AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE ON EAR PAIN/INFECTION

Diet & Ear Infections

Children are especially vulnerable to ear infection because their eustacian tube is nearly horizontal, preventing drainage.

Here are some Ayurvedic and western formulas and tips that are traditionally used for ear infections. Experiment with caution - not all these formulas have been verified.

Other Remedies for Ear Infection

• The ears love warmth. Keep your head warm. Wear a hat and scarf. Keep clothing with a hood nearby.
• Gargling - The act of chewing and swallowing assists with the disposal of earwax and clearing the middle ear, and is beneficial for ear infections.
• Massage around ear. Place hands on your cheeks where jaw joint is. Open and close mouth while massaging area. Stick fingers into your neck behind ear lobe. Open and close your jaw. Massage joint. Massage cheek near tragus while opening and closing the mouth. Pull ear up, down and sideways. Experiment.
• See a chiropractor to realign neck, shoulders. Masseuse to move lymphatic system of upper body.
• See a yoga therapist for good posture. Great posture opens up lymphatic system of upper body.
• Sour and salty foods / poultices increase water in the ear.
• Spicy, warm poutlices and foods can help dry up the ear. Heat poultices.
• Neti pot to clear sinus congestion and Eustachian tube
• Flush ear with ear Syringe using mixture of 1 pint water + 1/2 tsp baking soda or Hydrogen peroxide
• Ear candle to clean wax.
• Place half a raw onion outside the ear. The intensity of the onion may be lessened by roasting for thirty seconds.
• Sautee 1 clove garlic in 1 oz olive or sesame oil. Strain and cool until it is lukewarm. Pour this oil into the ear.
• Pound two slices of fresh ginger with a mortar and pestle. Place in 4oz water for thirty minutes. Strain and fill ear.
• Pound 1 clove or garlic or slice of onion. Mix into 4oz water. Use to flush ear canal.
• 1 tsp fresh onion juice + 1/2 tsp honey in ear
• Honey alone
• Few drops of licorice tincture in ear canal.
• 10-20 drops tea tree oil + 10-20 drops neem extra + 1oz sesame oil. Fill ear with oil.
• Fill ear with mustard oil
• Nasya oil in the nose to clear the Eustachian tube
• Wedge of lemon in 4oz water. Fill ear canal.
• Fill ear canal with urine or breast-milk.
• Mullein infused oil couple drops each ear.
• Drink tea with goldenseal, pokeroot (pokeroot preferred for upper lymphatic problems, cleavers for lower lymphatic), chamomile for taste
• Anti-catarrhal like goldenrod
• Garlic infused sesame oil with lavender essential oil
• Perforated ear drum have to be careful what you put in it
• Licorice root paste around ear.
• Vidanga infused oil
• Extracts of Lavender, calendula, St. Johns wort and mullein in olive oil and vitamin E showed better results than antibiotic group and control group (2003 study)
• Extracts of Garlic, mullein, calendula and St Johns in olive oil was as effective as an anesthetic at reducing ear pain (2001 study)

Note: Sometimes pain that radiates out to the ears is from a problem in the neck specifically the C1 joint.

Images of Ear pain/infection