Natural treatment: How to prevent and treat earache

Adults also suffer from earaches, which can have different causes. We explain how to prevent or treat them with home and natural remedies.

Earaches aren”t just for kids, adults get them too. The most frequent causes are accumulated wax, which causes pain from the pressure it exerts, infections and sensitivity of the skin of the ear canal. But your ears can also hurt if you suffer from a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that presses on the nerves in the area.

Ear pain is usually harmless in most cases, but it is also true that it can indicate a serious problem, such as bone degeneration or cancer. It is always necessary to consult with the doctor, especially if the pain occurs only in one of the ears.

HOW TO AVOID EAR DISCOMFORT

The earwax may seem annoying, but protects tissues, it removes dirt and, naturally migrates out of the ear, dragging with her bacteria and foreign bodies. So there is no need to obsess over removing unseen deep ear wax.

Just gently remove the wax that can be seen on the outside of the ear canal with the tip of a washcloth soaked in soapy water.

A cotton swab should never be inserted deeply because you run the risk of pushing wax or dirt further in.

However, if you notice a hearing impairment, a wax plug may have formed. To remove it, it is necessary to go to an otolaryngologist. It is not advisable to look for home solutions because a bad practice could damage the eardrum.

HOW TO AVOID “SWIMMER EAR”

On the other hand, it is important to keep the ears very dry. The  ‘swimmer’s ear” not only affects swimmers; Moisture left in the ear from showering or washing your face can also cause the problem.

If you”ve ever had it, wear earplugs when swimming and showering. Tilt your head and tug on your earlobes to help drain excess water, and pat your ears dry with a towel.

The dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint often leads to ear pain. Try this exercise to relax your jaw:

• Press lightly with the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, without touching the teeth, while keeping the lips together and the upper and lower teeth apart.

HOW TO TREAT PAIN

You can apply a cold compress to the ear to reduce blood flow and inflammation that causes pain. Heat should not be applied because it can favor the development of the infection.

Wrap the cold pack in a cloth and apply it on the ear, where you can keep it for a maximum of 20 minutes so as not to damage the skin.

If the pain does not remit and remains persistent, it is advisable to consult with the doctor to rule out that the origin is in a bacterial infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.

The fluid secretion by ear is a very indicative symptom of infection that requires medical attention. Hearing loss can also be seen.

EARACHE WHEN FLYING BY PLANE

Some people experience severe earache when traveling by plane due to rapid pressure changes. This type of pain can be prevented with several tricks:

• Do a nasal wash before traveling.
• Chew gum as soon as you get on the plane and throughout the trip.
• Force the yawn gesture, opening your mouth wide.
• Perform the Valsalva maneuver: press your lips together, cover your nose by squeezing it with your fingers and try to get air out of your nose by pushing with your glottis.