Earache is a debilitating medical condition, often warranting a visit to the physician. Besides causing mild to intense pain, earaches also contribute to temporary hearing issues, vomiting, high fever, fluid drain, diarrhea, poor sleep, and headache. The pain often permeates to the jawline and neck, resulting in stiffness and pain. The contributing factors for this condition are far too many – ranging from genetics and internal injuries to wax buildup and viral and bacterial infections. Additionally, allergies caused by food and environment make you vulnerable to earaches.

Men across cultures and ages have resorted to home ear infection remedies for prompt and reliable relief from the dreaded earaches. These solutions are a safer bet when it comes to combating infections in outer, middle, and inner ear vis-à-vis the antibiotics that can cause side effects. Since they are readily available in the household and are easy to follow, you are spared from many a hassle. So let’s explore a few of the most efficient home ear infection remedies.

Salt: A readily available food ingredient in households, salt is one of your go-to ear infection remedies. It is particularly effective in treating swimmer’s ear, a condition caused when wax buildup traps water in the ear canal, which serves as the breeding ground for bacteria and virus.

• Take a cup of salt, spread it over the heating pan, and heat it for a couple of minutes.
• Once the salt heats up, place it on a piece of clean cloth and tie a knot.
• Apply it to the affected area for at least 5 minutes. Ensure that the salt is bearably hot, else you may end up harming your outer ear.
• For faster relief, repeat the process about 10 times a day. The more you do it, the better are the chances of getting rid of fluid from the ear, along with the associated pain and inflammation.

Garlic: Garlic is a pain reliever with antimicrobial properties. As such, it makes for one of the best ear infection remedies. Additionally, garlic gives you the liberty to use it as an earache remedy in many ways.

• Take two tablespoons of mustard oil and put a couple of cloves in it.
• Cook it until it turns black.
• Let it cool down to a bearable temperature.
• Carefully insert few drops in the infected ear with the help of a clean dropper.
• Take a couple of fresh cloves of garlic and boil them in water for about 4 to 6 minutes.
• Mash them and place on a clean piece of cloth.
• Add a little salt to the mixture and apply it to the infected ear as many times as possible.
• Have cloves of garlic on daily basis to keep your immunity at its efficient best and facilitate prompt and safe recovery from ear infections.

Basil: A culinary herb, basil is amongst the widely accepted ear infection remedies that can ensure speedy recovery in case of a minor earache and infection. The herb also doubles up as a safe analgesic, providing you the much-needed relief from earaches.

• Take a few basil leaves and mash them to take out the juice.
• Gently apply the juice to the troubled ear.
• Make sure that the juice does not permeate into the ear canal.
  
• Mix basil oil and coconut oil (or any other carrier oil) in equal proportions.
• Take a cotton ball, soak it in the mixture, and apply it around the infected ear. You can also consider applying it behind the ear for better outcomes.
• Do this at least twice daily.

Olive oil: If the cause of your ear infection is wax buildup, olive oil is one of the readily available ear infection remedies for you.It can help clear the wax impeding the Eustachian tubes, resulting in faster pain relief.

• Take few spoons of olive oil and heat it slightly.
• Insert few drops of it into the infected ear with the help of a dropper.
• Wait for a couple of minutes as the wax in the Eustachian tube softens.
• Use cotton-tipped swabs to eliminate the softened wax.
• Ensure that the wax removal is done with precaution. In case, the cotton swab is inserted too far into the eardrum, you may end up damaging your middle ear and aggravating the issue further.

Apple cider vinegar: Fungal infections are one of the prominent causes of earaches. Herein, apple cider vinegar is one of the trusted ear infection remedies.

• Take one part of apple cider vinegar and mix it with alcohol. Alternatively, you can use water instead of alcohol.
• Take a cotton ball, soak it in the mixture, and place it on the ear opening of the infected ear.
• Leave it intact for at least 3 to 5 minutes.
• After removing the cotton ball, lie on the opposite side to get rid of the liquid.
• You can use your hair dryer to drain out moisture from the ear.Ear infection remedies can provide you instant relief from pain and help reduce other symptoms related to the ear infection. However, if pain persists, you should consider seeking timely medical assistance.