Earache

If the ear passage gets dried and crusty due to excess vata, it may start aching. The eardrum may even become tight and painful.

However, before treating earache, it is important to first rule out several possibilities, such as infection (otitis externa or otitis interna), perforated eardrum, or excess wax causing pressure on the ear (see “Earwax”). Having ruled these out, one can then treat the vata problem.

TEA TREE OIL. Begin by pulling down on the lobe of your painful ear. If this hurts, it means there is otitis externa, external ear infection. To heal the infection, take a cotton swab and dip it into tea tree oil, a wonderful natural disinfectant widely available at natural food stores and some pharmacies. Then apply the oil to the ear with the swab.

NOTE: Using plain tea tree oil may create a burning sensation on sensitive skin, so it is usually best to dilute it, using 10 to 20 drops of tea tree oil mixed in 1 ounce of sesame oil.

TEA TREE OIL WITH NEEM. For an even more effective treatment, combine the tea tree oil with neem oil. Here again, don’t use pure neem extract. Mix 10 to 20 drops of neem in sesame oil, then add it to the tea tree oil. Gently apply a few drops of the oil mixture to the ear passage.

ANTIBIOTIC HERBS. At the same time you are treating the infection on the outside with tea tree oil, internally you can take turmeric-echinacea-goldenseal tea:

turmeric 1 part
goldenseal 1 part
echinacea 1 part

Stir ½ teaspoon of this mixture into hot water, steep for a few minutes, and drink. Alternatively, simply swallow ½ teaspoon of the powder mixed in 1 teaspoon of honey. Take 3 times a day after food, for 1 week. This powerful antiseptic, antibiotic formula will help control the ear infection.

ASAFETIDA. You can also take a small amount of cotton, put a pinch of asafetida into it, and roll it into a capsulelike shape. Place that ball of cotton into the outer ear. The fumes of the asafetida will quickly relieve ear pain.

ONION JUICE. Combine 1 teaspoon fresh onion juice with ½ teaspoon honey. Mix well; introduce 5 to 10 drops into the affected ear. The mixture should be room temperature or a little warmer before you put it in your ear.

HEAT. Earache can also be moderated by heat. Take a handkerchief and put it on a warm (not hot) pan, fold it, and place it on the ear to give a little soothing external heat.