Just a little background on my search for a cure...
When my oldest daughter was born, she had quite a few ear infections. I have an aunt who swears that tea oil is the answer. She "used it in her kids ears and it worked." If you hear anyone say this, run away! I learned from sad experience that melaleuca oil is NEVER to be put in the nose, eyes, or ears. It will cause the membranes to blister. Tea oil, also known as melaleuca, is an antiseptic for cleaning wounds - like hydrogen peroxide. Don't put it in your ears to cure otitis media!
Years later, after that whole tea oil episode, I was talking about ear infections with one of my grandmother's friends. She said she had herbal drops that had helped all but two of her daughters' ear infections go away. She gave me a little bottle and said, "just put 2-3 drops in the infected ear every couple hours for a day. You can do it for two days if you really want to be safe." Seriously?! I was so skeptical, that little bottle sat in a box in my closet for nearly two years.
A few years ago, our children - one in particular - began getting lots of ear infections. Our pediatrician told us most ear infections are viral; but, the only way to find out if the infections is caused by a virus or bacteria is to stick a long needle in the ear, draw out the fluid, and test it. They don't like doing this for obvious reasons; so, antibiotics are the prescription.
According to what the pediatrician said, if most ear infections are viral, and medicine can't kill a virus - the common cold for example - then the antibiotics aren't affecting the otitis media in any way anyway.
During the summer, while in my Human Development and Child Psychology classes, I learned that 80% of ear infections are viral, so antibiotics only work for 20% of ear infections. Antibiotics are affective for 1 in 5 ear infections. WHAT?! And, what happens when the body has too much antibiotic? It builds resistance and the antibiotic wont work anyway. Or, in the case of a particular family member, you become allergic to it and experience painful and irritating symptoms when your mother forgets to tell the Dr.. (I will never do that again)!
After learning and experiencing all of this, one of my kids got an ear infection. It was the weekend, the pediatrician was closed. The only thing to do was visit to the ER - and we don't do the ER unless we're dieing or have the potential to die as a result of not going :) Anyway, it's the weekend, and we have an ear infection. I being extremely skeptical, but wondering if there's a chance, dig the little bottle out of the box in my closet. We administer the drops as directed - for two days, just to be safe. And, do you now what happened? The infection went away. We have done this a total of three times now. And, each time the ear infection has gone away.
I wanted to share what this stuff is. If you want to try it, go ahead. If you want to research what I researched, go ahead. (Whatever you do, don't experiment with tea oil in ears)! The mixture that we have used for our last three ear infections is a combination of: olive oil, garlic, mullein, and lobelia. (All liquid - no powder). The first mix I had was home made, the second was purchased at a health foods store. Both worked, although the home made tincture was a lot thicker and smelled stronger. (I would like to learn how to make this).
I just thought maybe, somewhere out there, someone might find this information useful. There's nothing worse than watching one of your kids with an ear infection.
Love you all and good luck on your search for a cure!
July 20, 2015 I do want to add a little comment to this: we've been using these ear drops for years now and they are awesome! And, antibiotics do kill bacteria that begins to grow in mucus in the ear. My oldest recently had an ear infection and we did antibiotics instead of the ear drops and after a few days I asked her what she liked better: ear drops or antibiotics. She prefers the drops because she doesn't have to do them for as long.
July 20, 2015 I do want to add a little comment to this: we've been using these ear drops for years now and they are awesome! And, antibiotics do kill bacteria that begins to grow in mucus in the ear. My oldest recently had an ear infection and we did antibiotics instead of the ear drops and after a few days I asked her what she liked better: ear drops or antibiotics. She prefers the drops because she doesn't have to do them for as long.
