Have earache? Eat raw garlic, pour oil in your ears or water through your nostrils – home remedies from Ayurveda, some endorsed by Western doctors
- Earache is common in cold and flu season, and during or after air travel. Traditional Indian medicine, or Ayurveda, has a few home remedies to relieve it
- Ear oiling – adding essential oil to the ear canal and massaging – chewing raw garlic, and using compresses are among them. It has tips for good ear health too
Earaches are a common complaint in cold and flu season, as viral infections can spread through the sinuses and get trapped in the middle and inner ear.
While drugs or a visit to a clinic can remedy ear-related problems, many simple home remedies using traditional Indian medicine – also known as Ayurveda – can be tried instead.
Karna purana, or ear oiling, is one such practice. Karna means ear in the ancient Sanskrit language.
One at a time, the ears are filled with drops of herbal or mineral oil and massaged gently; this lubricates the ear canal’s delicate filaments, removes impurities and helps the patient hear more clearly. A cotton ball or tissue is used to remove any excess oil.
Akshay Chauhan, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Noida, in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, recommends using tea tree oil.
This essential oil has powerful antifungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, he says, which makes it one of the most effective home remedies for ear pain.
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Western science has endorsed the benefits of ear oiling. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends administering olive oil to cure mild to moderate ear pain in children. For this, warm a teaspoon of olive oil and allow it to cool. Pour one to two drops of the oil into the affected ear.
According to Ayurveda, ear afflictions in the winter are seasonal disorders which occur when there is an increase in the vata dosha, one of the body’s three life energies; the other doshas are pitta and kapha.
“Vata consists of air and space and, due to seasonal imbalance, triggers stomach bloating, joint aches, skin dehydration as well as ear disorders,” says Chauhan.
Balanced doshas create equilibrium leading to good health, he adds. Ayurveda guidelines also recommend dietary and lifestyle changes for vata-dominant people who are more vulnerable to ear problems.
People lacking good fats in their diet are more prone to ear ailments, Chauhan says, and those who consume mostly fried foods deprive their body of good hydration. Karna purana ensures sufficient nourishment of the ears, reducing the chance of infection.
Drinking two teaspoons of sesame oil or almond oil first thing in the morning is good for ear health and prevents dehydration. Adding carrots, brown sugar, sesame seeds, dried fruit, licorice and gooseberries to your diet can also keep ears healthy, Chauhan says.
Western doctors recommend inhaling steam to unblock congested ear canals and relieve discomfort. Hot and cold compresses are similarly powerful, non-medicinal remedies for ear pain for both children and adults, says Dr Gitanjali Kochar, a general doctor at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Sarita Vihar, New Delhi.
She recommends placing either a cold or hot compress over the affected ear for around 10 minutes. If using a hot compress, ensure that it isn’t so hot that it burns the skin.
