Natural Remedies for Ear Infections: 10 Effective Home Treatments

If you have anything from simple swimmers ear to a painful advanced ear infection, slice an onion in half and wrap one half in a clean piece of flannel or linnen. Put it in the top section of a steamer pot and steam until hot and moist. Remove from the steamer and allow it to cool just until you can stand to hold it next to your ear. Hold it over the ear and tilt your head to the side that you are treating so that steam can enter your ear. Repeat as often as you need to, this usually works within a day. If no steamer pot is available, I have used a bowl of water in the microvave and chopsicks to hold the onion over the water.

I have been using alcohol and white vinegar for 35 years with great effect every time. I keep a little squeeze bottle by my sink. The kind with the top that pushes in to close. I used half white vinegar and half isopropyl alcohol. I just put a few drops in one side and wait until it goes down all the way. Then do the other side. The mixture will not stain your clothes.

I have had an acute ear infection since Tuesday. I've been taking antibiotic drops three times a day, and prescription-strength ibuprofen as needed for the pain. Unfortunately, "as needed" was turning out to be a lot more than I'd expected. It didn't seem like the antibiotics were working. I realized that I was taking my prescriptions like a good girl, but I wasn't doing anything to enable my own body to fight the infection naturally.

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.

Tried several of the wonderful suggestions here on an unexpected ear infection (garlic, ACV, alcohol & distilled white vinegar, coconut oil), and none of them made a significant difference, alas. Then I read a piece on Manuka --aka tea tree or jelly bush-- honey, and its powerful antibacterial effects. Fortunately, I still had a tube of Manuka from my last trip to New Zealand, applied a small amount v-e-r-y gently with a Q-tip around the perimeter of my ear canal, and voila ! Pain erased. The infection was gone by the next day.

Nature is so wise; my personal belief is that bees are absolute angels of health and well-being on our planet. One can often find Manuka honey from NZ in health stores worldwide. It's usually a very dark amber color. (And, of course, being honey, it's delicious! )

Hello fellow sufferers. Just felt obliged to share my experience. I've been having excruciating pain in both of my ears for the last 5 months, it was usually much worse during the evening. I was in physical and mental agony, because it really can drive you up the wall that pain. I found this website by accident looking for pain relief or at least some explanation (docs didn't help). The same evening I bought ground Cayenne Pepper and decided to give it a try... I put a bit less than half a teaspoon in a glass of luke warm water and downed it... I could feel it working from the first go!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't nice, I'm not used to spicy stuff and my eyes were about to pop out, but it passed a minute or so later. That heat the pepper gave cleared the pressure in my nose immediately.

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

We always stopped earaches within 48 hours (sometimes much less) by stuffing a piece of cotton with olive oil in the ear and just leaving it there. Change once a day or so, if needed.

I tried this remedy (1/4 teaspoon cayenne to 6oz water) and did exactly as it says. My sinuses did drain a little, but my ear continued to hurt and stay clogged for some time. It did drain about 2-3 hours after I went to bed. I have no doubt that it was helpful, but I cannot say I experienced any immediate relief.

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.

Hi I live in Philippines, and love to go swimming only unfortunately I am prone to ear infections, which seem to happen nearly every time I go swimming, these infections are difficult to heal, I used to have to use anti-biotic ear drops, plus internal anti-biotics to clear them up and it would take 7 to 10 days.

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.

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.

A few days ago, I woke up in the morning and couldn't get out of bed because... I suddenly started to feel dizzy. Everything was going upside down, and I felt nauseous. So, I lay for a while untill I could go to the bathroom, where ofcourse, I threw up! For a couple of days I was confined in bed, later when I felt slightly better, I went to my doctor. He prescribed Meclizine 25mg(saying that I have ear-infection) which I took for a few days. Then I went to your site and read about H202. So, I plucked up enough courage and poured half a tsp.,of 3% Hydrogen peroxide in both my ears. There was a bubbling sensation and I was scared whether I was doing the right thing, yet kept on repeating the process three times a day. After a few days, I went to the hospital to have my ears checked (just in case) to make sure; because deep down I was also worried what if, the infection had spread or something...

My vertigo, had not subsided completely yet, so I went to the emergency, the doctor having checked everything said, she doesn't see any infection in my ears, so she referred me to an ENT. By the time, I got to see the specialist (according to the appointment) few days went by, but I didn't stop the application of my home remedy. In the meantime my dizziness got cured, by the grace of Almighty God.

The specialist checked my ears and put me through several tests, finally discharged me saying everything was clear. THANK GOD!

I had a very bad ear infection one day and all the Medicine that I bought never helped a Friend then told me about an old remedy handed down from her family that worked Right away. Just put a small amount of Virgin Olive Oil into your Ear.

I never tried garlic juice and it does sound like it would be painful but I've always used garlic successfully to cure an ear infection. Just score a garlic clove, wrap in gauze so there is no too direct contact and place in ear, preferably over night. Usually does the trick.

I've also used olive oil to soothe ear pain. Heat the oil a bit and dip cotton and make into a little ball to pout in the ear. The warmth and something in the oil immediately eases the ear pain and often is enough to cure the problem.

I use peroxide for ear aches and ear infections. First use the peroxide in ear or ears. After bubbling stops then you warm up pure olive oil put in ear or ears followed by a cotton ball. Usually ear aches subside immediately. Ear infections may take two or 3 times.

I have been suffering from an ear infection for almost 2 months now. Just when I think it clears up it was right back the next day. I have tried everything. From warm damp towels to HP. A friend told me about Sweet Oil. Warm it to the touch and put a couple of drops into the infected ear. I left it in for about 2-3 minutes. I repeated this about 3 times.The pain was gone almost instantly. Now this is not a cure but it did relieve me of pain and discomfort until I could get antibiotics. Also HP helped but only for a short time. It was only a temporary fix until the proper antibiotics were taken. Sweet oil can be found at special health food stores and more than likely at your grocery store. Also, this has nothing to do with ear infections but does anyone have health cures for migraines?

An allergic reaction to milk doesnt have to be the runs! For me it was swelling of the throat and hours later a double ear infection.

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.