Inside This Post: How to use garlic cloves and garlic olive oil for ear infections and to help manage ear pain. Treat ear infections naturally with garlic olive oil. 

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Garlic Clove & Garlic Olive Oil for Ear Infections

As I’m writing this article, we’re dealing with 1) ear ache, 2) water trapped from wax build up and 3) an ear infection. I’m not sure what exactly prompted the string of ear issues, but when I reached for the same natural remedy for everyone’s issue, I knew I needed to share my not-so-secret, yet simple elixir.

Watching your little one suffer from an ear infection and ear pain, is really disheartening. So, before I reach out to any doctor, I always whip up this garlic olive oil because it works well, it works fast and it’s not a pill or antibiotic.

Plus, while antibiotics are often readily prescribed for ear infections, many ear infections are caused by viruses, which are unaffected by antibiotics.

When it comes to natural herbs and remedies to keep in the home for illness, garlic is at the top of my list.

I keep a container of fresh, organic garlic in our pantry because of it’s antiseptic powers, ability to treat ear issues faster than anything else I’ve ever tried, and of course, it tastes delicious in every pasta dish my family begs for.

 

Garlic is a Natural Remedy for Illness & Infection 

Garlic has been used as a natural remedy for thousands of years. There’s even a story from the 15th century about four thieves who were saved from catching the bubonic plague as they notoriously robbed infectious dead bodies, yet miraculously never contracted the highly infectious plague.

Why hadn’t they contracted it themselves and died?

The magistrate offered them a deal – their secret for a reduced sentence. Deciding to take the deal, the thieves told stories of their herbal knowledge and their powerful medicinal properties when combined in certain ways. This specific herbal blend that they had created, concocted from aromatic herbs, was HIGHLY EFFECTIVE in killing all of the airborne bacteria and that included the use of garlic as part of their recipe.

Practical Herbalism continues:

“Garlic was an important ingredient in the famous Vinegar of Four Thieves that protected looters that plundered the bodies and homes of Plague victims. In more recent times, it has gained the status of one of the few herbs universally recognized as a beneficial healer. Prior to the advent of antibiotics, and during wars when they have been in short supply, garlic preparations were used on wounds to prevent infection.

Practical experience and scientific research alike has confirmed its abilities to strengthen immune function, improve circulation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, quell infections and lower fevers. In laboratory studies, garlic has been shown to have direct anti-microbial actions equivalent to many anti-biotic drugs, but without those drugs’ tendency to create resistant strains of pathogens.”

There are almost 6,000 published studies that support garlic’s natural healing ability for everything from prostate cancer to gut health, irritable bowel syndrome and everything in between.

While you can buy garlic in supplements and as dried herbs, the most effective way I’ve found to use it is fresh, raw and organic.

When I feel myself coming down with something or feel a tinge in my throat, one of the first things I do is mince garlic and add it to a glass of water to drink every few hours until my symptoms go away. (and swallow the minced garlic without chewing!)

And when it comes to ear infections, I’ve been using this garlic olive oil remedy for years to ease the pain of ear infections, ease ear wax build up and ear pain, especially for my kids who don’t like, and won’t drink, my garlic in water mixture.

 

Garlic is a Superstar in this Ear Oil Remedy 

Garlic is a natural antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial, and has immune enhancing, blooding thinning and cholesterol lowering effects.

That long list of potency makes it one powerful remedy to fight off illness and infection. It’s one of my favorite natural remedies to always have on hand.

The most powerful component of garlic responsible for it’s amazing abilities is allicin, however the stability of allicin makes your window of effectiveness tricky.

Allicin begins to degrade within 30 minutes of being chopped, pealed or chopped. Allicin is that strong, pungent smell of garlic that burns your nostrils. When you begin cooking garlic or peel a clove, when the smell hits you, that’s the allicin taking effect.

When I want to ensure the garlic olive oil I’m using is most effective, I make a fresh batch each time I need it. (you can save the remaining for salad dressing, bread dip, or a pasta dish.)

Why Garlic Olive Oil Works

Garlic is powerful as a stand alone remedy, but with olive oil, it’s also soothing to pain and infections as well. Olive oil contains potent polyphenols which aid in reducing inflammation, which is why it’s often used as a base for homemade salves.

Together, the potent combination of garlic and olive oil can help ease pain of ear infections and shorten the length of inflammation.

 

Important Note: This natural remedy is very effective, but you need to take one step before you put this, or anything in an ear.

You need to make sure that the ear drum has not ruptured before using this or any other remedy and putting anything in the ear. I have this Dr. Mom Otoscope at home to check everyone’s eardrum before putting anything inside the ear canal. It comes in handy more times than I thought, especially when little ones are tugging on their ear.

 

Garlic Olive Oil Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 4 TBSP olive oil
• 2 Garlic cloves minced

 

Directions: 

• Heat the olive oil until it’s warm. You don’t want it hot or boiling.
• Stir in the minced garlic gloves.
• Once the garlic smell reaches your nose – you don’t want it to sizzle or fry – then, remove the mixture from the stove and let cool for a moment.
• Use immediately once it’s at a comfortable temperate to reap the full benefits of garlic (remember, you have 30 minutes from the time of peeling, chopping or mincing until it’s full potential begins to degrade.
• I use a dropper to gently drop in a small amount at a time. You’ll want to use a cotton ball to keep the liquid from flowing out.
• Repeat every 4-5 hours as needed.

Alternative Methods of Using Garlic to Treat Ear Infection and Pain 

• If you’re short on cooking time or need something on hand, especially if you’re traveling or on vacation, this herbal organic garlic oil is great to keep stocked.
• When anyone has an ear ache, I’ll peel a clove of garlic, use medical tape and secure the glove inside the ear (use a big enough clove that it doesn’t go down the ear canal) and let it sit in the outer ear for an hour or so. You can also sleep with it overnight to help with pain immediately.