Ear Pain

You don’t always need antibiotics to relieve earache - sometimes, home remedies can be just as effective.

Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen can help to ease pain and bring down a fever - but they’re not suitable for everyone, especially young children, so always speak to a healthcare professional first.

A warm or cold compress held up against the ear might help, or drops like hydrogen peroxide - place several drops into the ear and wait for a while, then rinse your ear with clean water.

Dabbing ginger juice or garlic oil onto a cloth and wiping it around the outer ear canal can work as a natural antibiotic due to them both having natural, anti-inflammatory properties.

Earache usually occurs in children, but it can affect adults too.

The most common causes of earache are an injury, an infection, irritation such as trapped shampoo or water, a result of the cold weather, a change in pressure like flying on a plane, and earwax buildup.

If you are suffering from dental problems like an infected or impacted tooth, it may cause earache, too.

Mild ear infections will typically clear up on their own, but you may wish to take something to relieve the pain.

Try taking an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen, but be aware that this isn’t suitable for young children so always speak to your healthcare provider first.

Ear drops are another useful option, like hydrogen peroxide or sodium bicarbonate.

Antibiotics might be prescribed as a last resort if the infection doesn’t get better after three days; if fluid is spilling from the ear, or if you have an illness with complications like cystic fibrosis.

If you work in a very noisy environment, not wearing ear plugs can damage your ears.

But if you are prone to earwax buildup, over time, earplugs can push the earwax back into your ear canal which can lead to temporary hearing loss or tinnitus.

Ear plugs are safe, but it’s important to ensure that your ears are healthy to avoid complications; you can do this by using ear drops to soften the wax or seeking earwax removal from a specialist.

Ear plugs that aren’t kept clean or left in a sterile environment can gather bacteria, possibly leading to you developing an ear infection.

It’s important to regularly clean your ear plugs and invest in a protective case to ward away bacteria.