Ear Infections and Earaches
Have any of your children ever had an ear infection? You know you need to treat the pain and inflammation as quickly as possible but are you tired of giving antibiotics? Fortunately, with a little knowledge of the basic homeopathic remedies you could help your child recover fast.
Common earache remedies
Aconite napellus (Acon.)
Rapid onset; intense symptoms; restlessness; anxiety; thirst; worse after midnight.
Useful in the early stages of an ear infection, especially following exposure to cold, dry air. Rapid onset of symptoms. Intense symptoms. Person is restless, thirsty, anxious and sometimes frantic. Ear sensitive to touch. Worse at night, especially between 12-2am.
Belladonna (Bell.)
Rapid onset; intense symptoms; redness; often right-sided.
Often the right ear. Sudden onset of intense pain that may shoot or throb. Bright red ear or ear canal. Glassy eyes, dilated pupils, high fever. Often with headache. May become delirious in sleep, with nightmares. Hot head with cold hands and feet. Prefers the dark. Better for sitting rather than lying. Pain worse with light, noise, cold air, or being bumped.
Chamomilla (Cham.)
Cannot be pleased; anger and impatience; better when carried briskly.
Unbearable pain. Angry crying and impatience with the pain. Demand many things but push them away when offered. Can’t be pleased – nothing will satisfy. Cannot be comforted except by being carried or rocked briskly. One cheek red, the other cheek pale. Earache may occur with teething. Worse at night and for warmth.
Hepar sulphuris (Hep.s)
Older infection; irritable; sensitive to cold and touch; ‘old cheese’ odour.
For chronic ear infections rather than in first stage. Ear is extremely sensitive to touch of any type and cold air. May cover head or lie on affected side to keep ear warm. Pain often sharp like a splinter. Irritability or tantrums. Thick discharge from nose or ear smells like old cheese. Pain worse at night. Remedy may be needed to finish a cure started by Mercurius solubilis.
Mercurius solubilis (Merc.)
Older infection; bad breath; flabby tongue; salivation; offensive discharges (if present).
For chronic ear infections rather than the first stage. Often right sided. May be discharge of pus that will be thick, burning, and have an offensive odour. Pus usually green though sometimes yellow. Thirsty. Bad breath. Salivation. Perspiration. Tongue flabby with imprint of teeth on edges. Glands or tonsils may be swollen. Sensitive to extremes of temperature. Pain worse at night.
Pulsatilla (Puls.)
Clinging, desires sympathy and comfort, thirstless, worse for warmth
Clingy. Seeks sympathy, comforting, company, and reassurance. Pathetic crying. Ear pain worse at night and in a warm room, better in open air. Worse for warm applications. Little or no thirst. Changeable moods. Thick, yellowish-green, bland discharge from nose if a cold is present or from the ear in advanced stages.
HOW TO TAKE REMEDIES
- First observe the symptoms. Pay special attention to any that are unusual or exceptionally strong. Notice whether there has been a change in mood and what behaviours or environmental factors seem to make symptoms better or worse.
- Next, take your list of symptoms and compare it to the descriptions of the remedies. Choose the remedy that most closelyfits the symptoms (keeping in mind that not every symptom has to match.)
- Homeopathic remedies come in various strengths (also known as potencies): the 6c and 30c strengths are gentle and perfect for home use. For most acute conditions treated at home, a 30c potency is ideal.
- Once you have selected the remedy, give one dose (1 -2 pellets) under the tongue and then WAIT and OBSERVE. If there is no improvement at all within 2-4 hours, give another dose.
- If after 3 doses there is no change then it is time to try a different remedy or contact a healthcare professional.
- Don’t give up if symptoms don’t improve with the first remedy. It sometimes takes a couple of tries to find the “best match” remedy for your symptoms – especially if you’re new to homeopathy. If you continue to have difficulty finding the right remedy, make sure to consult a homeopathic professional.
Research: A safer and more effective alternative
Recent research indicates antibiotics are no more effective than simply watching and waiting for the infection to pass.[1]
Four controlled clinical trials have now shown that homeopathic remedies relieve earaches and infections, and work faster than antibiotics. Symptoms improved rapidly, often within hours of the remedy being given and without the introduction of new problems as can occur with antibiotics and analgesics. One of the trials also showed that children whose earaches were treated with homeopathy were less likely to have their infection return.[2] [3] [4][5]
So what can you do in the middle of the night?
With a simple range of homeopathic remedies – all found in basic homeopathic home-use kits – a lot of pain and discomfort could be avoided.
If you are unsure …
If none of these remedies seem to suit you or your child’s symptoms, please see a qualified homeopath for a better matching remedy. And of course, if there is any indication that the problem is more than just a simple ear infection, please see a trusted healthcare practitioner for further advice. https://irishhomeopathy.ie/list/find_homeopaths/
References
- McCormick, D.P, Chonmaitree, T, Pittman, C, Saeed, K, Friedman, N.R, Uchida, T, Baldwin, C.D. Non-severe acute otitis media: a clinical trial comparing outcomes of watchful waiting versus immediate antibiotic treatment. Pediatrics June 2005; 115(6):1455.
- Frei, H, and Thurneysen, A. Homeopathy in Acute Otitis Media in Children: Treatment Effect or Spontaneous Resolution? British Homeopathic Journal, October, 2001,90:180-182.
- Friese, KH, Kruse, S, Moeller, H. Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Comparison of Conventional and Homeopathic Treatment,‖ Biomedical Therapy, 1997,15,4:113-122 (reprinted from Hals-Nasen-Ohren (HNO), August, 1996:462-66.
- Jacobs, J, Springer, DA, Crothers, D. Homeopathic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Preliminary Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial, Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 20,2 (February 2001):177-183.
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22226309
