{"id":6307,"date":"2019-05-03T05:42:50","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T05:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6307"},"modified":"2021-04-05T14:43:31","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T14:43:31","slug":"14-effective-home-remedies-for-swimmers-ear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-effective-home-remedies-for-swimmers-ear\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Effective Home Remedies for Swimmers Ear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Swimmers ear affects 200,000 Americans each year. It is an infection of the outer ear canal. The outer ear canal goes from the eardrum to the head. Swimmers ear is caused by water remaining in the ear after swimming or washing your hair. This moist environment allows bacteria to grow. Swimmers ear can also occur when you put cotton swabs, fingers, or other objects in the ear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will damage the thin layer of skin that lines the ear canal. When you get swimmers ear, there are home remedies that will work, if you haven\u2019t done any major damage to the ear canal. When it comes to healing swimmers ear, you have to be patient. When you try home remedies it takes a while for them to start working, especially if you\u2019re ear is clogged up. Once you get rid of swimmers ear, you\u2019ll need to take precautions to keep it from happening again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Rubbing alcohol <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rubbing alcohol<\/a> is a home remedy that will work for swimmers ear. Take a dropper and place a little bit of alcohol into it. Depending on which ear is affected, lean your head towards the opposite side. Place three drops of the alcohol into your head. It will burn. You might hear it bubbling as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to keep your head in this position for a few minutes. If you can, lie down when you do this, so you can keep your head positioned in one place. After a few minutes, lift your head upright. The water should start to drain out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not, you\u2019ll have to repeat the steps again, but not right away. Wait an hour before you try it again. Sometimes when the remedy doesn\u2019t work right away, it\u2019ll work on its own. The ear canal may clear up on its own while the alcohol is absorbing all of the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Buy some swimmers ear solution <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Buy some swimmers ear solution at the pharmacy. The swimmer’s ear solution works just like rubbing alcohol. You\u2019ll just need to tilt your head to the opposite side of the ear and place a few drops in your ear. The ear canal will burn and it\u2019ll start to bubble. While holding your head to the side, the water <\/a>should start to drain out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can even place your hand over your ear to help keep the solution inside of the ear canal. Put your head back upright and allow more water to come out. It might not come out immediately, but it will eventually. Place the palm of your hand over your ear and remove it quickly. You should hear a popping sound. The water will drain out as well. Do this a few times. If your ear canal is still clogged up, try the solution again in an hour or two and repeat the steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Hot water, Epsom salt, and rubbing alcohol <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hot water, Epsom salt<\/a>, and rubbing alcohol is effective in a healing swimmer’s ear. In a medium pan, boil some hot water. Let the hot water cool until you\u2019re able to place your hand into it. Add a half a cup of rubbing alcohol and Epsom salt and place it into the hot water. Get a clean washcloth and dip it into the hot water mixture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lie down on a bed or tilt your head to the opposite side and place the washcloth over your ear. Let it sit there on the ear until it starts to cool. Place the washcloth back into the hot water mixture and repeat a few times. Try to do this at least twice a day. When you get the next morning, your swimmer’s ear should be gone. At night, lie on the ear that has swimmers ear to allow the water to drain out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Blow-dry your ear canal <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Blow-dry your ear canal<\/a> is a home remedy that is effective. Put the blow dryer on low setting and not too close to the ear, blow out the ear. Do this for a few minutes. After you finish blowing the ear out, tilt your head to one side just in case extra water could be inside of the ear canal. Blow-dry the ear canal out a couple of times a day until your swimmer’s ear is gone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the ear canal is clogged up, with a clean finger, stick your finger in your ear a little bit to open the ear canal up. While doing this use the blow dryer on a low setting to dry it out. Take your finger out of your ear canal to see if you notice a difference. If not, try it again later on. Don\u2019t force your finger into your ear canal. This can cause more damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Place the palm of your hand over your ear <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Place the palm of your hand over your ear and remove it quickly. This is like a suction cup for the ear. After you do this, tilt your head to the same side, so the water can come out. Repeat this a few times. When you use the palm of your hands, make sure that it\u2019s clean. You don\u2019t want to do this and you have dirt on your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dirt will cause more bacteria to get into the ear canal. Also, after you do this, lie down on the bed and rest. A lot of the times when you have swimmers ear, if you lie down on the ear, the water will drain out on its own. When you get back up, your ear canal will be clear. Just make sure that the area that you\u2019re resting on is clean as well, such as pillows. Bacteria <\/a>lurk everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Lie down on a clean pillow <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lie down on a clean pillow for an hour and let your ear be smothered. This allows the water to escape the ear canal. This may be uncomfortable at first, but this will allow for the ear canal to open up once you ease up off the ear. This is like a suction cup as well. The ear canal is clogged and the only way to get the water out is by sucking the water out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you take your ear off the pillow, you may see some water. When you go to bed at night, lie on the pillow again. You\u2019ll have much longer for the water to drain out because you\u2019ll sleep <\/a>for at least seven hours. In addition to this, you can use other home remedies, such as rubbing alcohol. This will help get the water out of the ear canal when you use more than one home remedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Hydrogen peroxide <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hydrogen peroxide<\/a> is another home remedy that is effective. Hydrogen peroxide works just like rubbing alcohol. Place a few drops in a dropper with some water or use it without water. Tilt your head to the opposite side and with a clean finger open the ear canal gently and place a few drops into your ear canal. It\u2019ll burn and start to bubble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that it\u2019s working. Tilt your head for a few minutes. Place a clean palm over the ear to keep it from spilling out. Tilt your head to the other side to drain the water out. You should start to hear a little more out of the ear. If it doesn\u2019t work right away, repeat in a couple of hours. You don\u2019t want to do the remedy back to back. Give the ear canal time to absorb in the hydrogen peroxide. The ear canal could open up without another round of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Keep your ears dry <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keep your ears <\/a>dry by placing protective coverings over the ears. Whether you have swimmers ear or just got rid of it, you\u2019ll need to take measures to prevent it. Use earplugs or ear coverings when you swim or shower. This will keep water out of your ears. When you wash your ears when you shower, use a bath cloth and soap to wash your ears. Water won\u2019t be able to get into the ear canal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With earplugs, you can wash your ears off in the shower. Water won\u2019t be able to get into the ear canal. When you go to get your hair washed at the hair salon, ask for them to place ear coverings over your ear or wear your earplugs. At the hair salon, the beautician will splash water everywhere. If you\u2019re prone to swimmers ear, you don\u2019t want to get it in the beauty salon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9.    Onion Juice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Using onion juice to treat the symptoms of swimmer’s ear is one of the oldest remedies for the condition. Onions contain polyphenol antioxidants <\/a>that have anti-inflammatory properties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The primary polyphenol responsible for delivering the health benefits of onions is called “quercetin.” This polyphenol has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that make it an ideal home remedy for treating a swimmer’s ear infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anecdotal studies show that quercetin is useful in stopping the spread of bacteria in Petri dishes. However, further investigations into the efficacy of quercetin in eradicating harmful bacteria are yet to prove consistent results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To reap the benefits of onion for swimmers ear, cut an onion in half and heat it in the microwave for 45-seconds. Remove and wrap the onion in a towel, then hold it to the infected ear for 20-minutes until it cools. It’s best if you lay on your side on the couch while trying this remedy.
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10.    Apple Cider Vinegar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ACV <\/a>is one of the best all-around natural remedies for curing a variety of health disorders. Apple cider vinegar gets its medicinal value from the presence of beneficial bacteria, known as “the mother.” This bacterium consists of live enzymes and beneficial bacteria that increase the health of gut bacteria. This effect, in turn, boosts the immune system, helping it to overcome the effects of infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ACV also contains anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties that prevent bacteria, causing the infection from spreading further down the ear canal. ACV is easy to find online and available at most health retailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it’s vital that you select raw, unfiltered ACV for your purchase and treatment. The filtering process removes the mother, along with the health advantages of the vinegar. To use the ACV to treat your swimmer’s ear, soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and then hold it to your ear while laying down on the couch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The anti-bacterial properties of the ACV go to work in killing off the bacteria and returning your ear to health.
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11.    Coconut Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Extra-virgin coconut oil<\/a> has yet to undergo any filtering process. As a result, it retains all of the beneficial properties associated with the polyphenol antioxidants found in the oil. Raw, unfiltered coconut oil is high in anti-bacterial enzymes that ward off infection in the human body. It’s an excellent topical salve for healing cuts and scrapes while preventing disease in the wound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use coconut oil to assist you in the treatment of swimmers ear. Take a dab of the oil on your finger and work it into your outer ear. Extra-virgin coconut oil is stable at room temperature, with the same consistency as Vaseline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as you lubricate your ear with the oil, the anti-bacterial properties found in the medium-chain triglycerides, (MCTs,) start to kill off the invading bacteria and reduce symptoms of pain and discomfort. Repeat this treatment two to three times a day until the swimmer’s ear infection clears.
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12.    Garlic Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Along with onion oil, garlic oil<\/a> is one of the oldest remedies available for treating the symptoms of pain and inflammation associated with swimmers ear. Patients with swimmers ear often experience a bacterial infection of the outer ear. This infection occurs due to water trapped in some crevice, which provides the ideal breeding ground for bacteria that start an infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garlic has potent anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties that make it an ideal natural treatment for getting rid of the swimmer’s ear infection. Garlic oil is readily available online from your health retailer, and it’s remarkably affordable. However, you won’t be doing any cooking with this oil, as it’s formulated explicitly for topical treatments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dab a few drops of the oil onto a cotton ball and apply it to your outer ear. Let the oil penetrate the outer ear and leave it alone for a few hours. Allicin is the active polyphenol found in garlic that gives it the anti-bacterial properties beneficial for resolving ear infections.
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13.    Heat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the discomfort <\/a>and pain associated with a swimmer’s ear infection may gain some relief by using heat as a remedy for their symptoms. Take a bean bag and heat it in the microwave. Lie on the couch with the affected ear facing the ceiling, and place the heat pack on top of your ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heat provides relief from the symptoms of pain, and it also serves to evaporate any water trapped in the ear as well. This strategy works using a heat pack, a hot water bottle, or a hairdryer on low speed. Use heat therapy whenever your symptoms become unmanageable, for quick relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to keep the heat pack on for as long as possible. However, we recommend taking breaks every 20-minutes or so to allow the rear and side of the head to return to ambient temperature before starting the next heat therapy session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14.    Stretch the Sinus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Occasionally, patients who experience outer ear infection, and find that it spreads to the middle or inner ear, presenting complications. People that see the infection spreads to their middle ear may gain some relief from congestion <\/a>and inflammation by stretching their sinus and massaging the Eustachian tubes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To stretch the sinus, use the index finger on your right hand to clasp the bridge of your nose and pull it to your right side. At the same time, place your thumb under your left cheekbone and press upward. This technique releases the pressure in the sinus and clears any blockage in a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eustachian tubes run from the middle ear to the throat, providing drainage. Patients can also rub their neck from behind their ear down toward the base of the neck on the inside of the throat. This technique helps to remove any blockage in the Eustachian tube that may result in infection.
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