Anyone who's suffered from an ear infection knows how painful it can be. Ear infections can occur in the middle, inner or outer parts of the ear and are very common, particularly in children. Usually ear infections in children affect the middle ear because their Eustachian tubes-the canals running from the back of the throat to the middle ear-are shorter and wider than those in adults and pathogens can travel more freely. Other reasons for frequent ear infections in kids are that their nerves are not fully mature and they're often exposed to viruses at schools or day care centers that can infect their ears. Interestingly, a Finnish study found that breast-fed babies had fewer ear infections than formula-fed babies. Only 6% of those who were breast-fed had an infection compared with 26% of those who received formula.

As for adults, they can catch ear infections from blocked sinuses, from pressure changes in airplanes, from smoking and pollution, from using dirty earplugs, or from lingering colds. The tendency to get ear infections is likely hereditary, and they may occur more often in people with allergies, measles, mumps, TB, dental problems, and other disorders. If left untreated, ear infections can become chronic and lead to punctured eardrums, permanent hearing loss, and spread of the infection to other areas of the head.

The allopathic cure for ear infections is antibiotics, but that takes as long as two weeks. In the meantime, what can you do to treat an ear infection? There are a range of treatments to choose from.

Two simple tips to help you deal with an ear infection are keeping your head upright and swallowing water frequently to help your tubes drain naturally, which means less pain.
To reduce pain, over-the-counter acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) is recommended by doctors. It's safer than aspirin for anyone under 21 because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a serious neurological disease, in young people taking aspirin. You can also try an over-the-counter oral decongestant before bed to dry up any fluid in the ears, or a decongestant nose spray to reduce pressure on the ears, but be careful to use it for just a few days because it loses its effectiveness over time.

One simple folk medicine treatment for ear infections is a bud of garlic peeled and cut to fit the outside of the ear canal. Wrap it in gauze, heat, and insert in the canal. Fresh garlic mixed with honey can be used for the same purpose. Roasted onion applied while hot to the ear will relieve pain and reduce discharge. Or you can mix witch hazel with a teaspoon of oil of St. John's wort and pour it into the ear. Heated, crust-less bread pounded together with a handful of bruised caraway seeds and mixed with hot brandy to make a paste for the ear is an effective anti-inflammatory.

To help remove cold symptoms related to ear infections and increase immunity, drink honey and lemon or cider vinegar in warm water. Blackcurrant tea is another immune booster and cold suppressant.

Herbalists recommend a few drops of mullein oil on a piece of cotton placed in the ear canal, or steeped, warm yarrow poured into the ear. Other choices are anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory herbs chamomile, Echinacea, goldenseal and goldenrod used either externally as an infusion mixed with oil or internally as a tea. Crushed and simmered ginger root used as a poultice is a Meskwaki Indian treatment for ear infections.

Aromatherapists suggest a blend of chamomile, lavender and tea tree oil, or a drop of clove oil in grapeseed oil, massaged around the ear and down the neck. Tea tree and lavender oil can also be used in a vaporizer as antiseptics, and lavender oil can be placed directly in the ear on a cotton ball.

Homeopathy offers Hep. Sulf, Belladonna, Aconite or Pulsatilla to treat acute ear infection attacks. The flower essences Rescue Remedy or Rock Rose will soothe a child's distress over the pain of an ear infection.

A healthy diet is important too. Vitamin C and zinc in particular should be included to build up your immune system and help prevent ear infections from taking hold and possibly causing permanent damage.

"The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies", C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.
"The Doctors Book of Home Remedies", Prevention Magazine Health Books editors
"Dian Dincin Buchman's Herbal Medicine", Dian Dincin Buchman