The 5 Quickest Way to Relieve Earaches

One of the worst things to experience is waking up in the morning to a piercing earache or having your child start screaming at the top of their lungs because their ears hurt. Unfortunately, even the mildest earache can cause writhing pain and things like a simple faucet dripping can turn into the most aggravating thing you’ve heard. 

For most, earaches are caused by either a build-up of wax, an ear infection, water in the ear, a sinus infection, or even referred pain from the throat and the jaw. Although earaches usually go away on their own, in this article we are going to outline a few ways to relieve an earache quickly. 

Use a Warm/Cold Compresses: 

You can use a heating pad or a damp washcloth to relieve the pain by placing the ear down on it. This is safe for both children and adults. Beyond providing relief, the warm or cold compress will reduce swelling which can help with the pain long-term.

Rub Lavender Oil Around the Ear:

Not only can this treat any infection that is present, but it will also help soothe out the nerves around the ear. You can either apply lavender around the outer ear and massage it in or place a few drops on a cotton ball and place it in the opening of the ear.

Use Warm Olive Oil: 

Although this is more based on a folktale than actual hard science, warm olive oil may be able to soothe ear pain temporarily. The olive oil cannot be warmer than body temperature and should only be placed inside the ear if you are certain that the eardrum has not ruptured.

Wiggle the Ears or Chew Gum:

If your child has an earache and they do not want to do anything that allows them to be distracted from it, have them wiggle their ears. This helps pop the Eustachian tubes which are often the cause of the pain. Yawning also has a similar effect. 

Use Hydrogen Peroxide: 

This has been used as a natural remedy for years.

Place several drops of hydrogen peroxide into the affected ear, allow it to sit in the ear for a bit, and then drain the ear. Once the ear has been drained, rinse it out with clean, distilled water and repeat as necessary. This gets rid of any harmful bacteria and can help reduce infection. 

If none of these work for you, rub some Vick’s vapour rub around the outside of the ear and watch as most of the pain, if not all, disappears. In most individuals, earaches will clear up in about a week or two but the symptoms should begin to get better after a few days. 

If you are running a high fever that lasts longer than a day or two alongside an earache, seek immediate medical care.