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Sweet Oil for Ear Pain

Sweet oil is a low grade of olive oil that is not recommended for cooking. It has long been used as a home remedy for everything from treating sunburned skin to removing ear mites in dogs and cats.

  1. Ear Pain

    • Parents have used warm sweet oil to soothe ear pain for many years. To use this remedy, heat the oil, place a few drops in a child's ear and cover his ear with a cotton ball.

    Results

    • The warm sweet oil loosens hard wax that causes inflammation and pain. The warm oil liquefies the compacted wax and helps it to drain naturally from the ear. This process helps to relieve ear pain.

    Warmth

    • The warm sweet oil acts like a heating pad and helps to soothe the ear pain.

    Swimmer's Ear Pain

    • Some swimmers say that warm sweet oil helps to soothe the pain caused by swimmer's ear. In the Medical Consumer's Advocate, Dr. Douglas Hoffman states that sweet oil will not remove water that is trapped in the ear. It still has to be removed.

    Warning

    • Be sure that your ear drum has not been punctured before using this sweet-oil home remedy. If there is a hole in your ear drum, the oil will carry bacteria into the inner ear and cause a serious painful infection. Seek medical advice if the pain persists.

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