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Earaches can be anything from slightly painful to extremely painful and are usually brought on by a fluid buildup (sometimes resulting from an infection), or a buildup of pressure in the middle ear.
To help relieve pressure and encourage natural drainage, you can try a simple massage technique. Gently press right under each ear. Now continue pressing, moving downward and forward along and just under the edge of the jawbone. You have just massaged the Eustachian tubes. Eustachian tubes are internal passages connecting each inner ear to its own opening inside the upper throat. Repeatedly massaging like this aids in relaxing, dilating and clearing this tube. Before resorting to artificial tubes, let's try the ones we were born with!
Antibiotics may be given. These medicines kill the bacteria that cause many of the infections. It's very important to follow the directions, and to finish all of the medicine. Older children often do not need to have their ear infections treated with antibiotics. Children under 2 years of age will get antibiotics.
Earaches can be anything from slightly painful to extremely painful and are usually brought on by a fluid buildup (sometimes resulting from an infection), or a buildup of pressure in the middle ear. The most common symptom of otitis media is mild pain in the ear. Some other symptoms are fever, hearing loss and occasional discharge from the ears. Other symptom loss of hearing and balance problems and dizziness. Treatment for middle ear infections (acute otitis media) involves home treatment for symptom relief.
Applying heat to the ear, this may help with pain. Use a warm washcloth or a heating pad. Do not allow children to go to bed with a heating pad, because they could get burned. Use a heating pad only if your child is old enough to tell you if it's getting too hot.
If chewing doesn't work, close your mouth, relax your cheek muscles, hold your nose and blow one nostril at a time gently until you feel relief.
Most commonly earache is an effect of an ear infection. Take Vitamin C to enhance your immune system. It is a natural antibiotic and antihistamine that helps to decrease inflammation and fever. Include zinc in your diet since it reduces ear infection. Certain foods, more normally dairy products like milk, butter, cheese etc tend to aggravate ear infections, so it is better to avoid them during an ear infection.
The cutting out of dairy products can reduce the production of catarrh (in the nose or ears) for those who are sensitive to lactose but it is important that you consult your health visitor or doctor, or ask for a referral to a nutritionist or allergy specialist if you suspect that food sensitivity or allergy is contributing to your child's poor health. Do tread carefully, however, food sensitivities are a symptom of ill health, not a cause, and cutting out an allergen will not deal with the underlying problem.
