Any remedies for an earache?

[Mel&Keith]

Ok, so I'm pretty sure my ear is about to blow off of my head. :bomb: I'll probably go to the doctor in the morning but I'd have to sit in traffic for 2 hours to get there today so I'm looking for some tips on what to do in the mean time. Here's what's going on -

Sunday I woke up with pain in my ears, not really pressure just an ache. I got some homeopathic ear drops that did help alleviate the pain.

The rest of the week they bothered me a little but not that bad. So I've chalked it up to allergies. A big storm is coming and this morning I woke up with one ear completely stopped up. It feels like I have an ear plug in and headphones over that. It just started ringing about an hour ago. The other ear has a lot of pressure in it but it isn't half as bad as the other.

I put the drops in it this morning and they didn't help. I've been taking decongestant all day with no affect on the ears and I've got a 40 hour heat pack on it right now. I've been chewing gum, yawning, and holding my nose then blowing trying to pop it all day. I'm at my wits end!

Anyone have any tips for relieving ear discomfort?

 

[KelliH]

I was going to suggest seeing if your doc would mind calling in a script for you today for some ear drops. Conor had a really bad earache once (turned out to be an ear infection!) and his doctor called in some drops for him since it was late in the day and we couldn't get in to the office until the next morning. I can't remember what they were called, but I know they made the inside of his ear numb and made him feel better.

 

[Mel&Keith]

We don't really have a family doctor since we don't have insurance. We just go to the Take Care Clinic at Walgreens.

 

[JordanAng420]

When I was little, I had tubes put in my ears 8 times. I constantly had an ear infection, and I would cry, cry, cry...my mom said one thing she used to do was fill 2 cups with boiling water & just a few "dips" from a teabag in each, dump out the water and leave the soaked tea bags at the bottom...then she'd put the cups over my ears. It looked really funny, but for some reason the warmth or the tea made the pressure a lot easier do deal with...I have flight attendants do it on airplanes for me as well...It's worth a shot. Feel better & good luck at the Dr. tommorow!

 

[Mel&Keith]

That sounds like a much better option that what I was considering. Doctors advise you not to poke sharp objects in your ear, right? JK

I'm glad I didn't try to go to the doctor today though. The storm just came in and our street flooded in 10 minutes! I might have had a better feeling ear but sleeping on the waiting area chairs at a 24 hour drug store is somewhat less appealing.

 

[Kristi23]

Garlic oil can sometimes help. You can also try using an ear candle. Maybe some otc sinus meds might help until you get to the doctor. I used all of those things the last time I had a bad earache (plus lots of vitamins and herbs) and never went to the doctor at all. (I try to avoid them.) I hope you feel better soon.

 

[SteveB]

Warm olive oil (garlic oil, as Kristi suggests, would probably be similar in effect)

 

[Bellalee]

I'm so sorry you have feel like this, I have constant earaches, it's wretched, without antibiotics, you could try the garlic. Although I've never tried that, I found that warm compresses or anything moist and warm causes the bacterial infection to grow and create more pain.