Having swimmer’s ear can be miserable. Using the best essential oils for swimmer’s ear can save you a trip to the doctor and even the pharmacy. Swimmer’s ear occurs when water gets trapped in the ear. When water gets trapped it can create the perfect environment for bacteria or fungus. This can also lead to inflammation, irritation, and infection. Using essential oils for swimmer’s ear can help you naturally treat this issue quickly and effectively.
Swimmer’s ear is very painful and is most commonly is triggered by water that enters the ear canal during bathing or swimming. Some people seem to be more prone to swimmers ear than others. Swimmer’s ear can occur in both acute and chronic forms. Itchy ears, a feeling of fullness, swelling, drainage, and pain are early symptoms. Symptoms like redness, swelling, and itching in and around the ear can be a sign, if an infection is present. Many people quickly run to their doctor when their ear starts to ache. But many times you can use essential oils for swimmer’s ear without the need of any medicine.
Swimmers ear is also called Otitis Externa, is an infection of the outer ear and is not the same as the commonly known middle ear infection. With a swimmer’s ear infections the ear canal will often be swollen and painful, so much that even touching the ear or sticking a finger in the ear can be extremely painful. This is often an easy way to determine the type of infection- if sticking a finger in the ear hurts, the infection is outer ear. If the pain experienced is more internal and hurts when swallowing, it is more likely a general middle ear infection.
Essential Oils for Swimmer’s Ear
Essential oils are concentrated oils that contain extracts of plants many with healing properties. Think of them as super concentrated forms of the plant they’re taken from. Studies have found that some essential oils have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which may make them beneficial for swimmer’s ear. Using essential oils for swimmer’s ear can help reduce the symptoms, which typically include pain, swelling, and infections. Proof of how well they work to get rid of infections generally limited to anecdotal evidence.
To use the following essential oils for swimmer’s ear rub the diluted oil around your ear. This will help reduce inflammation and pain.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil has a long history of use in the aromatherapy world. Lavender is the most versatile of all essential oils. Lavender essential oil is a natural antioxidant that works to prevent and reverse disease. It also has antimicrobial properties has is used to prevent various infections and combat bacterial and fungal disorders making it great for swimmer’s ear. Lavender oil can be diluted and used externally around the ear for a calming and soothing effect.
Garlic Essential Oil
Garlic oil is one of the most powerful essentials oil and it is also one of the least known or understood. Garlic essential oil has very strong antibacterial and antiviral properties thanks to the presence of a chemical compound called Allicin. Garlic essential oil is perfect for treating skin infections. Garlic is widely known for building the immune system and preventing and treating bacterial and fungal infections. Its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties makes garlic essential oil for swimmer’s ear better than antibiotics because antibiotics do not actually kill off viruses.
Basil Essential Oil
Basil essential oil is known as the “Queen of herbs” because of its unique and incomparable properties. It has high antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Basil essential oil has natural anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibiotic properties. Basil essential oil has antimicrobial properties that protect against a wide range of bacteria. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, basil oil can help with oain and swelling caused by swimmer’s ear. Rubbing a couple drops of basil oil diluted in a carrier oil like coconut behind the ears is a great remedy for swimmer’s ear.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is one of the most versatile oils out there. It has high antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Diluted peppermint oil can be applied topically for pain relief from swimmer’s ear. It is believed that the presence of calcium antagonism in peppermint oil helps remove pain from affected areas. Combining peppermint with lavender oil is also a great way to use essential oils for swimmer’s ear.
When using essentials oils for swimmer’s ear. It’s important to note that would should not put the oils into your ear canal. Swimmer’s ear is an outer ear infection and these diluted oils should be applied to the outside of the ear and around it. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary to resolve swimmer’s ear, but most cases, mild to moderate infections go away on their own within 10 days.
Other alternative treatments for swimmer’s ear include keeping the ears dry by using rubbing alcohol, using a blow dryer, earwax substitutes, using over-the-counter earplugs and ear drops.
Want more information on how to care for your ears and keep them healthy? Check out 11 Amazing Ways to Protect Your Ears and Hearing Health.