With children commonly suffering from ear infections, the use of antibiotics, in the treatment of ear pain, has become widely accepted. For some children, however, bacteria may not be the culprit of ear pain and may, instead, be attributed to viral conditions or even allergens. As an alternative to antibiotics, initially, parents may want to consider the following homeopathic methods for alleviating acute ear pain in a child.
Ear infections the most common complaint among children visiting a pediatrician with the most common initial complaint involving the onset of ear pain within the inner ear. With development of year pain, the child may also exhibit loss of hearing, vertigo and even dizziness. To alleviate the swelling, redness and pain associated with the ear infection or allergens, there are a variety of home methods which can be considered as an alternative or homeopathic approaches to a pediatric physician visit.
With so many alternative medicine approaches offering solutions for ear infections, parents are often confused as to which method to attempt first. While infections may be caused by both viral and bacterial origins, some ear pains are simply attributed to allergies. To address symptom relief, the use of heat application, to draw fluid out of the ear, will resolve not only some level of ear pain but also improve blood circulation and reduce swelling. To apply heat, a variety of methods can be attempted including heating washclothes to the use of heated salt which can be packed into a sock and then placed over the ear. Applying the heat, until the application is cooled, will provide several minutes of stimulation to the affected ear. Of these methods, utilizing the sock and salt method will provide better results as the course salt will increase the amount of time heat can be applied.
In addition to heat application, many homeopathic practitioners recommend the use of hydrogen peroxide as a method for killing any prevelant bacterial or viral accumulation. Placing a few drops in the affected ear, for 10 minutes, then instructing the child to turn over and lie on the ear, will allow for the hydrogen peroxide to escape from the ear canal thereby removing bacteria and pathogens in the process.
A third homeopathic approach in treating ear infection pain is commonly practiced among many Latin American communities. Using a newspaper and a lighter, heat is “coned” into the ear creating a tunnel effect for heat application and drawing heat and liquid from the ear while also working to improve circulation. To do this, a newspaper sheet is rolled into a cone sheet with the point of the cone placed into the ear canal while the opposite end of the cone is lit using a lighter or match. The newspaper is then allowed to slowly burn releasing heat through the cone and into the canal.
Regardless of the approach, all homeopathic practitioners agree the application of heat, to draw ear fluid and create increased blood circulation, is crucial in alleviating ear pain. When these methods prove unsuccessful, consult a healthcare professional regarding the use of antiobiotics as the homeopathic treatments are not guaranteed to clear 100% of an infection. For more information regarding ear canal pain and infection treatments, visit www.hpakids.org.
