Ear Infection’s
Our family had a blast last weekend as we were able to join our Church family in the local Christmas Parade. It was the first time we’ve ever been in a parade and because of my lack of loving the cold our children have never even been to a parade. So I did all I could to prepare them all for the freezing cold weather. Layer upon layer of clothing, hats, gloves….the list goes on. Now when it’s all said and done I have a child with a cough (See “Breathing Treatments” for recipe) and one with an ear infection. This post will show you how to tell if your child’s has an ear infection and excitingly enough it will also heal it at the same time. Here goes 🙂
WARNING: Contact your medical provider and ask if this safe for your child before trying this recipe if there is a ruptured drum or previous ear problems. If you are unsure…please do NOT attempt this!!!
Supplies to gather –
1)Hydrogen Peroxide
2) paper towl (toilet paper…whatever you have)
3) Qtips
4) Small medicine cup for measuring medicine to children.
5) a treat for your child when it’s all over….trust me on this
Now that you have your supplies all gathered here are step by step directions.
Step 1) pour about 2 tsp hydrogen peroxide in the medicine cup fill the remainder with water. Â (This usually allows me to treat all 5 kids and myself)
Step 2) pour hp (hydrogen peroxide) from the medicine cup into your child’s ear. You will fill the ear canal until hp is in the outer portion of the ear (see picture)
Step 3) place your finger behind ear (see picture) and press gently. Rubbing behind the ear will help the hp get down in the ear canal and treat even the deepest of infections.
NOTE: your child will complain. It is cold and uncomfortable…not painful. Your child will hear bubbles in their ear ….this is when you will begin to see white bubble coming up. (If your child’s is in pain STOP immediately and get hp out of the ear and see your family practitioner.)
4) Allow the hp to sit in your child’s ear for 1-2 minutes (as long as they’ll allow you….slowly increasing time every treatment)
5) Place paper towel or toilet paper wrapped up in a thick square on your child’s ear. Have them tip their head so they are laying on the paper towel allowing the hp to drain out of the ear canal. (The child may want to tip their head around so as to be sure it all drains out).
6) Gently Clean the outside of the ear after treatment but be careful not to place Q tip in the ear canal as that can be very dangerous.
7) Repeat on the other side 🙂
8) Repeat entire routine every hour or as often as possible. Continually using this treatment will completely clear up infection.
It is possible to have an infection in one ear and not the other. One of our sons always had bad ear infections after a bad fall to his head. After several months of treatment he almost never has ear infections anymore. This child would be up every night after his accident crying from pain in his ears. TRUST ME THIS WORKS. 🙂
Final thoughts – I HIGHLY recommend using preventative measures. In our home we put “Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar” in our ears about 1 time a week or even every other week. ACV (Apple cider vinegar) had SO MANY amazing healing properties. Please use organic as the other stuff does Not work. Use “Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother” The mother (floating stuff on bottom is what has all the good stuff).
Let us know if you use this and share your testimony here with others. 🙂
Posted on November 27, 2013, in Holistic Remedies and tagged bubbles, child, crying, ear, Ear infections, hydrogen peroxide, infection, pain. Bookmark the permalink. 38 Comments.
Clean Breathing 
A better way is to pull on the earlobe of the ear that hurts. If it hurts more, then its an ear infection, if it doesn’t then it is just a random ache. Please don’t put things in your ears… its not good.
Hello Stephanie,
Thank you so much for your comment. I’m so glad you explained this option to our viewers. Our family Chiropractor has taught us this and when I am not quite sure I always take my kiddo’s in for her to use this technique and let me know what she thinks. 🙂 GREAT COMMENT!! Thank you!!
I see you are working on a Hearing and Speech Science major. That is awesome!!! I would venture a guess that you study often of hearing loss and damage. Someone very close to me had damaged their ear drum as a child trying to clean their ears and has led to a lifetime of surgeries and SIGNIFICANT pain and problems. It hurts my heart to watch it and has made me supremely alert to potential dangers.
I did in my blog recommend if people are unsure of any damage that they NOT attempt this but seek medical attention so THANK YOU for reiterating the seriousness of doing this carelessly.
Even Home Remedies can be dangerous if done carelessly and without proper instructions. Our first concern should always be the safety of our loved ones…..after all, that’s why I started this company because of our 2 year old son who needed to be safe in our home.
Thanks again Stephanie! YOU ROCK!!! Hoping your studies go well and you can continue to help others (but you never know…..there may just be a prince available out there 😉 )
My dad just recently went in for ear issues and this is what they did for him. He received ear drops for a few days then went in and they used hp to flush the ear of what was left inside. The dr reccomended he do this once a month to keep things clean. I use it myself and why I never thought to use it for my kids too I will never know! Great idea, thank you so much for sharing!
Cheryl thank you for the encouragement.
did this yesterday. Instant relief!
Yay!!! Thank you for Sharing Becky! ♡
We have used hydrogen peroxide to clean our ears for years. It is great to get rid of the nastiest build up. Maybe that is why my kids don’t get ear infections. Great for ears after swimming too, sometimes the ears ache after a swim so we put h.p. in and it works immediately.
Another good thing is to open a capsule of garlic supplement and squeeze into the ear. I have used this on my infant. The little ones won’t lay still for hydrogen peroxide and this works great.
Wonderful recommendation Carri. I’ve never used a capsule but I have minced my own garlic and put it in a warm cloth and set on ear. It works amazing. Thank you 🙂
So much better for your health than antibiotics
I struggled with a life time of ear problems, multiple surgeries, I had pin holes and reconstruction surgery which left me constantly having ear infections. My parents went to a holistic doctor and consulted with my ENT both recommend peroxide, they finally did peroxide and it worked miracles. 12 years later I do this twice a month and I have been infection free.
Taylor THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!!! Sharing Holistic ideas for healthy living can get some rough responses but it’s worth it when others share how they’ve been impacted by it. 😉
Is it safe for a pregnant women in her 9 month? I have had 5 ear infections including swimmers during my pregnancy and I feel horrible taking an antibiotic. An all natural safe remedy is something I would do if I know it works.
Amanda, I personally have done this before while pregnant but if you have any questions or concerns please ask your family practitioner before using. I will say that you want to be very cautious using any essential oils while pregnant. 🙂
I love cleaning my ears with HP it’s great and cleans out wax build up…however hydrogen peroxide bubbling doesn’t actually indicate infection here’s a link to explain more about why…just don’t want your readers to actually use this as a diagnostic tool.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question115.htm
Thank you for your reply Melissa 🙂 That is a great link, Thank you for sharing with other readers so they can properly research.
Yes it is true that it could bubble without there being an infection however HP will not bubble if we just pour it over our skin because the “catalase” are not there. Catalase are found in a wound or where there is bacteria. At the very least an ear that bubbles has bacteria inside possibly attached to ear wax. My children (3 of them) have bodies that produce massive amounts of ear wax. Bacteria thrives in this kind of environment because there is a large amount of this wax (but can also be found in small amounts of wax) to attach to. When this bacteria remains it leads to infections.
In Conclusion, you are absolutely correct there may not always be an infection with bubbles but it could mean it is cleaning out some nasty bacteria that could lead to an infection. Here is a link explaining Catalase and bacteria when in contact with HP.
Thanks for the great conversation. YOU ROCK!!!
http://chemistry.about.com/od/medicalhealth/f/Why-Does-Hydrogen-Peroxide-Bubble-On-A-Wound.htm
Mixing the hydrogen peroxide with water to make the mixture close to body temp is both more comfortable and safer. It’s also a common misconception that the bubbling is an infection – the hydrogen peroxide will bubble no matter what. 🙂 It is, however an excellent way to clean ears without tubes or potential perforations.
What makes me say this? 10 years of urgent care and ER nursing.
Thank you Reiny for your feedback! 🙂
You can soak the bottle of hp in warm water before using it so it is not cold when you put it in the ear. I know cold makes my ears hurt more, but warmth is comforting. Use warm water also.
Thank you Kblackstock for that tip 🙂
Hi, can you be more specific on proportions; how much water you have to add to 2 tbs of hp, and I assume that water has to be boiled but cooled?
Hi Marina! Great question.
We recommend equal parts water and hp. Boiling the water is to help get impurities out. Unfortunately there is so much pollution through ground, water, air its almost impossible to drink pure, clean water. We can however, take some proactive measures to greatly reduce the impurities in the water such as boiling it. We recommend using purified water. Once the water is boiled let cool to room temperature (body temperature is what you’re looking for at 98.6° F).
Once cooled combine equal parts hp and water. Hope that answers your question if not please let us know so we can clarify further. 🙂
Thank you for a wonderfully informative post! One of my earliest memories is of the most miserable earaches and having to go in to the Dr’s to get my ears cleaned and meds to help with the pain. I still have issues with my ears (I have a hard time wearing headphones because they cause itching??) and I also have to watch it when I’m in the wind and cold air. NOT fun…and I don’t want my kids to go through the same thing!
My 10 year old has been complaining of an earache now for a few days, so I purchased some ear candles and put a couple drops of mullein/garlic oil in her sore ear afterwards. My son has A LOT of ear wax in his ears so I was really interested to find out that it could help keep his ears clean and bacteria free. I’ve never heard of this strategy, but I’ll definitely be trying it! Thanks again…I’ll definitely be back to read more of your blog!! 🙂
Nancy, Thank you for your comment and encouragement. I can’t imagine how that must be for you.
Most of our boys also have a LOT of wax also. Some bodies produce more than others and yes we do use this I’m also a HUGE Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar advocate. We use ACV for “cleaning” ears also. 🙂
We’re Excited you’ll be back 🙂 Looking forward to hearing from you again. 🙂
Sure wish I had this Information while my daughter was growing up…Constant double ear infections! Misery. She had tonsillectomy and adenoid removal age 4 which helped a lot but still fought nasty ear infections.
Have a question maybe u can help? My daughter is now 23yrs old but she has fought HORRID Canker sores since she was like 11yrs old. MULTIPLE canker sores at a time and quite large sores and she has breakout probably twice a month on average. Extremely painful and we’ve tried Everything the doctors have suggested and different medications to no avail. If you have any ideas Please Help.
Thanks in advance,
Christa
Hi Christa,
Oh my that’s so much to go through at such a young age.
My husband has always struggled with Canker sores and 1 of our children has experienced these quite frequently. I genuinely believe that they are due to deficiencies and poor immune system in our bodies and then when we consume foods that are high in citrus the problem (or sore) is only worsened. My husband can’t stand ACV (Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar) but my son doesn’t mind it. Since I had my son start using ACV as a mouth wash at the onset of a sore he not only started having rapid recovery time but he also had less and less sores coming. I can’t honestly remember the last time he had one (and for a while there wasn’t a time he didn’t have one). 🙂 Another thought…I tend to believe that sugar is part of the problem so we very much limit any sugar, we even went as far as limiting natural sugars like fruits and I believe that’s part of the reason he’s not having them. 🙂
I’ve heard of using coconut oil as a mouth wash to treat it but we’ve never tested that one. IF your daughter is willing to Try ACV (only use Bragg…TRUST ME!) I believe it is the best option 🙂
BE WARNED! It is painful at first but if it works…. 🙂
Hope that helps and looking forward to hearing your daughter is Canker sore FREE!!!!
~Bekah
Thank you Christa for your patience with me as I am running behind on my replies. I am so honored you would share your story, encouragement and even take time to ask for my thoughts on Canker Sores.
Have a Great Week.
~Bekah
Last week I used garlic oil in my daughter’s ear to treat an ear infection, but I think I stopped the treatment too soon (when her ear no longer hurt after 2-3 days of putting the oil in her ear twice a day) Now her ear hurts again, and I think I didn’t completely get rid of the infection. At what point would you feel confident that you had gotten rid of the infection using hydrogen peroxide? For how many days and how many times a day would you continue this treatment? Thanks so much!
Hi Toni,
This is a challenging question, haha. The reason I say that is because I don’t think any 2 people can be the same. There are so many variables, for example, If your daughter has a high immune system but her friend doesn’t your daughter may require less treatments than her friend would. IF you read all through the comments on my site you’ll see many opinions (including mine haha). Some have stated clearly that hydrogen peroxide will ALWAYS bubble even if there is not an infection (I have my own opinion on this which I’ve stated).
My dad use to always tell me “A person with an argument is NEVER at the mercy of a person with an Experience” and I totally believe it. 🙂 My experience has been that when there is no infection the HP does NOT bubble and when I see that I stop treating them. We don’t go to the dr very often but if I’m ever concerned or wondering if the infection is really gone I’ve always gotten our kiddo’s right into the Chiropractor and they have done the Mentioned ear pulling (see comments) and verified infection was gone. This is another way I have confirmed that the HP treatments have worked and do not need to be continued. I have usually waited until I’ve discontinued treatment to have them seen just to make sure I’m properly assessing the situation and able to get it treated quickly if it is still needed (which it never has been) 🙂
Also I pay attention to triggers. One of my kids has trouble after swimming another when its windy and cold so I proactively “clean with ACV or HP” 🙂
Hope that Helps. ~Bekah
Thanks for your reply. I appreciate you taking he time to answer my question. 🙂
Sent from my iPhone
My Pleasure! 🙂
Thank you Toni for your patience as I’m running a bit behind on my replies. I am so honored you would take the time to ask me what I thought.
Have a great week.
~Bekah
I was skeptical about the bubbling at first – thinking as some have stated that it will bubble regardless. In my experience in the last two weeks that has not been true. Tonight both ears for my daughter are bubbling – she also has a low fever and was pulling on her ear which is why I tried it. My son complained of an earache the other day (because he heard me talking about it!) and nothing – no bubbling aside from a few air bubbles coming up when I first put it in. I will use this often. Thank you!
Kaely thank you for your comment. I completely understand and believe it is wisdom for us to not take everything everyone says as truth immediately. As I’ve said before there are many variables and everyone is different. I appreciate you taking the time to honestly share your skepticism and your recent experiences so everyone can read others stories and not just mine.
Thank you for being so encouraging. 🙂
I have used peroxide for years. But it does not stop an infection from coming on. Children’s ears do not line up for proper drainage when they are young. Due to this manor some children are prone to ear infection. So two of my children had to have drain tubes installed into there ears by a ear nose and throat specialist. When the kids did get ear infection the tubes allowed the infection to drain out. However some times the infection was so massive that the Dr recommended peroxide to clean out the infection so the ear drops could actually go where needed to clear the infection. I found that H peroxide alone is fine until it reaches down into the tube then causes massive pain. So the remedy is to dilute the peroxide. But it is best to use boiled water that has cooled. The Dr said the infection has to be drawn out of the ear. And the drops are then used to dry up the infection. As children get older the way the ear tubes slant in the nose and throat area better allow the post nasal drip to not settle in the ear area to cause the infection. Good Luck!
Thanks Linda 🙂
i have done this for years for just wax build up removal. we also will add a drop or so of mineral oil or baby oil to help the wax come out easier.
Thanks for the tip DessaC.