Effective Natural Earache Remedies for Pain Relief

Apple Cider Vinegar, Sea Salt

Posted by Vera (Houton, TX) on 07/10/2008
★★★★★

Earache - For the first time ever, I have experienced a double ear infection which has lasted for four days. I suspect what brought it on was a combination of a new unknown allergy (allergies are a first for me) combined with the irritant effects of smoking. I have tried most of this except for inserting the whole garlic clove in the ear or using any of the sweet oil remedies. I tried using capfuls of peroxide and colloidal silver..which has antibiotic properties.. in the ear but these have temporary and only minor effects. I also tried liquid garlic from the health food store, which appeared to do nothing.. the pain only worsened. The homeopathic ear drops from the drugstore for earaches didn't relieve the ear pain as advertised. There was no improvement from Oreganol (Extract of Oregano) or tea tree oil. The only option that finally appeared to be working for me as far as clearing up some of the infection was rinsing the ear with a capful of apple cider vinegar. The remedies I found effective for relieving pain were dampened washcloths warmed up in the microwave which work for the short term as heating pads, but the the salt remedy worked best for the pain. Sea salt warmed up in a cloth tea bag in the microwave is the only thing I used that could take away the fiercest ear pain instantly, and I probably had some of the worst. The process of rinsing with cidar vinegar for the infection along with warm washcloths and applying warm salt for the pain because the ear pain may have to be repeated after intervals because the pain will keep coming back if any part of the infection is still there. The infection is reduced but is not gone yet. I am still testing the vinegar and I will also test the garlic clove in a cloth bag remedy (not crushed garlic I've heard enough about how painful that can be :)), just to compare its effects with warm salt which in my experience has been the most effective for pain.

Cigarette or Newspaper

Posted by Rudy (Hollister, Ca) on 04/03/2007
★★★★★

Remedy - Ear Ache: One time my sister in law had this bad ear ache I told her I could cure her with a cigarette,Of couse she thought I was making this up so she said no thanks. After crying for an hour she said yes I will try it. So I took 1/2 a cigarette with the filter on it, lit the other side and placed it in her ear while she laid down,she said she heard popping and air gush out of her ear. After 1 min I removed it and she was just astonished that her ear felt better. She is a beleiver now

Ear Pick

Posted by Leah (Friendswood, Tx) on 08/31/2009
★★★★★

I found that when I would use a q-tip, I had to twist it or the wax would get pushed into the ear canal to where it felt like I was deaf. Yay for the curette.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Daniel (Spokane, WA) on 09/21/2006
★★★★★

First, thank you for the great website--I've been searching for this type of confirmation for several days now. My story is that I use earplugs when I sleep, as I awake easily. About a week ago, I had taken a shower right before bed and dried ears with a towel (no q-tip). The earplug didn't seem to go in as usual (perhaps the wrong angle). The day after, about mid-day, I noticed that my ear was hurting. Two days later I was in a full-blown ear infection. I stopped working a few months ago to do some studies, as such, no money to go to the doctor. I prayed and the Lord said to read a book about hydrogen peroxide that was sitting on my shelf and decided that it wouldn't hurt. So, I put one cap of H2O2 into my ear and let it sit for about 5 minutes. I couldn't hear anything happening, at first. Then the bubbling started. Rather cool. I kept doing this every two to three hours. By the end of the night, the pain (so strong that I really couldn't touch the ear without feeling like I was going to throw up) was 90% gone. After two treatments the following day, there is no longer ANY pain whatsoever. Praise the Lord! Now, I must say that I don't know for certain if my immune system had typed the virus/bacteria by this point, as I had been sick for a few days by the time I started... Regardless, the pain appeared to decrease with each treatment--I thought I was imagining it until the 4th treatment--I then KNEW that there was a difference. By the way, I should mention that I also dried my ear out with q-tips, and then used a warm blow dryer for about 10 minutes after each treatment. Perhaps I had come down with swimmer's ear from using the earplugs on wet ears--drying is important. Anyway, thank God for hydrogen peroxide and a cured ear infection. I am now using 3% in a humidifier, breathing it in for multiple 5 minute sessions throughout the day, and have seen a big difference in my energy levels--very cool. I might add that I have to inhale with my eyes closed...else the stuff irritates my eyes. Pretty cool stuff!

Aloe Vera

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 01/23/2024
★★★★★

A Mexican woman showed me a simple way to extract the aloe juice for placing into your ear.

Cut off about 3 inches of the aloe leaf. Then cut the sides to remove the spikes. Then cut thru the middle to open up the leaf and expose the gel inside.

Use a fork to mash the gel cells to release to aloe juice. Next, use a knife to cut lose all the mashed gel.

Now, place all the mash gel and juice into a clean small 1/2 pint jar. This will be messy. Next, add pure clean water or distilled water (if using in the eyes) to the jar. Stir mixture and now your aloe juice is complete and ready to be placed in the ear canal.

This method is a whole lot easier to get the juice into the eye dropper.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Jane S. (USA) on 11/30/2020
★★★★★

EAR ECZEMA - (ailment): working for me right now: ALOE VERA

I get the 99% stuff & put it on a q-tip and it's pretty miraculous.

I'd been suffering for months with it, ever since I used coconut oil in my ears for itchy ears with a qtip, becauseI had an earache.

BTW, NEVER put coconut oil IN YOUR EARS bc the way that CO is can cause problems like ear blockage, like in my ears.

OLIVE OIL is fine & will clear up your earache. Never Coconut Oil.

Anyway, back to this, so after going to the dr to clear up the ear blockage, I had ear eczema, and have had it for months. Right now just felt inside my ear, I think I still have ear eczema, will get back to you & hopefully this will completely clear it up in a few days - the aloe vera.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 12/01/2020 543 posts

Coconut oil can't block your ears as it liquifies long before it reaches the temperature of the body and I would say the profound effect you experienced was actually evidence of the work it was almost certainly doing. You can't expect to experience no symptoms when an effective remedy is applied. The more effective it is, the more evidence there will be that something is happening.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Jay (Toronto, Canada) on 01/25/2014
★★★★★

If you want a solution to ear infections without the garlic odor use organic extra virgin coconut oil. It is antifungal, antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial like garlic. It also dissolves any hard wax build-up without the need for any other material. It is solid at room temperature but melts at 24 degrees C or 75 degrees F(DO NOT heat it). You can put a small fingernail sized piece just inside of your ear and if you are lying on your side within a few minutes the piece will melt and flow into your ear canal without any help . Leave in ear for at least 15 minutes(or as long as you wish) and then drain and wipe ear. Ideally do this with both ears. Doing this for each ear regularly will cure any minor infection and prevent a reoccurrence of any wax build-up problem.

Cigarette Smoke

Posted by Cnitzken (Louisville, Ky) on 05/02/2012
★★★★★

Cig smoke in ear works. I have been dying in pain for 6 days with antibiotic drops with steroids. Went to class I teach and students told me of this. I let them do it - I am a smoker - and ALAS. Pain gone. Thank God

Cigarette Smoke

Posted by Siamesecat (Fort Dodge, Iowa) on 02/13/2011
★★★★★

It always bothered me that this remedy worked when I was a child, crying at night... Just in horrible pain with an ear ache. After several hours, my mother told me that cigarette smoke would alleviate the pain. I first said no, but after another hour of severe pain, I said yes to her method of treatment. She blew cigarette smoke into my ear and the pain went away! Almost immediately... And never came back! Never has! It seemed gross to me then and now.... Like 50 years later... But, it worked! I just wanted to see if anyone else ever experienced this. Sounds like they have.

I am a sociologist now, but I still recall my mother's form of treatment for that intense earache and how miraculously and quickly it worked! So, I guess we can deduct that there is some chemical in cigarette smoke that cures ear aches. And greatly and swiftly... And permanently!

Garlic

Posted by John (Cumberland, Md) on 02/08/2011
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Garlic has given me tinnitus for five weeks now. Really worried. Do not, Do not put garlic in your ear

Garlic

Posted by Pam E. (Southern California) on 11/29/2021 171 posts

From what I've read, straight garlic is not recommended. Allowing crushed or sliced Garlic to infuse some oil, such as Coconut or Olive, then using just a few drops of that oil is recommended. Some people have a very strong negative reaction to straight garlic, actually getting burned by it! Some.

Garlic

Posted by Lizzy (Fargo, Nd) on 11/02/2010
★★★★★

I use this method for my ears as well. I usually wrap the garlic clove in gauze so it doesn't burn my skin. It really clears up my infections and I am in my 30's! I use to have to take antibiotics when I got ear infections, now I use garlic! (I have had tubes 3 times in my life, I have had my eardrum rupture... So I truly mean this works! )

Garlic

Posted by Jeremiah (San Diego, California) on 06/21/2009
★★★★★

EAR INFECTION, PREPARATION SUGGESTION

I had a really bad ear infection in January of 2009 in which the infection caused my right ear to have hearing loss, as well as a constant sense of being clogged with something and/or feeling clogged from high altitudes (pressure change). I took a clove of garlic, peeled it, then scraped a part of it to release the juice and allicin, then CAREFULLY (I CANNOT emphasize that enough) the scraped part into my ear canal and let it stay there for at least 2 hours, possibly 3. When I took the clove out, the infection was gone.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST, I SAY MUST!, EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION IN DOING THIS!!!!!!!!

Garlic

Posted by Erin (Tampa, Fl) on 03/12/2010
★★★★★

Thank you for this remedy. Instead of a scored garlic clove, I used garlic ointment on a tissue. I obeyed your warning to be careful, as it seems most of the bad reactions reported on this site came from instances where the garlic was placed farther into the ear canal than the opening. I just placed my garlicy tissue in the opening of the ear canal. It took about an hour, but the pain subsided, and shortly after that, the pressure began to subside as well. I'm going to leave the tissue in for the recommended 3 hours and see what happens. Thanks again for this!

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by emt_scheid911 (Detroit, MI) on 05/15/2009
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Hello,

I came to the website in search of something to help with my ear pain which I associated with having impacted wax with a q-tip yesterday. I read about the peroxide and used it and was immediatly regretful! I became so dizzy that I passed out immediatly and when I woke up I didn't stop vomiting for the next 2 hours. It took the whole day for the dizziness to go away. And after all that-nothing changed in my ear whatsoever. I went to the doctor and he said to make sure you MIX the peroxide 50/50 with warm water, and to make sure the peroxide is WARM. If you put it in your ear cold-you will get the side effects that I did. So-I'm not saying it doesn't work because clearly for some it does. Just make sure you WARM THE PEROXIDE and make sure you DILUTE it, and make sure it really is ear wax because I ended up having an infection and a ruptured ear drum!

Take care guys!

Hand on Ear Method

Posted by Gean (Salina, KS) on 03/13/2009
★★★★★

At the very first sign of ear pain, put your hand over your ear for a few minutes, warming your ear. If your hair is long enough, pull some hair over your ear and cover with warm hand. Keep it there until pain goes away. If you have access to a hat or head band, cover ears to keep warm. If very bad you can cup both hands and make a "tunnel" from your mouth to your ear, blowing warm air. The key is not to wait at all, but do it at the first sign of pain. You can do this wherever you happen to be, and can save you lots of trouble. I've told my kids to do this, and no one in the family has had ear pain for many, many years. If time has gone by and you've had the ear pain for hours, then you may need a heated salt bag or some of the other treatments, although it wouldn't hurt to try the above. But, remember for the next time that a stitch in time saves nine.

Cigarette Smoke

Posted by Diana (London, UK) on 03/02/2009
★★★★★

I have very sensitive ears and everytime I'm exposed to wind blowing or just a simple air drought, especially after a shower, when my ears are still wet, I get ear ache almost instantly. Sometimes my tonsils ache and my neck becomes stiff. I suffered with this for years until a friend from Transylvania (no connection with you know who...) put a cigarette in my ear. It was unbelievable. I almost felt I had bubbles of air inside there and they were coming out one by one (that's the popping sound) and I can hear a whistle like the wind blowing through a crack in the wall. I tried to find an anatomical reason for this, but until now I couldn't. It definitely works, though and I gladly recommend it to anybody who suffers with this. It doesn't work on an ear infection, though. You will need antibiotics, I guess.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Sea Salt

Posted by Dandy5 (London, Canada) on 05/04/2009
★★★★★

As I write this, I am suffering with the flu, and on top of that managed to plug my ears with wax. Having administered several drops of olive oil over the course of last night and today, and then syringing, I was getting nowhere, and feeling very depressed. I have a dr's appointment tomorrow, but couldn't stand the pain, so I went on the internet researched ideas, decided to try the sea salt and water, as I had softened the ear wax already with the olive oil. Tried a couple of times nothing, was about to give up, and voila, out came the wax, and a huge relief of pressure. Thanks for the info.

Hot Water Syringing

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 05/17/2025
★★★★★

EARACHE. HOT WATER SYRINGING (108'F)

Source: Practical Nursing, p. 136, By Louise Henderson · 1919

Earache may be caused by some indirect trouble with the teeth, or from cold, or by a purely local disease of the ear.

Treatment.

Have the patient keep the head raised on a pillow and lay the affected ear on a hot water bag (not too full). Lacking that, apply hot cloths or even a poultice over the outside ear. If persistent an earache may be relieved by careful syringing with hot water (108 °), for method see page 102. An earache should always be reported to a physician even if it has been relieved. Carefully note any sign of discharge.

Note: Medicine can be added to to warm water (small amount) before syringing like, boric acid, vinegar (white distilled or apple cider), hydrogen peroxide 3%