Does your child cry and become fussy about that excruciating ear pain that troubles? Suffering from ear pain can trouble them and make them fussy. Toddlers of age 6-15 months are more prone to ear pain and infection because they are just building their immunity to various infectious organisms and are in their initial growth phases. Ear pain is one of the most frequent diseases of early infancy and childhood that leads to a child’s medical evaluation. The medical term for ear pain is Otitis Media (OM) that includes a spectrum of diseases such as middle ear infection, earache and retention of fluid in the tympanic membrane causing pain and inflammation. (Also Read: 15 Possible Causes of Ear Pain )
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What are the Possible Signs and Symptoms of Ear pain?
Ear pains that may occur due to infection, injury or various other reasons may cause
- Impaired hearing
- Drainage of fluids that are foul-smelling from the ear
- Pain in the ear that may cause difficulty in sleeping
- Inflammation, redness in the ear and fever
- Feeling of fullness in the ear
- Itching, tugging or pulling sensations in the ear
- Loss of appetite due to pain while chewing
- Increased irritation
- Severe headache and altered body equilibrium
Ayurvedic explanation of ear pain
According to the Ayurvedic point of view, ear pain occurs due to the vitiation of Vāta and Kapha dosha. Vitiated Vāta dosha may cause thin discharge in the ear, dries the ear wax, and may lead to severe pain in the ear, tinnitus, and deafness and pitta dosha may cause redness, inflammation, burning followed by yellow discharge. Whereas, vitiated Kapha dosha may lead to the discharge of white, slimy fluids and abnormal hearing, stable swelling, itching and mild pain in the ear.
Ear pain in Ayurveda classics has three conditions:
- Karnasrava – Discharging ear
- Putikarna – Foul-smelling ear due to the discharge and
- Krimi Karna – Maggots in the ear
Also Read: What does Ear Wax Indicate for Your Health?
Ayurvedic approach for the treatment of ear pain:
Ear pain in Ayurveda as explained by Acharya Sushruta can be treated effectively by aural toileting where the external ear is treated of ear wax, debris, and discharge and then instilling an antibiotic therapy into the ear canal.
Also, Ayurveda describes some effective procedures for cleaning the ear and keeping it infection-free. In the procedures mentioned Karnasrava is the most followed one which in turn includes Karna Pooran, Karna Dhoopan, Pramarjana, Shirovirechana and dhawana/ Prakshalana. All these procedures can efficiently correct the vitiated Vāta, Pitta and Kapha dosha and thus clears the srotas of Karna (ear) preventing the ear from infection. Some effective procedures for ear pain in Ayurveda are as follows:
- Karnapoorna: It is the procedure of the instillation of the drug in the ear.
- Karna Dhoopan: It involves fumigation of the ear through various ayurvedic medicines for ear pain.
- Pramarjana: It is known as ear cleaning.
- Shirovirechana and dhawana/ Prakshalana: Toileting of ear where the removal of ear wax, discharge, and debris is carried out.
Ayurvedic management of ear pain in Ayurveda
- Laksmi vilasa-rasa- This ayurvedic formulation treats inflammation in the ear. Mix it with honey and consume it.
- Few drops of Bhangra juice mixed with black tulsi poured in the affected ear can provide quick relief.
- Extracting juice of mango leaves or neem leaves and using it as ear drops helps too. These drops are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.
- Roast some dry turmeric in mustard oil, strain it and use it as ear drops. Apply a few drops of this oil into your ear and leave it overnight. Pus formation may stop in a fortnight causing improved hearing.
- Five cloves of garlic crushed and boiled in coconut oil and applied as ear drops are another good option for treating ear infection and pain.
- Jatamansi and ashwagandha, the two most common ayurvedic herbs can be prepared together in the oil. You can use this daily in case of vertigo and tinnitus.
- Ayurveda focuses on treating an individual based on their body type and their doshic imbalance. Ayurveda also recommends avoiding cold and wind conditions while suffering from ear pain. It also recommends avoiding certain foods that aggravate Kapha like curd, banana, sour fruits.
Ear pain in Ayurveda describes various formulations that provide a better approach to treat the disease. But talk to a doctor to understand if Ayurvedic formulations can help open the clogged channels. There are conditions that even Ayurvedic medicines fail to treat the problem. Consult an ENT specialist and get the right treatment for adenoids.
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