Our ears tune us in to the sounds of the world. They enable us to listen to the voices of our loved ones, the melodies of music, and the orchestra of our natural (and unnatural) environment. Because our sense of hearing is so precious, it is well worth protecting this vital sense.
Thrifty Cures!
For babies, a few drops of mother’s milk, which is high in antibodies, can be applied directly to the eyes 3 times daily.
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Avoid hot spicy food, coffee, and alcohol. According to Asian medicine, the health of the eyes is governed by the liver. Anything that dries or irritates the liver also affects the eyes.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
Use an herbal eyewash, especially of chamomile, eyebright, goldenseal, or barberry, for conjunctivitis. (See page 20 for directions on making a soothing antimicrobial eyewash.)
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR TINNITUS
The word tinnitus comes from Latin roots, meaning “tinkle like a bell.” For this annoyance, it is important to determine the cause and attend to the source of the problem. Ear ringing is sometimes caused by excess consumption of coffee, alcohol, or aspirin, medication, catarrh, smoking, trauma, exposure to loud noise, arteriosclerosis, and allergies. If only one ear is affected, it is more likely to be the left ear.
Ginkgo biloba taken orally (a dose daily of tea, tincture, or capsule) can help diminish the sounds of tinnitus by improving nerve signal transmission as well as increasing the brain’s utilization of oxygen. Other herbs that help diminish the sounds of tinnitus include elder flowers (opening to the channels, including Eustachian tubes), oregano (which moves blockage), black cohosh (which is antispasmodic), violet leaves (which have been used since ancient times to open the ears), and chamomile (which calms inflamed nerves). Look for combinations of some of these herbs at natural food or herbal stores and take a dose three times a day as a tea, tincture, or capsule.
Niacin supplementation may also help by improving circulation to the ears and moving blockages. Try 50 mg three times daily. (Note that this will make you feel hot, red, and prickly for up to 10 minutes as it improves circulation.) Drink some water and rest or take with a meal.
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR AIRPLANE EARS
Also known as barotitis, this complaint occurs when a plane ascends or descends and the surrounding air pressure changes and causes vacuum pressure to form in the middle ear, causing pain. Simple remedies include swallowing, yawning, and chewing gum. (Look for chewing gum at a natural food store; otherwise, you might be stuck with artificial sugary stuff from the airport.) Infants can be nursed (most comforting) or given a bottle or pacifier during takeoff and landing to remedy airplane ears. You’ll find more information about treating baby’s earache in the section on “Natural Remedies for Baby and Child Care.”
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR SWIMMERS’ EAR
Swimming exposes the ears to a number of possible problem-causing bacteria and fungi. To prevent swimmers’ ear, shake the head somewhat vigorously or jump up and down with the head tilted to one side after being in water. If necessary, you can make a simple solution to put in the ears after swimming by adding 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of white vinegar to 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of freshly boiled water (allow to cool before using). After swimming, put 2 drops of the mixture in each ear up to three times daily. Store in the refrigerator.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Should you accidentally get a foreign object in your ear or disobey your mother and put beans in your ears, remember that an imbedded object is best removed by a doctor, who will have the tools to do so without puncturing the delicate membrane of the ears.
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR A BUG IN THE EAR
To remove a bug from your ear, turn your ear toward the sun, as many bugs are attracted to the light. If it’s nighttime, darken the room and shine a flashlight in the ear to draw the pest out. If this does not work, pour 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of warm olive oil in the ear and let it sit with the ear turned upward for 1 to 2 minutes. The last resort is to gently fill the ear with warm water. These last two remedies drown the bug and get it to float to the top.
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR EARWAX
The purpose of earwax is to lubricate and protect the ears. It is also considered antiseptic. An excess of this substance (called ceruminosis) may be due to over-consumption of fats and sugars in the diet. Putting cotton swabs in the ears can also push dirt and wax further into the ears, causing wax buildup.
To safely remove earwax, add several drops of mullein flower oil into the ears every night for a week. You can also use special earwax candles (find them in your health food store) based on a tradition used be ancient Egyptians and Native Americans. These uniquely designed hollow candles are placed in a person’s ear one at a time while the person is lying down, a towel protecting his or her hair and face. An assisting person holds the candle and lights the top. When it burns down and feels warm to the person holding it, the candle is plunged into a nearby glass of water.
If you examine the candle, the bottom portion will be filled with one to several inches of wax (and also some ash from the candle). I have found these candles beneficial in improving hearing and relieving blockages such as airplane ears and even in some cases of earaches.
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR HEARING LOSS
More than 12 million people in the U.S. are deaf, and the number is increasing. Hearing loss can be aggravated by genetic tendencies. Pinched nerves in the neck or upper spinal column can impair hearing. Accumulations of fat and mucous in the inner ear can also impair hearing, thus it may be helpful to eliminate foods like fatty meats and dairy products.
The auditory nerve vibrates in response to sound, and if it is coated, it can lose its sensitivity. The cochlea contains a fluid that transmits sound vibration. Should this fluid become overly thick and sticky due to dietary imbalances, sound transmission may also be impaired. An eardrum that is overly loose (often due to excess use of sugary, cold foods and drugs) will not be able to conduct sound well. The food most likely to contribute to ear congestion is ice cream—dairy, cold, and sugary. Massaging a few drops of cajeput oil in front and behind the ears helps to improve hearing by increasing circulation. Applying a ginger compress over the ears and kidney area helps to break up accumulations of fat and mucous.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Foods that have a long tradition of being considered beneficial to the ears based on their antioxidant properties include colorful fresh fruits and berries (especially blueberries and blue elderberries); adzuki; kidney and black beans; green leafy vegetables like kale, collards, and mustard greens; dark yellow vegetables such as pumpkin, acorn, and butternut squashes; garlic; and onions. I am very fond of eating wild violet leaves in salads for strengthening the ears. An antioxidant vitamin is also helpful in protecting our hearing. A vitamin D deficiency can contribute to hearing loss of the higher frequencies. Taking a supplement of 1,000 IU daily may be helpful.
The herb ginkgo has also been shown to be beneficial in improving hearing loss, especially when due to nerve deafness. Ginkgo leaves increase cerebral and peripheral blood flow and improve nerve transmission. This herb may be taken in tea, extract, or capsule form 2 to 3 times daily.
In Oriental medicine, the ears are said to correlate to the kidneys. The kidneys are often treated with acupuncture or moxibustion to help improve the ears. It is interesting that the ears and kidneys are similarly shaped. You can practice acupressure by tapping the ears firmly with two fingertips with the top portion of the ear gently folded over the ear opening, of the other hand 50 to 100 times every day. Also gently tap the sides of the head above the ears.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Yoga postures that improve various ear disorders include the Palm Pose, the Lion, the Wheel, the Plow, the Shoulder Stand and the Neck Pose.
This Treating Ear Ailments article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
