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Symptoms

One or both ears ache. This is frequently accompanied by infection in the middle ear. The pain will be worse at night because the body is prone (flat) and it is more difficult for the eustachian tubes to drain out the phlegm.

Sometimes the ears will ache because there is trouble with the teeth (referred pain), but this is not common.

Causes

Infection of the outer or middle ear causes pressure to build up. This pressure on nerve endings causes pain. But, if there were no pain, there might be no warning that a serious ear problem existed.

Otitis externa is infection in the outer ear. The eardrum through the length of the eustachian tube becomes swollen and inflamed. There is a slight fever, discharge from the ear, pain (which increases when the ear is touched or pulled), and temporary loss of hearing.

Otitis media is infection in the middle ear, and is especially common in infants and children. The infection is located behind the eardrum, where the small ear bones are located. There is earache, fullness, pressure in the ear, and a fever as high as 103o F. or higher.

Here is an ear test: if you can wiggle your outer ear (the part you can see) without pain, you probably have a middle ear infection; if there is pain, the infection is in the eustachian tube.

Going into higher altitudes can push phlegm, already in the eustachian tube, into the middle ear. Never sleep on your ear if you have a head cold and the vehicle is moving upward to a higher elevation.

Infection in the inner ear generally results from meningitis or from the spread of a middle-ear infection. Symptoms include loss of hearing, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and fever.

Earache is a common childhood infection. Most children experience it. It is easier for a child to have an ear infection, since his eustachian tube is shorter than that of an adult. Causes include childhood diseases, allergies, colds, and respiratory infections.

If they are frequent, ear infections can lead to loss of hearing.

Chronically enlarged adenoids may cause blockage of the eustachian tubes, leading to congestion and fluid buildup in the middle ear.

There is a tendency for people who have ear problems to be heavy earwax producers. To reduce the amount of earwax made, eat less unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids are not a problem.

TREATMENT FOR INFECTION-

• If you seem to have pain in the ear, pull on the earlobe. If the pain increases, then you probably have an ear infection. If the pain does not increase, you may have a dental problem.

• Keep the ears warm and the person resting in bed, preferably with his head and, perhaps also, his trunk slightly elevated (to assist natural drainage of the eustachian tubes). Surgical draining might be necessary. The fever increases the need for vitamins A and C. Keep the feet warm. Heat applied to the feet will draw blood from the head and improve circulation.

• Sit up when practical to do so, to decrease the swelling and start the tubes draining. Swallowing will help ease the pain. Yawning really helps open up the eustachian tubes.

• Blow warm air from a hair dryer 18-30 inches from the ear, and blow air toward it.

• Warm some oil to body temperature, and place a drop or two in the ear. This will help lessen pain. But do not do this if you think the drum has burst!

• A helpful method, used by many for a long time is this: To alleviate pain in the ear, use a little olive oil or garlic oil in the ear, then add a drop or two of lobelia tincture.

• Another way to reduce pain is to make a paste, using onion powder or clay packs. Then apply this to the outside of the ear.

• Bake a large onion until it becomes soft, and tie it over the ear; this will often give great relief when pain is severe.

• Avoid sugar, dairy products, meat, and heavy meals until the crisis is past. Herbal teas are helpful in assisting the healing process. This includes peppermint, echinacea, goldenseal, pau d'arco, and slippery elm.

• Because they increase sticky mucous in the body, dairy products increase ear infections. Excessive sweets and starches lower resistance and intensify ear problems.

• People with a tendency to ear infection should avoid all cow's milk products. But, in addition to producing so much mucous, it is reported that milk allergies can produce earaches (and even a burst eardrum), simulating otitis media-without an ear infection actually existing.

• Avoid cigarette smoke, for it can irritate the eardrum.

• Place drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear, to help clean it out. Then rinse out with water. Do not leave the peroxide there. It can sink through the eardrum and produce a fizzing sound which can last for several years.

• Take garlic enemas. These will help disinfect the body of higher levels of toxins that are building up from the infection. Signs of this are chills, fever, general aches, and pain increase.

TREATMENT FOR RUPTURE-

What should you do if the eardrum ruptures? Causes include a severe ear infection, sudden pressure inward on the ear, resulting from diving, slapping, a strong kiss to the ear, or a nearby explosion.

During an ear infection, pus builds up and causes pain in the ear. If this pus starts leaking to the outside, then the eardrum has ruptured.

• In case the eardrum ruptures, put nothing in the ear until the eardrum is healed. A fomentation on the outside of the ear can be helpful.

• Once the infection increases to acute pain, you may need antibiotics.

• An alternate method is: When the ear has abscessed and broken, use warm peroxide to wash the ear out. The peroxide will loosen the putrefied matter and bring it out of the ear. This method is probably good for cleaning out the ear; but keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide is best used on outside body surfaces, where oxygen can cause it to fizz into harmlessness. When it gets inside sensitive body parts, it can continue there for quite some time. We know of one individual who had peroxide in his ear for several years thereafter; and, every so often, he could hear it lightly fizzing.

• When using water therapy on the ear, be guarded. Hot applications over the area under the ear could cause trouble!

- Also see "Swimmer's Ear."

Hydrotherapy

Here are hydrotherapy treatments mentioned in the author's book, Water Therapy Manual (see order sheet):

Irrigation of the Ear: A lean rubber tube is used to gently (gently!) introduce a flow of water onto the outer ear. The water is never applied with any pressure! It flows to the ear and out to the side. The temperature may be from 100o to 120o F., depending upon the effect desired. The source of water should be on a level with the top of the head (to maintain only a slight pressure). Never use force, because perforation of the ear often exists; and serious injury could result from introduction of water, with any degree of force, into the middle ear. The head should be inclined to the side as the water is applied.

The canal of the ear should afterward be carefully dried and covered with a cloth or a warm hand for a few minutes. In cold weather, the ear should not be exposed out-of-doors for at least an hour after warm ear irrigation is applied; and, even after that, a small piece of cotton should be placed in the outer passageway.

This measure affords great relief in the pain of acute otitis media and earache due to other causes. In chronic suppurative disease of the ear, this measure is indispensable as a means of cleansing and disinfection (p. 151).

Draining the middle ear: Applications should be made to the whole side of the head and face, diverting blood from the internal carotid and internal maxillary blood vessels. If the Hot Compress extends below the jaw, the common carotid artery will be dilated (enlarged), which you do not want. An ice bag should be placed below the jaw at the same time, and will increase the effect by contracting the carotid.

Draining the inner ear: The inner ear problem may be relieved, when congested, by warm applications to the arms and cold applications to the head and back of the neck, thus diverting the blood into the arms from the vertebral arteries by a proximal compress or an ice bag to the back of the neck (p. 194).

Inflammation of ear: Fomentation over affected part; derivative treatment to legs: Hot Leg Bath, Hot Foot Bath, Prolonged Leg Pack (p. 210).

Inflammation of middle ear: Ice to throat of the same side, Fomentation over ear (p. 221).

Earache: Ice Bag to the neck of the same side; Fomentation over ear; Hot Ear Douche, if necessary. Protect the ear with warm cotton, to prevent chilling by evaporation after treatment (p. 224).

Eustachian tube inflammation: The Heating Throat Compress is an application of a cold cloth, covered with flannel, which then heats up and results in improved circulation and a better flow of healing blood into, and out of, the afflicted area. Wring the cotton cloth from cold water and place it around the neck. This should be about 2-3 thicknesses about the neck. Cover it well with flannel (singly or doubly, depending on the thickness). Fit the flannel snugly but not too tightly that it will be uncomfortable. Pin it securely. Remove it the next morning. It should be entirely dry. In eustachian tube inflammation, the compress should extend upward about the lower part of the ear. You may need to hold up this part of the compress (the part by the lower part of the ear) with a bandage that is fastened to it and goes over the top part of the head and back down to it on the other side (pp. 51-53).

Prevention

• Never dive below 3-4 feet below the surface of the water.

• Never sleep in a plane or vehicle when it is descending-or ascending. If you are in a car, climbing up or down the mountains-do not sleep, especially on your side. You do not swallow as often when you are asleep; and, if you have phlegm in your sinuses, it can go up into your ears.

• Be careful when scuba diving. The greatest air pressure changes occur within the first 33 feet below the surface. Avoid earplugs and hoods which are too tight-fitting, so you cannot equalize air pressure in the ears.

• Avoid the above three situations, when your head is stuffy with phlegm.

• Breast-feeding reduces a baby's chances of having ear trouble.

• Do not smoke.

-Also see "Ear Congestion."

ENCOURAGEMENT-Christ will not be satisfied till the victory is complete in your life. He wants to change you into a full overcomer. Do not fail Him. Let Him empower you to obey the Ten Commandments.

This page was last modified on 1 December 2010, at 23:08.

URL: http://naturalencyclopedia.com/Earache_and_Infection

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