Alcohol and White Vinegar
★★★★★
Alcohol and White Vinegar
★★★★★
Alcohol with Tincture of Iodine
★★★★★
With a stubborn infection, your doctor may recommend using alcohol in your ear twice a day. In those who are infection prone, some folks use this once a week or once a month. I like to add 2% Tincture of Iodine to the alcohol at 2 drops iodine to 20 drops alcohol. Put the alcohol mixture in ear, allow to set for a minute or so, tilt head up right to drain liquid out of ear and use a hair dryer to dry my ear out even more.
Iodine kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and even spores of bacteria and fungi, including anthra spores. Iodine was used successfully against influenza, herpes, small pox, and chicken pox viruses. When iodine was suspended in a solution, viral inactivation occurred at dilutions of 1/1,000,000. (Gershenfeld, L.: Iodine. In Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation. Edited by S. S. Block. Philadelphia, Les & Febiger, 1977, pp.196-218.)
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
(Kentucky)
09/13/2025
Acetic acid (Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar) is a topical antiseptic that creates an acidic environment in the ear canal to stop the growth of bacteria and fungus causing the infection.
You can consider making apple cider vinegar (acetic acid 5%) diluted with water 1:1 ratio ear drops/solution will make a 2 ½ solution. This is a mild vinegar solution that stops the overgrowth of bacteria/fungi and helps with itchy ears. Irrigate this solution in the ear morning and evening for 7 to 10 days. Your ear should improve 48 – 72 hours after starting treatment. Most people get better within 7 – 10 days.
STUDIES.
Vinegar in Chronic Otitis externa and Myringitis (inflammation of the eardrum)
June 2010 Indian Journal of Otology Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286298164_Vinegar_in_chronic_otitis_externa_and_myringitis
Role of Vinegar in medicine is known from ancient time, specifically for dressing of wounds. A prospective study of vinegar (4% acetic acid with 1:1 ratio of normal saline and vinegar 4% with 1:1 ratio of 95% isopropyl alcohol was conducted to conclude its role in chronic otitis externa and myringitis. Vinegar with saline was effective in 45.52% otitis externa, 54.47% in otomycosis and 81.03% in myringitis while vinegar with alcohol was 90.62% effective in swimmer's ear.
Role of 1.5% Acetic Acid (Apple Cider Vinegar) Irrigation and Medical Management in Chronic
Persistent Suppurative Otitis Media.
Department of otorhinolaryngology, Santhiram Medical College and General Hospital, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh,
India
ABSTRACT
Background: Chronic ear discharge in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) persisting for more than two weeks has become difficult to treat for ENT specialists due to resistance to the available antibiotics and patient's affordability for its cost. Also, biofilms have been responsible for the disease and cause tympanic membrane perforation and deafness. The use of 1.5% acetic acid irrigation acts as an antiseptic, and altering the middle ear's pH to treat otorrhea in CSOM needs to be studied. Aim of the study to assess results of 1.5% acetic acid irrigation and topical and systemic antibiotic in CSOM and to consider the most appropriate medical management.
Methods: A total of 100 patients of CSOM was divided equally into two groups. Group 1 patients were treated with 1.5% acetic acid irrigation every other day, and group 2 was treated with topical and systemic antibiotics three drops' times daily. Follow up of both groups every week up to symptomatic relief.
Results: Otorrhoea resolution in the group treated with acetic acid was 88%, and healing of perforation was noted in 28 %, while the failure rate of 12%.
Conclusions: Medical management of persistent CSOM with tubotympanic type by frequent aural cleaning, 1.5% acetic acid irrigation can be the more desirable choice than the topical and oral antibiotics. It is safe without any side effects and economical. Alteration of ear canal PH is one of the main factors for healing, in addition to mechanical disruption of biofilm and removal of deep-seated debris.
A Comparative Study of Acetic Acid vs Ciprofloxacin Topical Ear Drops in Achieving Dry Ear in Tubotympanic CSOM Patients.
Source: https://jptcp.com/index.php/jptcp/article/view/7850
Abstract
Aim: To study the effect of topical instillation of ACETIC ACID V/S CIPROFLOXACIN EAR DROPS in medical management of tubotympanic CSOM.
Materials and Methods: 100 patients including Male and Female above 15 years attending ENT OPD, at Index Medical College and having perforation in pars tensa (tubotympanic CSOM) will be evaluated. These patients underwent ENT examination. Oto-endoscopic examination was done. Further, patient were advised to undergo X-ray bilateral mastoid and pure tone audiometry.
Results: The results of the present study showed that dry ear was significantly achieved in patients using acetic acid (92% patients) than ciprofloxacin (66% patients) ear drops.
Conclusion: Medical management of tubotympanic type of CSOM is better achieved using 2% acetic acid ear drops rather than 0.3% ciprofloxacin ear drops.
Cayenne Pepper
★★★★★
I read all the posts about cayenne, I tried taking a tsp full of it, didn't notice any difference. I, however, remembered that I had a cayenne pepper Herb Pharm tincture (I have a giant cabinet full of supplements). I took about 1 ML or a dropper full, and 10 minutes later my ear started popping and feeling better. I also applied some hydrogen peroxide, natural ear ache oil, which was also helpful. But I noticed the biggest difference from the cayenne.
Cayenne Pepper
★★★★★
The next day another 2 glasses of the magic stuff later I was laying on my right side and I felt a sudden sharp pain in my ear, like a pop, like someone stuck a screwdriver in my right ear and a strong sensation of relief.... Then..... Nothing.... Absolutely nothing. It was 2 weeks ago. I've not had pain since, not even once. I can't believe it!!!!!! It was ruining my life, I was grumpy the whole time, and not to mention very scared that it was something much more sinister than some infection. In my opinion it was an infection getting out of control, like candida or something. I was very stressed out at the time it started 5 months ago, so it can easily be stress related candida symptom. I do get an occasional itch in my ears, but small itching is normal now and again. I also take a glass of water with 1 tbspoon of ACV and 1/2 teaspoon of soda bicarbonate twice a day now, I can honestly say that I've never felt better. Thank you EarthClinic! THANK YOU! Good luck and good health everyone x
Cayenne Pepper
★★★★☆
I did not have fresh organic cayenne measured by strength; it was Morton's brand and fairly new, but I suspect it wasn't as potent or fresh as could be had.
Chiropractic
★★★★★
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
One day after reading about the anti-bacterial properties of virgin coconut oil I decided to put vco drops in my ear several times a day, it cleared in 3 days, so now before I go swimming a few drops of vco will stop me getting an ear infection.
Colloidal Silver
★★★★★
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
I did feel there was a connection but did realize it till i read a french book on allergies. Ear infections can be caused by milk... same for swollen tonsils.. I have no tonsils anymore.. i wish i had been old enough to stop them from cutting them out...
Anyhow we had free cheese at work.. didnt seem to affect me then one day i wanted milk...
i dont usually cause well like cheese... it contains mucus and is mucus forming... (at the time in camp, i had to eat cheese for protein cause some of the cooks thought pasta was food)
i drank 5 tiny cups like almost those bathroom cups of milk.. then that the evening my eardrums popped. i havent touched milk since. unless to test.where as a cup of chocolate milk made my throat glands on the sides sore...
The only other thing to make my throat swell like that is mcdonalds beef burgers and orange juice.
(Penfold, Sunshine Coast , British Columbia)
10/06/2009
You are absolutely right regarding milk and ear infections, alot of people are intolerant to dairy products with out knowing it, this is especially true for people with inherited smaller eustashian tubes. Even a slight amount of mucus that gathers in the tubes can result in ear aches and infections.
(South africa)
07/24/2025
Garlic
★★★★★
Garlic
★★★★★
If garlic juice it too strong for you, cut it in half with a drop of olive oil 1:1 ratio.
Garlic
★★★★★
Garlic
★★★★★
Starting last night (Thursday night) I began taking a TON of Vitamin C. Then I came to this site and read about garlic, and this morning I bought some 2, 000 mg garlic tablets. I took two right away, and some more Vitamin C. Within an hour I felt my inner ear begin to drain into my throat, which I took as a good sign. I am continuing my antibiotic drops, but they hurt so bad when I put them in that I have to blow-dry my ear afterwards (which REALLY helps).
Long story short, I've only had to take a minimum dosage of over-the-counter pain medicine (ibuprofen) today, because I can absolutely feel the infection clearing up. It's still a bit painful, and every once in a while it will throb for a few minutes, but I can generally deal with it and it's not the nail-biting, leg-cramping, stomach-twisting agony I've been experiencing for the last two days.
I definitely recommend it! It can't hurt, after all. And of course I'm not discontinuing the medicine I was given by my doctor.