Ear, Nose & Throat
Ear Infection
Bacterial or viral infection of the outer, middle, or inner ear causing pain, pressure, and sometimes fever — the most common childhood illness and a frequent cause of hearing loss when recurrent.
📝 Summary
In short: Bacterial or viral infection of the outer, middle, or inner ear causing pain, pressure, and sometimes fever — the most common childhood illness and a frequent cause of hearing loss when recurrent.
Common causes: Bacterial or viral infection in the outer or middle ear; Bottle feeding while lying down (forces milk into eustachian tubes); Cow's milk allergies — produce inflammation in the eustachian tubes.
First thing to try: Cut an onion in half; wrap in foil and heat in 350°F oven until soft; place cut side directly on the ear with a dry washcloth over it — hold 3–5 minutes; often resolves the infection
See a doctor if: If infection spreads to inner ear, if eardrum ruptures, or if fever is very high and not improving.
🌿 Overview
Ear infections are the second most common reason for doctor visits in children. Otitis externa (outer ear) causes pain when touching or pulling the ear. Otitis media (middle ear) causes pain, fullness, pressure, and fever up to 103°F. Ninety percent of children experience an earache by age 6. Middle ear infections are more common in bottle-fed infants than breast-fed ones, because cow's milk produces inflammationThe body's natural response to injury — like redness, swelling, or heat around a sore spot. More → that blocks the eustachian tubes. Frequent ear infections can permanently damage hearing.
Common signs
- One or both ears ache — pain worsens at night when lying flat
- Fullness, pressure, or ringing sensation in the ear
- Fever (can reach 103°F or higher in middle ear infection)
- Temporary hearing reduction
- Discharge from the ear canal
- In outer ear infection (otitis externa): pain when pulling the earlobe
- In middle ear infection: earlobe pull does NOT increase pain
- Ear test: wiggle the outer ear lightly — if pain occurs, it's eustachian tube; if not, it's middle ear
🔎 Why it happens
Common causes and triggers — spotting yours is often the first step to relief.
- Bacterial or viral infection in the outer or middle ear
- Bottle feeding while lying down (forces milk into eustachian tubes)
- Cow's milk allergies — produce inflammation in the eustachian tubes
- Swimming in public pools (bacteria travel up eustachian tubes via diving/swimming)
- Chronic milk and dairy consumption — increases sticky mucus and ear infections
- Allergies to corn, milk, peanuts, wheat (78% of chronic otitis cases in one study)
- Chronically enlarged adenoids blocking the eustachian tubes
- Cold, flu, or respiratory infection that spreads to the ears
- Sugar, sweets, and refined starches lower resistance and intensify ear problems
✅ What to do
Gentle, practical steps you can take at home — start at the top.
- Cut an onion in half; wrap in foil and heat in 350°F oven until soft; place cut side directly on the ear with a dry washcloth over it — hold 3–5 minutes; often resolves the infection
- Keep patient resting with head slightly elevated to assist natural eustachian tube drainage
- Sit up when practical; swallowing and yawning help open the eustachian tubes
- Blow warm air from a hair dryer 18–30 inches from the ear to relieve pain
- Mix 1 tsp. echinacea, goldenseal, and licorice tinctures in 1 cup hot water; drink 3 times daily
- Take vitaminA natural substance your body needs in small amounts to stay healthy, like vitamin C or D. More → C (500 mg 3x/day), vitamin A (2,500 IU), zinc (15 mg), vitamin E (200–400 IU), and B complex
- EAR DROPS (ONLY if eardrum is NOT ruptured): warm garlic oil to body temperature and place 2 drops in ear; add 1–2 drops lobelia oil (relieves pain)
- Place 2–3 drops warm mullein oil in ear 2–3 times daily — mullein has been used for earaches for centuries
- Yarrow teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → as ear wash (Winnebago Indian remedy: steep whole plant, pour liquid into ear)
- Brief hot bath of a few minutes, finish with cold water, dry briskly, put to bed
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🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Favor these
- Echinacea and goldenseal tea (3x daily)
- Peppermint tea
- Pau d'arco and slippery elm tea
- Breast milk for infants (prevents ear infections)
Go easy on
- All dairy products — produce mucus that blocks eustachian tubes and feeds infection
- Sugar, sweets, refined starches — lower immune resistance
- Meat and heavy meals during infection
- Cigarette smoke (irritates the eardrum)
People with chronic ear infections should eliminate all cow's milk products permanently. A 1991 study of 100 children found 78% were sensitive to corn, milk, peanuts, or wheat — eliminating the allergenic food cleared 86% of ear infections. Never feed a bottle to a lying-down infant.
⚖️ Good to know
- NEVER place liquid or oil in the ear if the eardrum may have ruptured
- Signs of ruptured eardrum: dizziness, ringing, bloody discharge, sudden pain, or sudden relief of pain
- Do NOT hold a hot-water bottle against the ear — the suction effect worsens infection
- If inner ear infection occurs (spreads from meningitis or middle ear): hearing loss, nausea, dizziness — urgent medical care
🩺 When to see a doctor
- If infection spreads to inner ear, if eardrum ruptures, or if fever is very high and not improving.
- Recurrent ear infections in children need evaluation for allergies and adenoid problems.
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