Pain in the ear is very common and which takes by surprise without any early indications of its arrival. Its often caused when the patient has a flu or cold or the ear is exposed to cold over a long time period.
Ear treatment does not necessarily require any specific antibiotic treatment or other medicines; it can be treated by homemade natural medicines. Ear ache in adults and children alike tends to worsen at night. It worsens in people who have sinusitis or allergies.
If pain doesn’t go away in 2-3 days , it is advised to see your General Practitioner for a diagnose to determine if there is an infection that requires antibiotics treatment.
As said above, ear pain can be treated at home and following are 5 useful tips:
1 Heat treatment.
One of most common cause of ear pain is the cold that build up inside it . With A simple warm compress, the ear will be decongested . Simply place a clean warm cloth over the ear for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure the cloth is not too hot to avoid burns. It’s comfortable and excellent treatment especially for children.
Another simple trick to dry the ear is use of hair dryer. We know it releases hot air which will do the job of decongesting the ear. Make sure the hair dryer is not too close to the ear to prevent any ear burn. This is also very useful when pain develops after swimming. The hair dryer neatly fits near the ear and dries out the ear canal.
2 Chewing gum.
This is the easiest, simplest ear pain treatment. The chewing motion massages the muscles round the ear that in turn opens the Eustachian tubes. These tubes are small canals that connect the ear with the throat . They play role of removing the secretions which accumulate in the ear to relieve pain.
3 Cold Treatments.
In the above tip, the villain was cold and its cure. But in other cases the heat is equally to be blamed for ear pain. Hence the reverse case in which pain is relieved when cold is applied to inflammation in the ear that numbs the nerve endings.
Cold is applied by putting ice in a plastic bag and carefully placing it on the ear, and around it , with a piece of clean cloth. Never apply the ice pack directly to the skin, especially in case of children and elderly as it can cause skin burns.
A massage in the comfort of your home is simple way to relieve pain in the ear. This is most useful when muscles are contracted as a result of extreme stress.
Carry out the massage with a thumb .start with Moving it up and down behind the ear and lowering the pressure when descending down the neck. The same process should be repeated on the front of the ear.
5. Neck Stretch.
Another useful tip is to stretch the neck to relax muscles. It reduces pain, and considered a quick ear pain treatment. This also helps when there is excess of stress.
To get quick and best result, keep your back straight and and with body in still position. Look to one side and hold your head for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat this by turning to the other side and holding your head.
Another stretch is to look straight ahead and tilt the head bringing the ear close to the shoulder. Maintain this position with the hand for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side to complete the process.
When to visit the Doctor
If the tips supplied above fail to relieve pain then its advised to see your doctor. This is important when pain does not improve after 2 -3 days and other symptoms like fever ,headache or dizzy feelings arise. When ear releases pus or fluid and difficulty opening mouth. All these are indicators that there is a deeper problem which demands a visit to Doctor to diagnose and prescribe the appropriate medicine.