do you have Earache Remedies...just to ease the pain

[Helopoh]

My DS has a horrible earache. We have tried to call the Dr. but they are out to lunch. We don't want to put anything in his ear but we have heard a few unconventional remedies and I would love to know if anyone has one that may work til we can get through to the Dr. or the ER if all else fails. Thanks

 

[jipsy]

From www.webmd.com:

Ear Infections (Otitis Media)

Home Treatment



Rest and care at home may be all that is needed to treat ear infections. Up to 80% of ear infections get better without treatment.11 If your child does not feel very ill and home treatment relieves the earache, you may choose not to seek treatment for the ear infection. See the When to Call a Doctor section of this topic.

Some measures that can be used at home to treat ear infection include:

Analgesics. Pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Motrin, Naproxen) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, Paracetamol) will help make your child more comfortable. A full dose of pain relievers before bedtime is especially important. Do not give aspirin to anyone under the age of 20 because its use in this age group has been linked to Reye's syndrome.
Applying heat to the ear, which may help relieve the earache. Use a warm washcloth or a heating pad. Do not allow your child to go to bed with a heating pad, because he or she could get burned. Use a heating pad only if your child is old enough to tell you if it is getting too hot.
Rest. Encourage your child to rest to let his or her body fight the infection. Arrange for quiet play activities.
Eardrops. Doctors often prescribe pain-relieving eardrops (Auralgan) for earache. Don't use eardrops without a health professional's advice, especially if your child has tubes. See the safest way to insert eardrops.
Decongestants, antihistamines, and other nonprescription cold remedies are not effective in treating or preventing otitis media. Antihistamines will dry up secretions and may actually make your child worse.

If your child with an ear infection has to take an airplane trip, talk with your doctor about what to do to decrease the child's ear pain during the trip.

If your child does not improve after a couple of days of home treatment, call your doctor.

If your child has a ruptured eardrum from otitis media, keep water from getting into the ear canal until your doctor indicates the hole in the eardrum has healed. Ear molds are recommended as an extra precaution when swimming or bathing. A child with a ruptured eardrum may take a shower or bathe as usual, although his or her head should not be immersed. Swimming in pools is allowed. Swimming in rivers, lakes, or ponds is discouraged, because there may be harmful bacteria present.

 

[becka]

I was getting caught up on my reading the other night and Parents magazine had an article on home remedies that really work and one of the suggestions for an earache was to cook a potato in the microwave and once it is hot place in in a sock and then have DS put it on his ear.

You might give it a try....

 

[MerryPoppins]

Apply heat to the ear. Make sure that the child isn't resting on the ear, but has the opposite ear "down". It's always tempting to put it on the pillow to keep it warmer, but that puts added pressure on the eardrum. A nurse told me this when DS was little and it really helped him.

I also bought some hand warmers for cold weather. I could pop one and my kids could use it for the ear that was hurting without the huge heating pad.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sal]

I recently read about using a blow dryer for hair on an earache. It said to use the low setting. I have never tried it, but would if someone here had an earache.

 

[helenabear]

I have sinus trouble and if nothing else works, I use the warm washcloth on the ear. I also make sure I am lying down on my "good ear". The warmth really seems to help it a lot. Good luck and I hope your DS feels better soon!

 

[holycow]

I know this doesn't help now but my DD had an earache quite recently...it was horrible! Anyway at the DR.,they gave me this numbing stuff for her ear...it helped immediately...I would definately ask for this just to have on hand!..

Hope your little one is feeling better!
Holycow

 

[Helopoh]

I finally got through to the Dr. and of course I had to bring him in immediatly. I am so glad they are close. I ran him down poor thing cried the entire time. He has a real bad infection. They gave him Motrin and Augmentin. The Motrin has started to work and he isnt in so much pain any longer. Seem Motrin works alittle better than the no name pain reliever we had from Walmart. He is sleeping on my bed as I type. They also told me to use warm compresses as needed. Thanks for the info it helped.

 

[SpottyDog]

Thanks folks, yer life-savers.
Have had no sleep to speak of for two nights with a bad infection and painful swelling to me ear. (you could hang a coat off me right ear the other day!)
Have got ear drops for the GP and taking Ibuffren.

Off to try the heat treatment. Gonna try the hairdryer first coz the ear's sooo tender not sure I can bear to place anything against it.

 

[SpottyDog]

WooHooo!!!

Don't I look the picture, sittin DISin with me hairdryer in a trailing socket. It works a treat. Am gonna sit and give meslef a blast of hotair between threads.

Thank you Guys, wish I'd had this advice Friday - well Tuesday if truth be known. You know what us blokes are like - we moan a lot but are reluctant to do anything medical to resolve a problem.

 

[babar]

Let's see a picture!!!


I was gonna say to use some Motrin. That worked well enough for me until I could get to the doctor.