How to Treat Ear Congestion with Olive Oil

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How to Treat Ear Congestion with Olive Oil
How to Treat Ear Congestion with Olive Oil
Anonim

Earwax keeps your ears healthy and functioning, but in excessive amounts it can clog them, cause pain and even infection. Fortunately, you have the option to remove it using olive oil. Also, in case of congestion, try self-medication. However, you should see your doctor if you have blocked ears, notice symptoms persist, have suffered an ear injury in the past, or need to treat a child.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Remove Earwax with Olive Oil

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 2
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 2

Step 1. Heat the oil

Olive oil helps soften ear wax, making it easier to pass. However, before using it, you should warm it up to body temperature (37 ° C) - which of course corresponds to that of the inner ear - so that it is tolerable. You should heat 2-3 tablespoons of it.

Do not overdo it, otherwise if it is too hot it risks damaging the eardrum

Advise:

Although olive oil is the most used substance for removing earwax without a doctor's help, it is not the only option. You can also use hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, baby oil, or mineral oil.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 3
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 3

Step 2. Add essential oils if you want

The earwax plug can also trap bacteria that can cause infections. Some people prefer to add essential oils with antibacterial properties to inhibit bacterial growth potentially caused by congestion. However, absolute olive oil has also been shown to be effective in these cases. Before applying it, however, be sure to try a drop or two on your skin to rule out any irritation. Pour about four drops into the heated olive oil. You can choose between:

  • Garlic oil;
  • Eucalyptus oil;
  • Lavender oil, suitable for children;
  • Oregano oil;
  • Hypericum.
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 4
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 4

Step 3. Transfer the mixture to a dropper

After combining the olive oil with your favorite essential oil, pour part of the solution into a dropper. It will help you deliver the right amount by making it easier to get into your ear.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 5
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 5

Step 4. Apply two drops to your ear

You don't have to fill your entire ear canal with oil, just pour in just a few drops enough to soften the ear wax. Keep your head tilted for 5-10 minutes to prevent it from sliding outward.

Hold a tissue near your ear to absorb any residual oil that may drip when you straighten your head

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 6
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 6

Step 5. Repeat the treatment 2-3 times a day

Olive oil is unlikely to take effect after a single application. You will likely need to repeat this 2 or 3 times a day, for about 3 to 5 days, so that it has enough time to dissolve and break up the earwax plug.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 7
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 7

Step 6. Consider watering

Although olive oil is able to soften the material accumulated inside the ear, in some cases additional help is needed. If necessary, you can resort to irrigation. Use a rubber bulb syringe (such as those used for babies), tilt your head and gently dispense warm water into your ear canal.

  • Proceed gently, otherwise you could damage the eardrum if you push the water with strong pressure.
  • You can pull the ear up and back to straighten the ear canal and get better results.
  • Even the otorine can perform this treatment, using with a safer method and instruments that, by exerting adequate water pressure, do not risk injuring the ear.

Part 2 of 3: Relieving Congestion in the Home

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 9
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 9

Step 1. Balance middle ear pressure to ambient pressure

Most often, the sensation of ear pressure is not caused at all by the presence of ear wax, but by a small dysfunction of the Eustachian tube that connects the middle ear to the pharynx. You can force this tuba to open in order to balance the internal and external pressure in several simple steps, including:

  • Yawn;
  • To chew;
  • Swallow;
  • Try to exhale through the nose while keeping the nostrils closed.

Did you know that?

The most common causes of Eustachian tube dysfunction are colds, flu, changes in altitude, and exposure to pollutants, such as cigarette smoke.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 10
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 10

Step 2. Stay hydrated

If your ear pressure is caused by sinus congestion, you can reduce it by staying hydrated. Liquids help thin the mucus on which the problem depends. Try to drink at least 1.8 liters of water per day.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 11
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 11

Step 3. Sleep with your head elevated

By adding a pillow to keep the head elevated, you facilitate sinus drainage and relieve ear pressure.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 12
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 12

Step 4. Apply a warm compress

Try warming a towel and placing it over the affected ear for a few minutes. You can also place a cup on top of the towel that covers the ear to keep the heat from dissipating.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 13
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 13

Step 5. Take a warm shower

If your ear pressure is due to sinus congestion, you can also take a hot shower using the steam. This will help loosen and drain the mucus blocking the sinuses, relieving pressure on the ear.

Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 14
Clear up Ear Congestion With Olive Oil Step 14

Step 6. Take an over-the-counter medication

Depending on the etiological factor, several over-the-counter medications are available that reduce ear pressure. The most common options include:

  • Antihistamines: If the pressure is due to congestion caused by seasonal allergies or environmental conditions, you can take an antihistamine to reduce symptoms.
  • Decongestants: If the pressure is due to generalized congestion related to a cold or flu, a special decongestant drug will help relieve the symptoms that favor the problem.
  • Ceruminolytics: These products essentially act like olive oil, softening earwax when it is the cause of ear muffling.

Part 3 of 3: Knowing When to Seek Medical Assistance

Step 1. Consult the otorine if you have the impression that the ear canal is completely occluded

Although olive oil allows you to manage mild ear congestion, you will need an ENT if you suspect you have a earwax plug. This specialist can assess the situation and determine the best way to solve the problem. In addition, it is able to rule out other causes behind the symptoms and make sure there are no hidden pathologies. Do not hesitate to consult it if you have the following symptoms:

  • Earache
  • Sensation of auricular fullness;
  • Decreased hearing ability;
  • Tinnitus (ringing or noises in the ear)
  • Dizziness
  • Cough.

Advise:

earwax plug causes symptoms similar to other ear diseases, so you need to have your ENT examined to make sure you are receiving proper treatment.

Step 2. Go to your ENT to remove earwax if olive oil has not been effective

It is difficult and dangerous to try to get rid of earwax on your own. In fact, there is a risk of making the situation worse because in trying to extract the material you could push it deeper. The otorine is able to safely remove excess earwax in your clinic using one of these methods:

  • Ear drops: they dissolve the earwax making it come out of the ear. It is a simple and painless procedure.
  • Irrigation: it is a simple and painless maneuver during which the otorine uses a bulb syringe to aspirate excess earwax.
  • Ear cleaner: it is a small tool used to extract the earwax plug without causing pain.

Step 3. See your doctor if you have suffered an ear injury in the past

Although olive oil has no contraindications in healthy people, it could be too aggressive in case of trauma and pathologies that make the ears more sensitive. If any of the following problems occur, talk to your doctor before taking any action.

  • Perforation of the eardrum;
  • Frequent ear infections
  • Loss of hearing in both ears
  • Mastoiditis;
  • Any medical condition for which you have been instructed to keep your ears dry.

Step 4. Call the doctor if your child has ear congestion

Some children develop ear infections and other related problems, so it's important to ask your doctor what to do. He may direct you to have your child undergo a diagnostic test or prescribe home therapy. Make sure you follow all his advice so that the baby can get the necessary care.

Your doctor will likely want to check if the congestion has lasted more than 48 hours or if they suspect a plug of earwax

Advice

  • If the situation does not improve, consult the ENT. It has a number of special tools available to remove the most stubborn earwax plugs, including micro-suction devices capable of extracting material accumulated in the ear like a vacuum cleaner.
  • If the earwax plug becomes a major problem, don't neglect it. If it completely blocks the ear canal, the increased pressure can damage or rupture the eardrum.

Warnings

  • Do not use the methods described in this article if you have a ruptured or injured eardrum.
  • Don't use cotton swabs, or anything else, to pull out ear wax because it can push it deeper and even rupture the eardrum.
  • Heat the olive oil. Pour 1-2 drops on your forearm to make sure it's not too hot or too cold.

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