How to Ease an Earache With Herbs

If you or someone you love suffers from occasional, mild earaches, herbs can help to relieve the pain. American children seem especially plagued with ear infections and the antibiotics that are commonly given for them can cause problems of their own, such as the child building up an immunity to that form of medicine. Several folk medicine remedies can be helpful in treating an earache when it first begins to cause pain. But it is important to catch it early. If an earache causes excessive pain and/or persists more than a few days, be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh or dried mullein (Verbascum spp.) flowers
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Echinacea
• Chamomile
• Eyebright herb
• Aloe vera juice
• Fresh oregano, thyme or basil
• White vinegar
• Water

Instructions

1. Purchase or make mullein ear oil and apply it as follows: lie on your side, with the affected ear facing upward. With a dropper, drop three to four drops of the oil into the ear, and then massage it around the base of the ear and over the ear canal. Use one to two times daily until all symptoms are gone.

2. You can help to fight an earache with herbs that you take internally as well: brew a tea containing echinacea root, chamomile and eyebright. Use about one teaspoon of each herb for each two cups of water, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Drink one cup of this tea twice each day. The echinacea will help to boost the immune system, making it easier for the body to heal itself.

3. Another direct helper is aloe vera juice, which you can drop into the affected ear and massage as in Step 1.

4. Common kitchen herbs such as oregano, thyme and basil can help greatly. Purchase or collect about one-fourth cup of fresh herbs, either all of these or one or two of them, and then place them into a dry, warmed-up frying pan just to wilt the plant material. Allow the leaves to cool, and then squeeze them to make a small amount of green juice, and drop a few drops of this mixture into the affected ear. Finally, moisten your fingers with olive oil and massage around the base of the ear. Repeat every three hours until the symptoms are gone.

5. For swimmer’s ear, mix one teaspoon of white vinegar into two ounces of warm water. Drop two drops into the ear once each hour until the symptoms are gone. You can also use this treatment before swimming to prevent a potential problem from occurring.

Tips & Warnings

• Ear problems can be caused by allergic reactions to foods such as wheat and dairy products. If you or a loved one suffers from frequent ear infections or earaches, try eliminating foods containing wheat and dairy until the infection is gone, or longer.

• To make mullein ear oil, simply place either fresh or dried mullein flowers in a small jar, about 1/3 full, and then add olive oil and optionally, freshly-chopped garlic (about one clove for each two ounces of oil). Heat at a low temperature in your oven for three hours, or leave in the sun for one hot, sunny day. Strain before using.

• This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The use of herbal products should not be taken lightly. Always consult a qualified health care practitioner before using any herb, especially if you are pregnant or nursing or if you are taking any prescribed medications.