Ear pain can feel unbearable, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or do anything but think about the pain. Many children find it particularly difficult to deal with an earache.
People who are experiencing severe ear pain should always speak to a doctor, especially for the first time. However, there are remedies that people can use at home to relieve less severe earaches, or as a means of reducing pain.
This article explores nine effective home remedies that may help people experiencing ear pain.
Home remedies for earache
If an earache is not severe, or if a person is waiting for medical treatment to take effect, they may wish to try home remedies to relieve pain.
Here are a series of nine effective home remedies for people experiencing ear pain:
1. Over-the-counter medication
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) can temporarily reduce the pain of an earache. People experiencing ear pain can try:
- ibuprofen
- acetaminophen
- aspirin
It is important to remember that it is not safe to give aspirin to babies and young children. This is because of the risk of a potentially life-threatening condition called Reye’s syndrome.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendTrusted Source that parents speak to a doctor before giving over-the-counter drugs to a child under 2 years old.
These drugs can cause serious side effects in babies and young children. Note also that the dosage for children is often significantly lower than the proper dosage for adults.
