How can I get rid of ear infection w/o antibiotics? - UPDATED - Page 4

[Alyantavid]

good job mama! I know how hard it is not to just want a quick fix. AND we were raised in a society where fever = bad. Not so - Fever is a GOOD sign that our immune system is working. Plus tylenol can cause hepatoxicity (toxic to the liver) so it may do more harm than good. Our bodies are not physically able to have a temperature over 106 - so its not like it can just go up up and up. There is an end point. AND its important to always remember that the higher the temp DOES NOT mean the more sick we are. I know in my daughters case she just runs high temps when she is sick - 103 is a pretty average temp and she is usually still running around acting totally normal.

Yeah that. I'm glad your baby is feeling better! Its hard when they're sick to just let their little bodies cure themselves, but they will.

We see a naturopath when we are sick. She prescribes garlic oil for ear infections if ear drum is intact. Along with limiting sugar and refined flour and taking zinc/C blend, that has mostly worked. If it does not, which was once, then abx are our next step. If infections were recurring and dietary changes did not help, I would take a little one to an osteopath for adjustment, not a chiro. I prefer chiros for adults only. But, adjustments are a good recourse for those with drainage issues affecting the systems of the body. Chiros for adults, osteo for children or adults. We get a lot of relief from them. I have much fewer sinus infections as a result.

As for the rest of the recommendations, I would not self medicate so I would always ask a qualified health professional before putting anything inside any of my orifices or my childrens.

If my choice is a mainstream doc who is very antibiotic happy or a chiro who's more natural and has actually helped my child get healthier, I'll take the chiro. She has an MD so I'm quite happy taking her advice on garlic drops and supplements. She's gotten my chronically ear infected child to not having any since his first adjustment. Our reg doc just kept dumping antibiotics in him and then wanted to put tubes in when that didn't work. My oldest son is being seen by the chiro as well now for his asthma that came about after his tube surgery and rounds and rounds of antibiotics. You have to do what you feel is right for your children.

[Phoenix_Rising]

Originally Posted by mamakay

If you're going to a naturopath and using garlic, you are basically self medicating according to science-based medicine.

Seeing a naturopath and following their suggestions is self medicating?

[mamakay]

Originally Posted by Susannah M

Seeing a naturopath and following their suggestions is self medicating?

Yeah, but so it taking vitamic C when you're feeling under the weather. Or taking an aspirin when you have a headache. I'm personally a big fan of self-medication.
I was just pointing out that naturopathy isn't considered "real medicine" according to...umm...real medicine. Not that it doesn't have it's uses in the real world, though.

[Novella]

Originally Posted by Beanjeepin

Everything in this thread seems to be "IF the eardrum has not burst". . . What can I use if it DID burst other than ABx?

:

All this information sounds GREAT - if you aren't a baby and your eardrum is apparently intact. Our oldest had her first ear infection last year at age 6. Other than that, we've been clear (knock on wood!) until now. . .

Our youngest (one of our twin boys) has had 3 ear infections in the last 3 months.

The first one (early January, 13 months old) wasn't noticeable until suddenly on a Tuesday afternoon he had tons of pus-filled fluid and curdy white stuff coming out of his ear. When we realized he had an infection, my husband said, "Oh, THAT must be why he was crying on Saturday night!" But the length and intensity of Saturday night's upset didn't seem to me like it would be an ear infection.

He'd showed no other symptoms. I tried putting breastmilk into his ear for a couple of days (the advice I'd seen on that hadn't included the qualifier of eardrum not being ruptured). Since online reading seemed to indicate it was warranted to use abx in kids under 2, we did take him in. The doctor didn't believe me that he hadn't even felt warm until the day AFTER the ear started draining. The infection was treated with amoxicillin.

In late February, he got another one. Same thing: baby (now 14.5 months) acts completely normal (did have cold/runny nose) and suddenly has ear draining. Doctor had swabbed his throat thinking it was something more b/c he had swollen glands and pus in the back of his throat. Ear that wasn't draining was red inside. Swab came back negative. We did amoxicillin again and babe was re-evaluated by doc after 48 hours on the 7-day treatment.

NOW, he was finished the antibiotics for only ONE WEEK by the time the third ear infection started! Half of us, including baby and twin brother, have colds again. Babysitter told me Tuesday at noon that she thought maybe he was getting an ear infection again (not warm, just a bit clingy). She recommended breastmilk in ear and when I said that hadn't worked before, she thought we weren't on top of it soon enough. So I put some in his ear right away. But sure enough, 4 hours later, his eardrum was ruptured again and draining oozey pus.

I'm so frustrated. These last 2 infections have been in the left ear. I think the first one was, also. So today the doctor recommended stronger "clav" penicillin. And of course he's planning to refer us to a specialist and saying tubes might be needed.

My husband and I aren't keen on the antibiotics. But when we try to discuss with doctors, our reading about the ineffectiveness of antibiotics and newer trends toward letting ear infections resolve themselves we get a blanket "No, that's just wrong" or response that it is very important to use abx if baby is under two.

I just feel "unarmed" to try anything else to resolve this because we never know he's getting an ear infection until the eardrum is already ruptured, or this time, 4 hours before it ruptured.

Has anyone been in a similar boat?

I have also read that there is a device parents can buy for home use that is similar to a doctor's otoscope. Does anyone have experience with one of these? Was it helpful? I've been wondering if it would be worthwhile for us to get one and inspect his ears twice a week regardless of his apparent health. Maybe then we would notice redness inside and have a few days to treat with some of these other methods instead of suddenly finding an oozing ear.

Thanks for reading my long-winded post! I'm just so frustrated by the situation and feel that we are quickly getting sucked into an abx/tubes scenario that isn't necessarily going to resolve the problem very well.

[Gitti]

When tubes are put into the ear, the eardrum is also busted and it drains. Why is it so dangerous when the eardrum bursts naturally so it can drain?

[Panserbjorne]

What does being a baby have to do with it? I treat my kids regardless of their age. I have no issue putting onion juice in a 6 month olds ear. If they need it that is.

I would suggest two things that have already been suggested. See a chiropractor for regular adjustments....go for extra if there's reason to believe an infection may be starting.

Find a new doc. My preference would be one that doesnt' use antibiotics. My care providers have other tools which is why none of my kids have ever had them. If you dont' want the meds, find a doc that knows how to treat without them. Allopaths don't.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by mamakay

Yeah, but so it taking vitamic C when you're feeling under the weather. Or taking an aspirin when you have a headache. I'm personally a big fan of self-medication.
I was just pointing out that naturopathy isn't considered "real medicine" according to...umm...real medicine. Not that it doesn't have it's uses in the real world, though.

I guess that's the difference. I don't consider allopathy to be real medicine. It never cures, it simply suppresses. I would never refer to allopathic standards of care as "real medicine." Of course I know I'm not in the majority here.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by firefaery

I guess that's the difference. I don't consider allopathy to be real medicine. It never cures, it simply suppresses. I would never refer to allopathic standards of care as "real medicine." Of course I know I'm not in the majority here.

.... but you are not alone in your opinion.

[pjabslenz]

Originally Posted by uccomama

.... but you are not alone in your opinion.

:

It's been a while since I've read this thread but does your lo do dairy? I have read articles where there is a correlation between ear infections and dairy/food allergies.

[robertsmama]

Ok, everyone, first, let me say THANK YOU for this thread, it was just what I needed at 3:00 in the morning! My dd is almost 5 months old, and has her first real cold, and has begun tugging on her ear and crying. This has been going on for about 3 days now. I tried the breastmilk in her ear 3 different times for the first day and a half when I realized it might be an ear infection, and would like to know more about the onion juice thing. Does it work better to use a cooked onion, or raw? How often should I put the juice in her ear? Would garlic oil be better? Should I do the breastmilk as well? Any advice would be so very greatly appreciated. Thanks mamas!!

[krankedyann]

Well, mamas, I need some advice.

I had a flu bug that went into my ear and caused an ear infection last week. I let it run its course without intervention, and now I have a clogged eustachian tube. For the last almost week, my eustachian tube has been completely clogged and my ear has continually drained fluid and I've had a mild earache. I've done lymphatic massage, daily adenoid sweeps (gag), heating pads, neti pot, keeping the ear covered, Mucinex and Sudafed, and hanging on my inversion table. Also, holding my nose and blowing and sucking. Nothing is working. It's not come unclogged, and now the base of my tongue on that side is starting to hurt and swell. I know if I don't resolve it soon, it's going to start facial swelling and push my jaw out of joint. What can I do to get it to drain? I was thinking about calling a chiro and trying to get in, but I don't have the money to get established with a new chiro right now. Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves?

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by robertsmama

Does it work better to use a cooked onion, or raw? How often should I put the juice in her ear? Would garlic oil be better? Should I do the breastmilk as well?

raw onion! You can put it in every two hours or so. Yes, you can also do breastmilk. I prefer it to garlic oil, IME it is faster and works better.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by krankedyann

Well, mamas, I need some advice.

I had a flu bug that went into my ear and caused an ear infection last week. I let it run its course without intervention, and now I have a clogged eustachian tube. For the last almost week, my eustachian tube has been completely clogged and my ear has continually drained fluid and I've had a mild earache. I've done lymphatic massage, daily adenoid sweeps (gag), heating pads, neti pot, keeping the ear covered, Mucinex and Sudafed, and hanging on my inversion table. Also, holding my nose and blowing and sucking. Nothing is working. It's not come unclogged, and now the base of my tongue on that side is starting to hurt and swell. I know if I don't resolve it soon, it's going to start facial swelling and push my jaw out of joint. What can I do to get it to drain? I was thinking about calling a chiro and trying to get in, but I don't have the money to get established with a new chiro right now. Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves?

A chiropractor would be my first suggestion. Homeopathy would be my second. You said you can't do the chiro right now.....what's your stnace on homeopathics?

[krankedyann]

Originally Posted by firefaery

A chiropractor would be my first suggestion. Homeopathy would be my second. You said you can't do the chiro right now.....what's your stnace on homeopathics?

I will use homeopathics. I did try Hyland's Earache tablets, but they didn't do anything for me. In fact, that was the first thing I tried when I got sick.

[robertsmama]

Originally Posted by firefaery

raw onion! You can put it in every two hours or so. Yes, you can also do breastmilk. I prefer it to garlic oil, IME it is faster and works better.

THANKS!! I'll get right on the onion juice and see how she does, the poor little bug!

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by krankedyann

I will use homeopathics. I did try Hyland's Earache tablets, but they didn't do anything for me. In fact, that was the first thing I tried when I got sick.

I don't advocate or endorse the use of combination remedies. I am about to throw kids in the bath and then I'll be back and hopefully help you narrow it down. I just don't find that they are worth much of anything. I'm a single dose gal myself.

[Gitti]

Bumping.

[MelissaAHM]

Phew! I'm glad I found this thread...these are great ideas!!!
I have 3 kids and not one of them have ever had an ear infection...till now. The flu is just now going around in our area - My oldest has the flu pretty bad and we just found out today she developed a double ear infection. The doctor said one ear is starting to get the infected and the other one was severe.
She was prescribed an antibiotic but I'd rather get rid this without abx. I like the breastmilk idea - I'm really hoping this will work. Do I do this 3x a day?

[T&D2005]

Wow.. I'll have to try these tips fo my next ear infection!

[meggles]

The garlic oil is amazing, it can clear in ear infection usually on it's own. When used with the right homeopathic remedy (we usually use Chamomilla, Pulsatilla, Belladonna, or Aconite) and proper diet and supplements, you rarely need antibiotics.