Ear Troubles and Homeopathy

Have you ever thought how dull this world would be if you wouldn’t be able to hear? You wouldn’t hear the cute voice of your child, lovely whisper of your spouse, the sound of wind and leaves, sound of the rain that makes you excited from within, so on and so forth. No doubt ears are as important sense organs as eyes. And therefore due care of our ears is necessary in order to have this faculty of hearing well for years to come. For those who don’t know, ears not only help us in hearing but they are one of the prime organs that help us to have a balanced gait.

However, it is often seen that we are least bothered for our ear-health as compared to the health of other organs like eyes. We take their functions for granted. And that’s the reason it is seen that most patients with ear problems report at much later stage to the doctors.  

Some of the common ear problems that occur in almost all age groups are—

1. Acute ear infections
2. Fungal ear infections
3. Wax deposition
4. Hearing difficulties
5. Boils in the ears
6. Otitis media (acute and chronic)
7. Skin problems near and around the ears (dermatitis, eczema etc)
8. Tinnitus (buzzing in the ears)
9. Meniere’s syndrome

Etc.

Before we proceed to how homeopathy can help in various ear infections, we should know the auxiliary factors about ear protection-

1. Never put any ear drops, oil, water, etc in your ears as a routine, unless suggested by your doctor. It never helps in relieving any ear condition but you lose your chances of faster recovery. Even in young children, the practice of putting warm oil in the ears should be condemned. Most fungal infections are the result of putting such liquids into the ears.
2. Do not blow your nose profusely. It creates pressure in the Eustachian tube that joins your nose and ears. When this pressure exceeds, your ears get the plugged sensation that you loathe.
3. Do not put any instrument in your ears to clean them. Even soft buds inserted deep inside can cause damage to the delicate ear drum.
4. Remember that some amount of ear wax acts as a protective barrier and should be kept intact. Dry ears lead to more problems.

Homeopathic Approach to Ear Problems—

Propensity to develop chronic ear problems counts in homeopathy. Therefore, as with any other bodily trouble, a homeopath considers it as a constitutional ailment and treats accordingly. But for acute infections and problems, one has to consider the acute totality of symptoms and treat the acute problem and/or acute exacerbation of chronic problem. Let’s see the homeopathic drugs and their symptoms for which we choose them in treating the ear troubles—

1. Aconitum nap-

-         Exposure to cold, windy weather if brings on sudden throbbing ear ache, before localization of inflammation takes place.

-         Fearful, agitated and restless patient

-         Ear ache may wake up the patient near midnight

-         High fever might be the concomitant symptom with thirst

2. Belladona-

-         Pain in ear come and goes suddenly

-         Red hot ear with throbbing pain

-         Feels as if fumes are emerging from ears

-         Usually accompanied by fever, flushed face, and heightened sensitivity to any type of noise and/or jar

-         Right ear affections

-         The child with ear ache can be very restless at night and even have nightmares

3. Chamomilla-

-         Extreme irritability associated with ear pain calls for this remedy

-         Child with ear pain often screams and hits

-         Heat in any form is intolerable

-         Aggravated in windy weather

-         One cheek is often hot and red

-         Swelling and heat in the ears drive the patient frantic

-         Stitching type of pains

-         Blocked feeling in ears

-         Ringing in ears

-         Worse in windy weather

4. Hepar sulph-

-         Scurfy eruptions on and behind the ears

-         Fetid discharge from ears

-         After allergic fevers, feeling of blockage or deafness

-         Pustular eruptions in the auditory canal and over the pinna

-         Advanced infections usually call for Hepar sulph

-         Stabbing type of pains as if a splinter is being driven in

-         Extremely sensitive to cold air; little draft aggravates ear trouble

-         Irritable with ear ache

5. Merc sol-

-         Chronic ear infections

-         Pus formation marked with yellow discharge

-         Extremely offensive and bloody discharge

-         Boils formed in the external canal

-         Shooting pains with roaring in ears

-         Problems in the bones of the ear to the point of necrosis

-         Very sensitive to extremes of temperature

-         With enlarged lymph nodes around the ears

-         Ear pain is worse at night and due to the warmth of the bed

6. Pusatilla-

-         Sensation in ears as if something is being forced out

-         Very effective remedy in recurrent fungal infections of ears

-         Thick bland ear discharge

-         Offensive odor of discharge

-         Hearing difficult as if being plugged

-         Red and swollen external ear

-         Acuity of hearing diminished

-         Ear pain worse at night

-         Ear troubles in patients with recurrent respiratory infections

-         Deep itching inside the ears

7. Merc dulcis-

-         Closure of Eustachian tube, due to which patient has blocked feeling

-         Otitis media chronic

-         Scrofulous children with recurrent ear problems

-         The tympanic membrane inflamed and thickened

-         Deafness due to recurrent infections

8. Salicylic acid-

-         Meniere’s disease.

-         Ringing, buzzing, and roaring in ears

-         Associated with vertigo

-         Deafness

-         Dyspeptic trouble is often the concomitant symptom

9. Verbascum-

-         Ear pain with sense of obstruction

-         Dry, scurfy ear canal

-         Can be used locally as Mullein Oil

-         Periodicity of ear symptoms is marked