The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Pam (Boston, Ma) on 05/07/2014
★★★★★
My mom used Hydrogen Peroxide on us kids since as far back as I can remember. Anytime we had an earache, we'd lay on our side with a towel around our face (from the ear down) and over our necks and she'd pour in the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. I'm used to it now as I've been doing it for over 35 years. I have perfect hearing and no ear damage. Now - I've never had tubes put in or anything like that, so such people may require special treatment. But on me and my siblings anyway, we love it. I have one ear that for whatever reason, is prone to infections. Whenever the pain starts to kick in, I do the Hydrogen Peroxide treatment. If you have an infection going on, it will bubble up like crazy - that's how you know it's working. When it stops bubbling, simply tip your head to the side and drain it out - whatever little Hydrogen Peroxide is left will evaporate. I've never had any trouble with it getting "trapped" in my ears - but that's me. Like I said though - I've been doing this for 35+ years. I also advocate an onion poultice for severe pain...used overnight. And avoid getting water in your ears at all costs. Also direct sunshine on the ears is great if possible. HTH! :-)
Garlic
Posted by Kenneth (Florida) on 05/23/2022
★★★★★
EARACHE NOT CAUSED BY PHYSICAL TRAUMA
1) Take a clove of garlic, lay a large knife flat on top of it and push down hard with the palm of your hand on top of the knife. 2) Slide the solid part of the garlic to the side. 3) Put 10 drops of vegetable, olive or coconut oil (the one that smells like coconut) on top of garlic oil left on the counter and mop up all the oils you can with a cotton ball. 4) The cotton ball should have enough combined oils to squeeze out 4 drops in the infected ear, with the head turned sideways. Then gently push the cotton ball in the ear canal.
Notes -
A) Most ear infections start with moisture behind the ear's protective wax.
B) The oil melts the wax and the garlic oil attacks the infection.
C) The cotton ball soaked with oil blocks the oxygen from getting to the infection.
D) The pain should be immediately greatly reduced and the next day the cotton ball can be removed and the infection is usually gone (If not repeat again).
E) make the cotton ball big enough so that not all of it will fit inside the ear canal for easy removal.
F) Early detection is best, so a slight tug on the ear lobe will tell you right away if you or your child needs this treatment.
Laughter
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 06/24/2017
★★★★★
My daughter had an earache a week ago. I treated it with Mullein Oil, my go to for earaches. (Thought I do use garlic oil when I have it around. Being that it is summer, I am clean out of garlic oil - I tend to only need it in the winter. And oddly, I am out of garlic to make more right now.)
Anyway, the pain passed but the congestion remained, which has been very irritating to her, of course.
So we did hydrogen peroxide in the ears. I made onion oil and tried that. Nope. Nada. Nothing!
Then her other ear got clogged.
So off to Earth Clinic to find another remedy. I read about holding the mouth shut and the nose closed and breathing out through the nose, gently to clear blocked ears. I was skeptical because I worry this would make it worse. But my husband says he did this all the time when he had ear trouble as a boy....so I told her what to do. She did it and immediately the ear that hadn't been blocked as long was clear! Whoa!
She would repeat this new blowing technique throughout the day. (With my cautions to do it gently! )
One time, just as she was doing this, my youngest said something funny and it made her laugh, while she was blowing through her nose. POOF! Her ear cleared!
I should have just started with jokes, I guess! It never hurts to laugh and it might just help! :)
~Mama to Many~
Onions
Posted by Jackie.81 (Park Rapids, MN) on 05/15/2009
★★★★★
Our school nurse called me and said my 6 year old was in the office with ear ache which my children get every year. I ran to the store and bought a yellow onion and cooked in the microwave then squeezed out the juice and put about three drops in it and it took the pain away and she went back to class and never complained again. Her nurse was amazed by the remedy.
Garlic
Posted by George (Pittsburgh ) on 03/05/2017
★★★★★
Ear infection in child: I warmed up a slice of fresh garlic and put 3 drops in his ear twice, 6 hours apart. At bedtime, I put 1 slice of garlic in his outer ear wrapped in a small piece of paper towel which I moistened with olive oil. I put a piece of cotton ball on top of this and secured his ear with gauze to keep it in his ear overnight. I gave him alternating doses of children's motrin and Tylenol every 6 hours as needed to control the fever.
By morning, the ear pain was gone. Mind you, this was after trying over the counter ear drops for ear infection for one day with no results. Also, we have taken our child to the doctor previoysly during this allergy season for previous ear infections and we know that there are not any other issues going on with our son's ears.
Thank you Earth clinic community! This was really helpful.
Garlic, Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Jasmine (Oklahoma City, Ok) on 12/31/2010
★★★★★
I am soooo thankful for the EC participants! My 4-yr old daughter suffered her first earache recently. I tried alternating mucinex and children Tylenol to help with the drainage and the pain. Even Rescon - which is specific to Eustachian tube drainage. A week later we are still dealing with the varying pain from the earache. I have been to this site before but this is my first time posting b/c your recommendations WORK!
While she was sleeping I used a note from Garlic "YEAs". Mixed a small SCORE of garlic with olive oil then dipped a small portion of toilet paper in the now garlic oil (didn't have cotton balls). I balled it big enough where it basically sat on the outer cusp of her ear - did not push it down inside. Left it there for 1 hour while she slept. In the morning she was CURED! Chipper and yelling her ear was better. Then said there was a lot of wax coming out. The ear infection had drained out - it was a watery yellowish substance. This was not from the garlic mixture as I only dabbed a small piece of tissue and did not even stick that all the way in her ear. I couldn't believe it!!!!
To remove some of the drainage of which some had crusted on the outside of the ear - I started with a warm washcloth to soften the crust and worked my way in. Then to get the inner drainage I diluted Hydrogen Peroxide with room temp bottled water and put a few drops inside. My daughter reported NO pain and said she could hear the bubbling in her ear (smiling all the while as if this were a science project). THE REMEDIES WORK!!!! Thank you ALL for your feedback (even the nays add valuable insight - don't overdo it).
Aloe
Posted by Dana (Boston, Ma) on 05/14/2009
★★★★★
My kid got very bad ear ache one night, I didn't know what caused it or what to do. I have aloe vera plant at home for minor burns and such, so I cut it and squeezed some clear liquid and warm it just enough so it's not cold and put 3-4 drops of it into the ear and closed with cotton ball Very soon she fell asleep, next day like nothing happened. We didn't take her to a doctor, because she was fine and never again had any problems, so I don't know what caused the pain. Whatever it was aloe vera helped.
Honey
Posted by Siafu (Three, GA) on 03/26/2009
★★★★★
My son developed an earache the other night and I was about to warm up some oil, but then had another idea; honey - locally procured of course.
I went ahead and used a dropper to place two drops into the affected ear and literally within seconds he went quiet and pulled the covers over his head. I was talking to my wife about what else we could do when I noticed he was not squirming under the covers. I pulled the covers back to reveal a wonderful sleeping little boy with no more pain. Altogether this took probably a minute or less.
This lasted all night and well into the next day until the afternoon when it happened again, but not as severe. Keep in mind that when it began he was kicking and grabbing his ear, not wanting me to touch it or do anything.
My wife took him to a doctor who said his ear was infected.
I have not had to try it again, but next time I'll be sure to reach for the honey. I hope this can be of use to someone, especially the little ones.
I don't know what warnings to give about honey but be sure to research it before giving it to your child or anyone, even in the ear.
EC: Honey is not recommended for children 12 months old and under.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 11/06/2018
Take your son to your doctor or UrgentCare IMMEDIATELY! Only a doctor has the necessary equipment to look inside your son's ear to determine exactly what's going on. You should NOT put anything in his ear especially if he's in so much pain. His eardrum could be ruptured, and anything put or poured into his ear would, most likely be excruciating!
Tea Tree Oil, Sesame Oil
Posted by Radha (Dallas, Tx) on 05/09/2012
★★★★★
I have tried this ancient Ayurvedic remedy for ear-aches not just on myself but for my 10 year old daughter and it has worked....everytime!
Mix 3-4 drops of T-tree oil in 1/4 cup of sesame oil, mix well and keep aside in a small clean bottle for storage/future use. Add 2-4 drops of this oil mixture in the ear by a dropper... The pain and infection will be gone in a few hours. These two oils in combination form a natural antifungal, antibacterial and antiseptic compound.... no need to go to a doctor for antibiotics.
Herbal Formulas
Posted by Amanda (Hot Springs, Ar) on 12/30/2009
★★★★★
My 3 year old daughter has a cold, and yesterday her ear started hurting. I gave her the usual remedy that I always use for my kids' ear infections that has always worked; it is an extract that has black cohosh root, chickweed arial parts, goldenseal root, passion flower arial parts, licorice root, and valerian root. I put a few drops in the ear, and if they are over two, i give 1/4 teaspoon by mouth. anyway, it didn't stop the pain right away,so I chopped 1/2 onion and put it in a cheesecloth, and held it to her ear for 1/2 an hour; within 10 minutes she stopped crying and went to sleep and slept through the night and never complained about it again and it has now been about 24 hours.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Charity (Faithville , Us) on 11/06/2018
Wow this is posted on the ear page and down below this post people are using cigarette smoke with remarkable success and that would not be putting anything into the ear....I would try it ...what do you have to lose but the pain and doc expense if it helps.
Garlic and Hydrogen Peroxide, Alcohol
Posted by Holly (O'fallon, Mo) on 06/03/2011
★★★★★
This works! I have five kids and have dealt with numerous earaches. Chop one tooth of the garlic clove and place on a cotton ball or pad. Wrap cotton around garlic and set in a bowl. Pour peroxide or rubbing alcohol over cotton ball and let sit for a minute or two. Drop 3 or 4 drops into ear and let sit for 2 minutes. Place a dry cotton ball in ear and tilt head or lay down (on the earache side) and let drain. If using peroxide wait until bubbling stops (a few minutes). Peroxide will clean out any wax or build up in the ear. Alcohol seems to evaporate quickly and aids in draining. (But chose one ore the other, not both at the same time! )
My mom always used a washcloth filled with warm salt as pain relief for earaches. Warm 1/4 cup table salt in pan on low heat until salt is warm to the touch. Pour into center of washcloth. Bring sides of washcloth up and wrap a rubber band just above pile of salt. Place on ear until it cools(it usually lasts about 15/20 min). This heat brings great relief and is safer/easier than a heating pad (great for middle of the night! ) Be careful not to get salt too hot, it can burn the thin skin around your ear.
Garlic
Posted by Karen (Sealrock, Oregon) on 11/08/2010
★★★★★
A capsule of garlic can be punctured & the juice inside of it squirted into the ear (people or animals)then put a large ball cotton in ear to keep juice inside & provide warmth. - there are immediate results. Even with infants immediate results - no more crying & pulling at the ears & no more infection after 1 to 2 times of dosing.
Olive Oil
Posted by Ani (Ontario, Canada) on 02/07/2010
★★★★★
Warmed olive oil helps relieves ear aches. My mom would always heat some olive oil, saturate a bit of cotton and stuff it in the ear. Don't pour the oil directly in, you could burn it. This remedy always worked for me.
Garlic
Posted by Tara (Marlborough, MA USA) on 01/07/2009
★★★★★
I saw comments about garlic oil working for ear infections. A few weeks ago, my 4 yr old son was very lethargic and his ear was bright red and burning. He said it hurt. My husband chopped up one clove of fresh garlic, put it in maybe a couple table spoons of olive oil in a small cup and warmed it up in the microwave. He strained the garlic out, let it cool and put a dropperful in my son's affected ear. I gave my son some painkiller and a cold compress and he fell asleep for the night. By morning, he was fine!
Cod Liver Oil
Posted by Rose (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) on 03/07/2007
The person who has said about giving their baby COD LIVER OIL (10/6/2006: Tammy from Haledon, NJ) I have a question: how much cod liver oil did you give your child? And what was the grams?
Olive Oil, Garlic
Posted by Sharee (Wi) on 02/09/2018
★★★★★
Ear infections/earaches cleared up with evoo [extra virgin olive oil] and garlic cloves- it doesn't get more simple!
My Momma always used sweet oil with fresh pulverised cloves.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Meeda (Abu Dhabi) on 11/05/2018
What if the eardrum has a rupture?
how do I know if it ruptured on not?
My son had excruciating pain as airplane landed and 3 days later still has earpain, he has a cold during the flight and still does
Please advice if I can use hydrogen peroxide, or should I get the eardrums checked first. Thank you
