If you are looking for simple and effective natural remedies for otitis, continue reading this article and find out what they are. But first.
For the past decade and a half, a lot of the bacteria that cause ear infections, such as otitis, have become resistant to antibiotic treatments. How have we come to this? Because of synthetic drug abuse and overuse. Although ENT doctors still prescribe antibiotics for otitis, their efficiency is really low actually. This is why more ENTs, as well as researchers, have turned to natural remedies that have gained more and more popularity due to their efficiency. Before we get to the natural remedies for otitis, let’s see some of the risk factors for developing otitis.
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Otitis Risk Factors
There are a few habits and environmental factors that prevent the healing of otitis, rhinitis, and sinusitis, leading to their worsening and relapse. Amongst these factors that prevent healing, the most important are:
1. Smoking
No matter if you’re an active or passive smoker, the deadly “cocktail” of tars, ammonium, carbon monoxide, and cadmium from smoke can be a real trigger for respiratory conditions in general. Inhaling cigarette smoke can cause the irritation of mucous membranes, which will increase the inflammation, which favors the healing of sinus infections and thus slowing down the healing of the damaged epithelia. From what we know, passive smoking is even worse for our sinuses compared to active smoking.
2. Excessive protection from bad weather
By protecting ourselves excessively from the weather conditions out there, we become like greenhouse plants, with a feeble immune system and poor resistance. If you constantly avoid going out in nature and fear the cold, you will block the healing process because of the belief that you are more vulnerable in harsh weather conditions. This belief will work against you. It is a good thing to protect yourself from cold when you have otitis, but whenever there is a warmer day, go outside and give your body a taste of nature, to support the body’s complete recovery.
3. Temperature variations and cold
Weather variations can suppress the immune system momentarily, favoring the relapse of otitis, which will be even more difficult to cure. Otitis is a very common ear infection that can definitely be cured with the help of herbs and a few basic instructions. Here are a few natural remedies for otitis that you will love.
9 Best Natural Remedies for Otitis
1. Echinacea Remedy for Otitis
This treatment is highly recommended for relapsing otitis or otitis that doesn’t respond to the prescribed treatment. It is recommended that you do 4-5 short cures with dry Echinacea extract. Have 800-1000 mg of dry Echinacea extract every day, for 4 days. Pause for 3 days and resume. The Echinacea remedy favors the production of antibodies that fight the bacteria that cause otitis and it also activates the immune system to fight back, hence reducing the inflammation. Hence, it’s one of the best natural remedies for otitis.
2. Grapefruit Seeds Remedy for Otitis
The glycerin extract from grapefruit seeds and skins is considered at the moment, one of the most powerful natural antibiotics and antivirals in the world. It can be administered to children from 3 years of age up as well as adults and elderly people with no side effects. In case of otitis have 10-20 drops of grapefruit seeds extract 3-4 times per day, over the course of 12 days of treatment. The grapefruit seed extract is one of the most amazing natural remedies for otitis.
3. Heartsease Cure for Otitis
Dry heartsease extract (Viola tricolor) from the aerial parts of the plant is another amazing remedy for otitis. You can have 200-400 mg 3 times a day over 4-6 weeks of treatments. Heartsease has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on the ear and the upper respiratory tract. It is also a powerful anti-allergenic action, eliminating the allergic component of otitis, which happens frequently with frequent relapsing otitis patients. This herb is one of the most effective natural remedies for otitis.
4. Folk Remedy for Otitis with Raw Milk
Pour two cups of raw natural cow’s milk into a small pot, add in 1 tablespoon of grated homemade natural soap, and a handful of coarse salt. Stir until everything is melted. Afterward, add 2-3 tablespoons of cornflour to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. In the end, your composition should have the consistency of polenta, not too hard, but not too runny either.
Wrap the composition into a clean piece of gauze and when it has cooled down a bit, place the poultice over the infected ear, until the polenta cools down completely. Repeat 3 times per day, but make a new batch every time. This is a very old and one of the most amazing natural remedies for otitis that we know.
5. Herbal Infused Oil Remedy for Otitis
A 2003 study on 250 children with otitis aimed to verify the effects of these 3 herbal oils combination. The participants were split into 2 groups, one treated with these oils and the other with allopathic solutions based on amethocaine and phenazone. The study revealed that there is no significant difference between the 2 treatments, but compared to modern treatment, the herbal oils have way fewer or no side effects. Also, herbal medicine’s curative action doesn’t diminish with repetitive usage, compared to that of synthetic drugs.
Hence, one of the best natural remedies for otitis is a herbal oil infusion with plants that have antiseptic, antibiotic, and calming effects. This is how you prepare the infused oil using healing herbs.
- Pour 200 ml of natural olive or sunflower oil over 40 grams of the plant of your choice (from the 5 herbs below) into a jar. The plant needs to be dried and finely minced (only garlic can be used fresh).
- Close the jar tightly and keep it near a source of heat for the following 5-7 days.
- Strain the content using a fine cheesecloth and keep the oil in small amber glass bottles with a dropper.
- Add a few drops of this warm oil into the infected ear, 2-3 times per day until complete recovery.
These are the most effective healing herbs are St. John’s wort, plantain, mullein, calendula, and garlic. These are amongst the best natural remedies for otitis.
6. St. John’s Wort Remedy for Otitis
Besides its calming effects, St. John’s wort herb has a powerful antibiotic effect. You can use the non-alcoholic St. John’s wort extract as a natural remedy for otitis.
7. Plantain Remedy for Otitis
Wash one plantain leaf, cut off the stem and roll it from the tip to the stem into a small roll. Cut just a bit from one tip of the roll and introduce it into the infected ear. Repeat for three consecutive nights in a row. This remedy is highly effective, as it prevents otitis relapse.
8. Lamp Oil Otitis Remedy
Pour a few drops of heated lamp oil into the infected ear using a dropper. Clog the ear completely using a piece of cotton and sleep on the healthy ear overnight. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times per day and in a few days, otitis is usually long gone. You can use rendered pork fat (unsmoked and unsalted) the same way as lamp oil, or even onion-infused oil. This is one of the simplest natural remedies for otitis.
9. Onion Oil Home Treatment for Otitis
This remedy is prepared as follows. Cut an onion in half and take an onion scale from inside. Add a few sunflower oil drops over the onion scale and place it on fire in a pan. When the oil has started simmering, take the pot off the fire and use the derived oil to pour into the affected ear/s. Use the onion oil warm, but make sure you don’t burn yourself. As simple as it sounds, this is one of the most incredible natural remedies for otitis.
Read Also: Home Remedy for Itchy Ears
5 Best Essential Oils for Otitis
Some essential oils are also great natural remedies for otitis. You can use them combined with plant-based oils (olive, sesame, grapes, or seabuckthorn) in 1 to 10 or 1 to 1 ratios. Start the treatment by diluting the essential oils so they don’t cause any ear or skin irritations. You can increase the ratio of the essential oils gradually, only if you don’t experience any side effects like rashes, acute itch, pain, or congestion.
Essential oils are oftentimes much more effective in treating otitis media and internal otitis compared to synthetic antibiotics. The reason is that they are rapidly absorbed into the blood flow, having a profound effect on the body. These essential oils are some of the best natural remedies for otitis, and you can use them individually or in combinations for enhanced effects. Let’s get to them.
1. Lavender Oil
This essential oil is calming for the ears and upper respiratory tract, as well as for the central nervous system, and is highly effective in viral otitis. Lavender oil is also a powerful antiseptic, pain soother, and natural soporific and can be administered once a day, in the evening. Drop the warmed-up lavender oil into the ear and then put a piece of cotton in the ear so that it doesn’t come out of the ear.
2. Basil & Thyme Essential Oils
Both these two essential oils have powerful antibiotic properties with a large action range. You can either use them combined, or separately.
3. Essential Oils Mix Remedy
Make an equal parts mix of essential lavender, peppermint, basil, and thyme oils. Put 5-7 drops of this mix into 1 tsp of honey or on a small piece of bread. Have this 3-4 times per day, 1 hour after meals. The last dosage should be taken in the evening. Essential peppermint oil has anti-inflammatory and decongestant effects. After internal administration, this oil continues its healing action over the ear and larynx for the following 1-3 hours. This happens because it is eliminated from the lungs with every exhale.
4. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
This essential oil is known for reducing ear congestion and partially calming down the pain associated with high temperatures. This is why it is recommended for otitis accompanied by fever. If the otitis hasn’t reached a chronic state, you can use warm natural oils as follows.
5. Common Mullein Oil
The oil extracted from common mullein petals, commonly known as mullein oil, has the property of reducing congestion and attenuating the pain caused by otitis. It is also recommended for reducing balance problems caused by chronic otitis.
Best Homeopathic Remedies for Otitis
These are the most frequently used homeopathic treatments for otitis that you can use alone or alongside the natural remedies for otitis above. However, if you want to follow any of these treatments, you need to consult with a homeopath for the exact dosages and dilutions of these plants.
1. Aconitum – It is recommended for acute pains at the slightest pale of wind, for those who have a high fever associated with otitis, and a reddish coloring of the inner ear pavilion.
2. Belladonna – It is mostly used with acute, violent pain or sting-like pains. Is also great for agitation, and if you have a hard time sleeping or resting. When otitis is associated with high fever, this healing herb works wonders.
3. Chamomile – When the pain feels like a stinging or burning with accompanying headaches, chamomile is a great choice. It is also recommended for restlessness caused by pain.
4. Hepar Sulphuricum – It is indicated for otitis that gets more severe in cold environments and visibly milder in warmer places. It is also recommended for kids with nervousness or anger episodes caused by otitis.
5. Lycopodium – It is very efficient when the pain worsens late in the evening or early in the morning, also recommended for ear noise and sensations similar to tinnitus.
6. Mercurius – This homeopathic remedy is recommended for those who modern medicine can do little or nothing for. We are talking about people suffering from chronic otitis.
Read Also: Natural Remedy for Purulent Otitis Media
6 Simple Folk Remedies for Otitis DIY
Other simple and very old natural remedies for otitis are the following:
- Put 2-3 drops of fresh ramsons juice into the infected ear.
- Apply hot common centaury compresses on a daily basis until the otitis is gone.
- Chew 2 g of propolis throughout the day.
- Put 1 drop of propolis (5%) in each ear right before you go to bed at night over the course of 2 weeks.
- Put 2-5 drops of fresh lemon juice into each ear and repeat 2-3 times a day.
- Mix 1 part fresh garlic juice with 2 parts boiled and cooled water. Put 10 drops of this mix in both ears after you’ve washed them well. After 15 minutes, turn your head so that the garlic juice mix comes out. Repeat 3 times a day for 2 weeks. Garlic is undoubtedly a wide-spectrum natural antibiotic and antiseptic and is recommended for any type of infectious otitis.
Read Also: 3 Natural Treatments for Ear Pain
Hopefully, you’ve found here some simple and effective natural remedies for otitis that worked for you. Nature always has the best treatments for every condition. Stay healthy, naturally!