Home Remedies for Ear Yeast Infection

A yeast infection is caused by the fungi Candida Albicans. An ear yeast infection results in the inflammation of the outer ear and mainly affects kids, swimmers and people wearing hearing aids. Because it is so prominent among swimmers, it is also called Swimmer's Ear.

Its symptoms include itching, soreness, a white discharge, difficulty in sleeping and shooting pains. However, there are several ear yeast infection remedies to correct these symptoms.

Remedies for Ear Yeast Infection

Given how sensitive the ears are, it is best to consult a doctor, especially in case of severe pain. Most doctors will clean up the ear and prescribe a round of allopathic medication. Apart from consulting a doctor, there are a number of ear yeast infection remedies that you can try. These include:

Diet The simplest ear yeast infection remedy is to have a regulated diet. Include calcium and Vitamin C in your diet. These are known to boost immunity and also work as a natural antibiotic, reducing inflammation and infection.
Basil Use the natural goodness of basil to your advantage: grind a few basil leaves and extract their juice. Put two drops of this extract inside the ear. This helps relieve the pain and fights off the infection.
Garlic Boil a few cloves of garlic, smash them and add a pinch of salt. Warp in a small soft piece of cloth and place next to the aching ear. Drops of garlic oil can also be used as natural ear drops. Other herbal oils that are also effective include olive oil and Lobelia.
Colloidal Silver is a natural ear yeast infection remedy. This age old remedy is a natural antibiotic and should be used to wash and clean the ear.
Blow dry A simple home remedy to remove excess moisture trapped in the Eustachian tube of the ear is to blowdry it. Hold the dryer at a hands length and keep it on a mild setting. Use it only for a couple of minutes.
Yawn Believe it or not, yawning is an effective ear yeast infection remedy. Yawning contracts a muscle that opens the Eustachian tube. This helps drain the airway of any moisture, which in turn takes care of the infection.

Remember never to put anything in your ears, no matter how bad the itch; this includes ear buds and your probing fingers. These will just do more damage.

Benefits of these Home Remedies

The ears are very sensitive to pain and these ear yeast infection remedies provide much needed relief. They cause no side effects, and treat the root problem, ensuring the infection does not recur. Yeast infections are very common in people of all ages. This infection is caused by the Candida Albicans, which lives in the human body, without causing any problem, unless there is an overgrowth. It is a well known fact that yeast infections can affect the genital area, as well as the tongue. However, not a lot of people are aware of the fact that it is possible to get an ear yeast infection too; this problem is especially common in children. An ear yeast infection is caused by the presence of the Candida fungus at the back of the mouth, or even at the tubes that are connected to the ears. These tubes are fairly warm and moist, which is why they are perfect for yeast spores to grow and thrive. This overgrowth in turn could lead to a severe and nasty ear infection. Yeast infections can lead to outer ear infection. In fact, bacteria and yeast are two of the most common outer ear infection causes.

Outer Ear Infection

Also known as Otitis Externa, an outer ear infection occurs when there is an inflammation in the outer ear canal. Although outer ear infections are more common in adults, children can suffer from them too. At times, it is referred to as a swimmer’s ear. These infections can either be acute or chronic, depending on how long a person has had it. In case of an acute outer ear infection, the symptoms will be evident suddenly and will go away within a couple of weeks. However, chronic infections last for much longer, where the outer ear infection symptoms are either seen for several months at a stretch, or they keep recurring. While this condition can be seen in people of all ages, there are a few who are more prone to it than the others, as there are numerous causes of ear infections. People who are more likely to suffer from an outer ear infection include those who:

Are very sensitive to certain products like hairspray, soap or shampoo, causing irritation in the ear canal
Damage the ear canal, because of using cotton buds or other pointed objects, to get rid of ear wax.
Have ear canals that are narrower than normal
Live in hot and humid climates
Suffer from a skin condition, like psoriasis or dermatitis
Swim on a regular basis or may swim in water that is not clean
Use earplugs or hearing aids on a regular basis, which introduces bacteria to the ear canal

Symptoms

The symptoms of outer ear infections are quite similar to those seen in case of ear injuries, inflammation or other infections. Given below are some of the symptoms that become evident during an outer ear infection:

Discharge from the ear
Hearing problems, which could include shortterm dulled hearing
Itchiness
Severe and persistent pain
Swelling

How to Treat Ear Infection

Most people undergo outer ear infection treatment, in order to control the pain and reduce the inflammation as soon as possible. There are several types of medication that a medical health care provider can suggest, for treating an outer ear infection. These medicines include:

Over the counter pain relievers
Antifungal medicines or antibiotics, to get rid of the infection
Eardrops that contain steroids, to reduce the itchiness in the ear, as well as the swelling
Ear drop with acetic acid, to kill the bacteria

Applying eardrops to an ear that is swollen could be a bit of a challenge and therefore, the treatment may need to be administered by a doctor or a nurse, with the help of an ear wick. This is a spongelike wick or ribbon gauze, which is placed in the ear. When the drops are applied to the ear, the ear wick absorbs them; since the wick is in contact with the infected part of the ear, it allows the medication to treat the ear. It may be a couple of days before the wick is removed.

Although it is possible for people to use medication, there are many who first prefer using an ear infection home remedy, to avoid any adverse side effects that can occur from medication. In fact, it is a lot more common for parents to use an ear infection home remedy for infants and toddlers. Given below are some of the most commonly used home remedies that can help treat ear infections:

Garlic

Several people have seen instant relief from pain, itchiness and inflammation, after applying a few drops of garlic oil into the ears. This is because garlic contains antibacterial properties and can kill the bacteria causing the infection. People who do not want to use commercial garlic oil can make their own oil at home, by boiling about 5 cloves of garlic in 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil. The oil needs to be sieved, before it is used.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent remedy for getting rid of excess wax from the ear; at the same time, it has antiseptic properties, which is why it can help cure ear infections. A few drops of this solution should be poured into the ears, one at a time and after about a minute the head should be tilted, so that the hydrogen peroxide, as well as the excess wax can flow out of the ears. However, this remedy is not suitable for those who have a perforation in the ear.

Onion

Several people use a hot onion compress to relieve the ear pain and get rid of the infection. Half an onion should be heated and tied in a soft cloth and applied to the affected ear twice a day, to reduce the infection within a week. The above home remedies are fairly safe if used correctly and under the supervision of a doctor. However, it is best to consult a pediatrician for an ear infection home remedy for a toddler or a child.