When the weather gets colder outside, it is not unusual to stay in more frequently. This is not only true when it comes to staying at home, we also tend to stay in at shopping malls and our children stay in at school. As a result, germs spread more easily from one person to another.
Although germs can cause a wide variety of illnesses, earaches are a common problem, especially during the colder months. Fortunately, you don’t need to continue to put up with earaches indefinitely. This simple home remedy is not only helpful, it is going to provide you with sweet relief.
It All Starts with a Sock
The pain associated with an ear infection can be quite miserable but this home remedy, recommended by at least one doctor, may be able to help. More than likely, you have what you need to get started, because it starts with a clean, white sock.
Make It Salty
You are also going to need some course Epson salt. Epson salt has been used for ages for a variety of aches and pains and treating an earache is no exception. You will need to fill the foot part of the sock, so 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Epson salt should suffice.
Bring Them Together
Pour the Epson salt through the opening of the sock. You can stretch out the sock to give plenty of room or you can use a funnel to avoid any spillage. Using kosher salt with a coarse grain will help to keep the salt from slipping through the fabric.
Make It Tight
Add a knot or two to the neck of the sock to keep the salt inside.
Warm It Up
Heat the sock in a skillet over medium heat, flipping the sock occasionally to ensure that it doesn’t burn. You want the salt to be warm to the touch but not hot. Incidentally, a white sock is preferred because a dark sock may contain dyes that could burn easily. It is also possible to heat the sock in your microwave but the salt could burn quickly, so do it in 5 second increments.
That’s Better!
This is where the magic occurs. Place the warm sock against the ear that is hurting and watch the pain begin to go away. You can continue to reuse the sock over and over again by reheating it in the skillet. The sock may get worn over time and if it does, add the salt to another sock and continue the process.
Although this treatment may not replace antibiotics, and it will not make the ear infection go away, it can give some relief for the pain. Not only will they experience the benefit of pain relief, it will help you to feel better about things as well.
(Images: Webmd, Patchoguechiropractic)
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