Any infection including ear infection during pregnancy should be treated with caution. Any medication taken during those nine months can generally have some effect on the child to be born.
Generally most ear infections are fungal infections. If you are prone to getting ear infections in normal times then there are high probabilities that you get an ear infection while pregnant. Home remedies are safer bets before taking prescribed medication!
The best treatment is to prevent it from happening. During your pregnancy period take extra precautions to prevent ear infection. Keep your ear clean and dry after taking shower.
All three layers of ear, outer, middle and inner can get infected by fungus, bacteria and viruses. A sinus infection can lead to an ear infection. Whatever is the cause of ear infection, it is important that it is treated immediately.
Untreated ear infection can lead to deafness and other complications.
Pregnancy means you now have to treat two bodies. Treatment of one body shouldn't adversely affect the other. Usually certain harsh medications which may be alright for the mother may not be good for the development of the child inside her womb.
That is why if the natural home remedies can cure infections effectively then there is no need to take those harsh medications. As a first line of defense it is wise to try natural remedies but under the supervision of a doctor, so that if it is not working then other suitable track can be followed by the doctor.
1. Vinegar for Ear Infection
Vinegar is found to be a good fighter of all kinds of fungus.Both Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar will do the job well.
We will focus on white vinegar here. The application of Apple Cider Vinegar is similar. A mixture of white vinegar and water in equal quantity may make the vinegar diluted enough to not cause any trouble and yet remain potent to clean the year.
- Take one teaspoon of white vinegar in a cup
- Add one teaspoon of water and mix it well
- Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and put it on a ear.
- You must lie down keeping your head in such a way that the infected ear is on top and the other ear is on the pillow.
- Put the vinegar soaked cotton ball in the infected ear as an ear plug and stay in the position for about 15 minutes. Then turn the head remove the liquid.
- Use air drier to completely dry your year.
The vinegar acts on the fungus during those 15 minutes, and takes it out during the ear drainage process. Do it 2 times a day. You should get rid of your ear infection within 2-3 days.
You can also put the mixture inside the ear with a dropper by keeping your head on one side. Wiggle it and then cover the ear with cotton. Keep the head in the same position for 15 minutes and then remove the cotton. Use ear buds to clean the year.
If your second ear is also infected, then do the same 15 minute procedure to the second ear also. If this doesn't work then see your doctor.
2. Salt Bag for Ear Infection
Ear infection during pregnancy can also be caused by cough and cold or sinus infection. This type of infection is very painful. Pain can be relieved to some extent by keeping the warm water bottle or warm salt bag on the hurting year.
This is more of a pain relieving method then actual treatment, because the treatment of cough and cold or sinus infection will treat the ear infection also. Focus is such cases has to be on pain relief.
- heat up about 100gm of salt on a pan
- put it on a clean cotton cloth and seal it inside the cloth with a knot or with the help of a rubber band to make a pack.
- test the warmness of the salt pack on your hand and if the heat is bearable, then apply it on the paining ear.
- Keep dabbing it on the ear until the salt loses its heat.
You can also use hot compress.
Bacterial infections of ear always require medical attention. During pregnancy your doctor is the best judge to balance out the treatment and its possible side effects on the child.