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Home Remedies for Soothing an Ear Infection

Ear infections are painful and are unfortunately very common, especially in young children. While some ear infections can be quite severe and require a trip to the doctor for antibiotics, other infections are minor and can be treated with simple home remedies. If an ear infection becomes too severe or does not clear up after a few days, seek medical help. Some home remedies effective against ear infections are outlined below.

  1. Vitamin C

    • Vitamin C can help keep your immune system strong so that your body can fight off the ear infection as quickly as possible. Try taking a multivitamin that contains Vitamin C or pick up a Vitamin C supplement. You can also add vitamin-rich foods to your daily diet such as citrus fruits and green peppers.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    • Hydrogen peroxide is another way to fight an ear infection. Dilute some hydrogen peroxide with an equal part of warm water. Then, put a few drops of the solution in each infected ear and allow the solution to stay in the ear for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, tilt your head side to side and dab out the peroxide with a cotton ball or tissue.

    Garlic

    • Garlic is not just a way to make food taste better; it is also a powerful antiseptic that can be used to treat an ear infection. You can purchase garlic oil at a health food store or you can make your own with fresh garlic cloves and olive oil. To make your own garlic oil, finely grate three fresh garlic cloves into a small container. Add just enough extra-virgin olive oil to cover the grated garlic and allow the mix to sit over night. In the morning, strain out the garlic pieces and put a few drops of the oil into each infected ear and leave in for 5 minutes.

    Zinc

    • Zinc is another way to treat an ear infection at home. If taken daily, it should help reduce infection in the ear and soothe some of the pain and inflammation.

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