Antibiotic ear drops like cipro drops

Middle (inner) ear infections (people over 60 pounds)
FishMox or Amoxicillin 500mg oral twice daily for 10 days OR
Amoxicillin clavulanate (augmentin) 875mg oral daily OR
Fish Mycin or Clarithromycin (biaxin) 250mg oral twice daily for 10 days.

Middle (inner) ear infections (children up to 60 pounds)
Amoxicillin at 45mg per kilogram, by mouth, twice daily for 10 days OR
Clarithromycin at 7.5mg per kilogram, by mouth, twice daily for 10 days

*Foundations for Treatment*

Remember, the foundation for every treatment, natural or traditional, is a good immune system. A good immune system exists in a body that has enough of the right nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that it needs. During an illness, adults and children should both always take a probiotic, a vitamin D supplement, and drink plenty of water. Every day of life a person should take an appropriately chosen multivitamin.
*Assessment Pearls*

When looking through the otoscope at the ear drum, you might see a bulging ear drum (not flat) only. If you don't see accompanying redness then it is likely not an ear infection. Instead, it is simply fluid build-up (which can be very painful) behind the ear drum. The treatment for this is anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen, and anti-histamines like diphenhydramine (benadryl). Antibiotics are not appropriate in this case.


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## bigwheel

Have heard some old codgers say the treatment of choice for ear infections back in the good old days was to pour some pee in the bad ear. Anybody ever tried that?
Ear Infection Cured by Urine at Urine Therapy Support Forum, topic 123387


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## Themedicalprepper

I've heard some old docs say that, and some older nurses. Unless you've got a urinary tract infection (UTI), urine is normally sterile when it exits the body. But, it also comes into contact with the skin and picks up normal skin bacteria as it exits. Urine is more acidic (a lower pH) than, say, water. And vinegar (another acidic fluid) is a drug of choice for _external_ ear infections. So I can see that it might work for external ear infections. It wouldn't have any way to pass behind the ear drum, though, in a middle ear infection, so I don't believe it would work in that case. Either way, I don't think it would hurt. Good addition!


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## Denton

TMP, I notice the link to your site is back in your siggy, and you are only here to push your site.

You are pissing me off, and I haven't forgotten how to ban you yet again.

You are here for one reason, I think.

Are you picking up what I am putting down?


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## Themedicalprepper

Denton,

Check my signature now.

I'm here to contribute. I checked the site rules and you're right - I can only have a website link in the signature field if I'm an advertiser. I sent an email yesterday to the site owner about being an advertiser. Until I am one, I won't add it back. Thanks for calling me on that.

Did you have anything to comment about related to the post?

EDIT - Well I removed the website from my profile signature, but it's still showing. Any suggestions, Denton?


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## Denton

Themedicalprepper said:


> Denton,
> 
> Check my signature now.
> 
> I'm here to contribute. I checked the site rules and you're right - I can only have a website link in the signature field if I'm an advertiser. I sent an email yesterday to the site owner about being an advertiser. Until I am one, I won't add it back. Thanks for calling me on that.
> 
> Did you have anything to comment about related to the post?
> 
> EDIT - Well I removed the website from my profile signature, but it's still showing. Any suggestions, Denton?


And, your link is still there.

Today is not tomorrow.

Do I anything to add?

Yes. I do. Check your status - now.


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## Denton

Ah, you changed it before I could spell your name right! Good for you!

Still banned until the owners of this board reinstate you as a paying advertiser.


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## SittingElf

WOW! The tension, the drama, the plot twists, heart stopping anticipation! Better than wasting time watching reruns of "24"! :excitement:


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## Denton

SittingElf said:


> WOW! The tension, the drama, the plot twists, heart stopping anticipation! Better than wasting time watching reruns of "24"! :excitement:


I was thinking more along the lines of House, M.D.

I don't like rats. I have been watching him since I first perma-banned him and he came back.

I don't like it when I get the feeling someone is playing games. Call me an asshole if you like. All my friends and ex-wives have that in common, too.


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## SittingElf

You know, I happened to have been on the forum when he wrote his first post in Intro's. He made a point of referring to his website, which I visited briefly....VERY briefly...realizing it was a commercial sales site.

I posted a reply to him that he should probably count on being hammered for the commercial advertising.... I guess he didn't take the hint...


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## Blendingin

bigwheel said:


> Have heard some old codgers say the treatment of choice for ear infections back in the good old days was to pour some pee in the bad ear. Anybody ever tried that?
> Ear Infection Cured by Urine at Urine Therapy Support Forum, topic 123387


GGGGRossssss Bigwheel! please don't try peeing in people's ears. 
Best advice. Clean the ear with peroxide and let it air dry. Don't let moisture sit in the ears because that can cause it's own problems. It is often soothing to put a few drops of warm (not hot) mineral oil in the ear canal and then a cotton ball. Do not use this if the eardrum is punctured though. 
Most ear infections will resolve on their own if given time. for children with chronic ear infections this can be a different story.


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## Denton

This diver uses hydrogen peroxide to keep the ears clean and clear. It'll dissolve and lift wax right on out of there.


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## Blendingin

Denton said:


> This diver uses hydrogen peroxide to keep the ears clean and clear. It'll dissolve and lift wax right on out of there.


And it's cheap! store up a lot of it. It has many good uses.


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## tirednurse

Blendingin said:


> And it's cheap! store up a lot of it. It has many good uses.


I store a lot of this myself. I think costco sells 2 bottles for about $3. 
Mineral oil is also cheap. It can be used to gently remove earwax as well as sooth the ear during an earache. Good for animals too. gets rid of ear mites, is a laxative, helps to relieve bloat in ruminant animals (goats, sheep, cows) and can be used for dry skin among other things.


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## Kauboy

Does HO break down? Does it have a shelf life? Water doesn't, so I assume no, but want to confirm.


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## tirednurse

Kauboy said:


> Does HO break down? Does it have a shelf life? Water doesn't, so I assume no, but want to confirm.


If you don't open it will last at least 3 years. If you open it still several months. To know if it is still good you can just pour some on your hand and if it bubbles it is still good. No bubbles and it has turned into water. speaking of water...can be used to purify water too but I can't remember how.


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## Denton

tirednurse said:


> I store a lot of this myself. I think costco sells 2 bottles for about $3.
> Mineral oil is also cheap. It can be used to gently remove earwax as well as sooth the ear during an earache. Good for animals too. gets rid of ear mites, is a laxative, helps to relieve bloat in ruminant animals (goats, sheep, cows) and can be used for dry skin among other things.


What do you do? Use an eye dropper to put it into the ear and then use a swab to wipe it out?


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## Medic33

some swab in swab out
others pour in ,rinse out(water) then swab
but for the record never put anything in your ear.


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## Denton

Medic33 said:


> some swab in swab out
> others pour in ,rinse out(water) then swab
> but for the record never put anything in your ear.


Thanks.

Oh, and for the record, I never put anything into my ear. Just for the record, however. :excitement:


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## bigwheel

This place is a virtual cornucopia of intrigue. I may have to take an extra heart pill since my pulse is racing Thanks.


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## A Watchman

bigwheel said:


> This place is a virtual cornucopia of intrigue. I may have to take an extra heart pill since my pulse is racing Thanks.


Your feelings? I was the one thinking about making the 2 1/2 hour drive to FT Wurth and let you pee in my ear. Now I am left with feelings of disgust, not to mention mistrust!


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## bigwheel

Well if anybody ever wanted to check out the official Uses for Urine website..they would soon discover the sick patient should donate their own urine to this project. And..you dont have to try to stretch the old Gila Monster into poistion for a direct deposit. They just make a little wee in a Dixie cup and then dump it in there. Simple huh?


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## gambit

Denton said:


> I was thinking more along the lines of House, M.D.
> 
> I don't like rats. I have been watching him since I first perma-banned him and he came back.
> 
> I don't like it when I get the feeling someone is playing games. Call me an asshole if you like. All my friends and ex-wives have that in common, too.


you said a bad word mister!!! I expect you to give yourself a proper punishment , like stand in the corner for 5 minutes or 2 minutes doing the thinking position. or 5 minutes with me in the kiddie pool of shame which you might just like due to I have home made cheese snack sticks!! ohhh yeaaa!!!

BTW the thinking portion is you do a push up but put your hands on your chin so its the elbows tips on the ground and you report to major stump which for me was 2 feet high then I will put my feet on top of the stump and it elbows to the ground which was a hard basement floor and that butt better not go higher then your head..
my father had odd ways to punish us as kids but it works..

ok back to the OP , you can get "tea tree oil" it is has good studies showed to be good way to treat ear infections and other things
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_tree_oil
also note that it can sting or even a slight burning so you need to water it down with a vegetable oil or some other oil maybe coconut or olive , not sure sorry


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## SittingElf

bigwheel said:


> Well if anybody ever wanted to check out the official Uses for Urine website..they would soon discover the sick patient should donate their own urine to this project. And..you dont have to try to stretch the old Gila Monster into poistion for a direct deposit. They just make a little wee in a Dixie cup and then dump it in there. Simple huh?


They didn't list THIS use.....









:joyous:


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