Natural Earache Remedies

It's easy to soothe an earache naturally with these four simple remedies. Save yourself a trip to the doctor and ease ear pain at home.

When I was little, I had earaches all the time. My parents took me to the doctor for this every winter, starting when I was just a few months old.

Of course, the doctor gave me a prescription for this nasty pink liquid that I absolutely hated. I can still taste its chalky flavor today--UGH!

Now we know that most earaches are due a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum, so this prescription medicine isn't usually needed. You want to encourage the fluid to drain, and that’s easy to do naturally.

Reminder: I’m not a doctor, and this information should not be considered medical advice. Do your own research and use good judgement!

Examine the Inner Ear

I use an otoscope, similar to the ones in the doctor’s office, to look inside the ear.

Take a look in the kids’ ears now, so you have a baseline to compare with. You can see there's a problem if the ear canal is red and swollen. Here's a video that shows the difference.

Soothing Treatments

Now that you know what you're dealing with, it's time for treatment. These are safe to use on toddlers and older kids--if you suspect problems with a baby, I recommend calling the doctor.

Note: If there is any fluid draining from the ear, or if your child has tubes in their ears, do NOT put anything in the ear.

Warmth

Lay down, with the sore ear facing up, and place a warm washcloth or warm heating pad on the ear. The warmth encourages blood flow, which promotes healing, and it also helps thin the fluid to help it drain.

Essential oils

Rub diluted Basil and Melaleuca essential oils behind the ear and on the outside of the ear (never inside the ear). Both of these essential oils are germ-destroying and pain relieving.

Garlic Oil

Put a few drops of willow-garlic ear oil (willow bark relieves pain and garlic is antiseptic) in the ear. Gently warm the oil bottle in water for a few minutes before using it. You can make garlic oil at home, but I prefer to buy it to avoid the chance of contamination.

Massage

Massage the lymph system with diluted lavender essential oil. This video tutorial on lymphatic drainage for the ears is easy and gentle.

Repeat as Needed

Now you can rest! Since these are natural remedies, you'll get relief quickly. You can repeat them as needed, as often as once an hour (although most people only need to repeat every 4 hours or so).