If you have ever had an ear infection, then you know how annoying and uncomfortable they can be. This is because the infection is usually accompanied by intense pain which can disrupt your daily life and make you feel stressed, depressed, and agitated.
Generally, ear infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses. They happen as a result of allergies, colds, or upper respiratory problems when the tubes inside the ear fill up with fluid and mucus causing an infection.
For example, sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses which can lead to ear congestion. This congestion can cause great pain which may even affect your hearing and lead to further hearing issues like tinnitus. The good news is there are many helpful ways you can alleviate such pain symptoms and provide tinnitus relief in case of sinusitis or other ear infections. Here are some basic ear care tips and remedies you can try out to maintain your ear health and ease ear pain effectively.
Effective remedies for ear pain relief
1. Over-the-counter medication
Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin are great pain relievers to control aches associated with ear infections. Some people also use ear drops to reduce pressure in the ear caused by fluid and earwax.
Whichever medication you choose, be sure to rely on online search engines such as Option RX to shop for the lowest price medications and ear drops at your favorite or a competing pharmacy.
2. Naturopathic drops
Naturopathic drops contain a variety of different herbs or essential oils that can also provide immediate ear pain relief. They may have garlic, ginger, tea tree oil, or mullein which have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe pain from earaches. To use them, you will need to put a couple of drops around the outer ear canal or into it to relieve the pain.
3. Heating pad
Another effective remedy you can try out to provide temporary pain relief is a heating pad or a hot cloth. This will help relax the muscles and improve blood flow, thus numbing the pain and reducing the inflammation in your ear. To use it, you will need to place the hot pad to the ear for about twenty minutes. For better results, place the hot pad on your neck as well.
4. Sleep upright
Instead of lying down, you should sleep sitting up to encourage any fluid in your ear to drain. This will further ease pressure in your ear and reduce the pain.
If you are having trouble sleeping upright, you can use extra pillows or sleep in an armchair that is a bit reclined. This will help the ears drain even faster, providing you with pain relief while sleeping.
Proper ear care tips
While there are many helpful remedies that can alleviate earache symptoms, you should also remember to take precautionary measures to prevent the development of infections, injuries, and illnesses. Here are three proper ear care tips you should follow.
1. Keep your ears clean
Despite contrary belief, you shouldn’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears from excess earwax buildup. Doing so increases the risks of developing an infection in the ears, rupturing the eardrum, or even suffering from significant hearing loss.
Therefore, the best way to clean your ears is to use a washcloth on which you may put a few drops of baby oil, hydrogen peroxide, or glycerin to soften the wax.
Or, if you feel uncomfortable doing this, you can always ask your doctor to clean your ears for you.
2. Avoid loud noises
Part of taking proper care of your ears means avoiding loud noises. The truth is prolonged exposure to certain types of loud sounds can have a major impact on your well-being, especially your ears.
Fortunately, there are a few simple and highly effective ways you can care for your ears and safeguard their long-term health whenever you find yourself in a loud environment.
For example, earplugs are a great way to protect your ears when you are at a concert or attending a loud event.
3. Have your ears checked
No matter if you have ear problems or not, getting your ears checked by an audiologist is very important especially as you get older. The doctor will perform various tests and screenings to examine your current ear health and to check whether there are any infections. If your doctor notices any inflammation, then you will be given proper treatment based on the condition you are suffering from.
If everything is fine, you should continue to have your ears checked on a regular basis to prevent any serious ear-related issues.
Final thoughts
Maintaining proper ear care is essential for preventing the development of severe ear infections, ruptures of the eardrum, and potential hearing loss. However, if your ears get infected due to allergies, colds, or upper respiratory problems, there are several effective remedies you can try out to alleviate pain symptoms.
For more information on what those remedies are as well as how you should properly care for your ears, refer back to our post and follow the tips mentioned here to improve your ear health.
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