Homeopathic Medicines for Swimmer’s Ear 

Swimmer’s ear refers to an infection in the ear canal that connects outside of the ear to the eardrum. This condition is also known as otitis externa. This condition mostly arises from moisture in the ear that remains after swimming, bathing or showering. This moisture provides an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and leads to this condition. This condition can be acute means that last for less than 6 weeks or can be chronic means that lasts for more than 3 months. Homeopathic medicines for swimmer’s ear reduce the inflammation, swelling of the ear canal and prevent further progression of the condition.

Homeopathic Medicines for Swimmer’s Ear 

Homeopathy offers very effective treatment for ear infections including swimmer’s ear. Homeopathic remedies boost the body’s self healing mechanism to fight with the bacterial infection which is causing swimmers’ ears and bring natural recovery in such cases. They also help in relieving its symptoms promptly. The symptoms including pain in ear, itching in ear and fullness sensation in ear are managed wonderfully with these. Additionally they also help to reduce the ear discharges in these cases. The homeopathic medicines for treating swimmer’s ear are natural and are very safe to use among people of all age groups. 

To Manage Pain in Ear

Belladonna – For Acute Inflammation

Belladonna is prepared from the plant deadly nightshade of the family Solanaceae. To prepare the homeopathic medicine, this whole plant when beginning to flower is used. It is very effective for acute inflammation of the external ear. It is a top grade medicine to manage pain in the ear in these cases. For using it the pain in the ear can be tearing, stitching, boring or sharp in nature. It is violent in intensity. This pain can radiate from the external ear to the side of the face. Sometimes difficulty in hearing may appear with this.

Chamomilla – For Earache with Soreness 

Chamomilla is prepared from a plant named Matricaria chamomilla. This plant belongs to the family Compositae. Use of this medicine is considered when there is earache along with soreness, swelling and heat in the ear. The pain is mostly stitching in nature where it is required. A sensation as if ears are stopped frequently attends pain.

Pulsatilla – For Severe Pain that gets Worse at Night 

This is another natural medicine prepared from plant Pulsatilla Nigricans commonly known as wind flower or pasque flower. This plant belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. It is a prominent medicine when pain in the ear is very severe and gets worse at night. The pain can be tearing, darting, shooting, stitching or pulsating type. Along with this, marked redness, swelling of the external ear is present. Intense itching in the ear also accompanies this. In many cases discharge of non offensive mucus or pus from the ear is present. There may be diminished hearing along with sensation of stoppage of the ear along with above symptoms.

Aconite – For Reddening of External Ear 

This medicine is prepared from plant Aconitum Napellus commonly known as monkshood. It belongs to family ranunculaceae. It is well indicated when there is pain in the ear and the external ear is very red and hot. The pain in cases needing it are mainly tearing or stinging type.

To Manage Itching in Ear

Hepar Sulph – For Discharge from the Ear 

Hepar Sulph is a very effective medicine to manage cases with itching in the ear. In such cases green discharge or offensive pus discharge from the ear is often present. Darting pain in the ear is another accompanying symptom.

Tellurium – For Throbbing Pain with Itching 

This is another valuable medicine to manage ear itching. People needing it also have pain in the ear which is a throbbing type. This pain continues day and night. Swelling and burning sensation in the ear is also present. A copious, thin, watery discharge from ears appears with above symptoms. This discharge can be yellow in colour. It has an offensive smell. Hearing can be impaired with this. 

Kali Bichrome – For Inflamed External Ear 

Kali Bichrome also offers great help to manage itching of the ear. Along with this the external ear is inflamed, swollen and red with heated sensation. Another symptom that attends it is violent stitching, stinging or pulsating pain in the ear. In most cases requiring it the pain from the ear extends to the side of the head and neck. Lastly a thick, yellow, offensive discharge from the ear arises with this.

For Managing Ear Discharges

Kali Mur – For White Discharge 

It is a leading medicine to manage ear discharges. Persons needing it mainly complain of white discharge from the ear along with pain. Lastly, they may also experience impaired hearing.

Psorinum – For Thin, Offensive Discharge 

Psorinum is the next prominent medicine for cases in which a very offensive thin discharge from the ear is present. It can be yellowish or brownish in colour. This is accompanied with severe pain in the ear. External ear is also sore. Itching in ears is also prominent with this. The itching is severe and it worsens in the evening. 

Silicea – For Pus Discharge with Swelling 

This medicine is beneficial to manage pus discharges from the ear with swelling of the external ear. Along with this pain in my ear arises. This pain can be drawing, shooting, aching, boring or stitching type. Other symptoms attending it includes stoppage of ears and decreased hearing.

Merc Sol – For Yellow/Green Discharge 

This medicine works well when yellow or green offensive discharges from the ear are present. They may also be pus like. With this tearing, stinging, throbbing or shooting pain in ears is prominent. The pain can extend to the head and face too. Pain is worse at night time mostly. A sensation of fullness and stoppage in the ear attends. Itching in ears is also marked along with difficulty in hearing.

Graphites – For Thin, Watery Discharge 

Graphites is a very useful medicine for cases having thin watery discharges from the ear. These discharges can be gluey, sticky in nature. They may be bad smelling too. Stitching type of pain accompanies this.

Causes 

The most common cause of swimmer’s ear is a bacteria that enters the ear canal. Less commonly it can arise from fungal or viral agents.
Moisture in the ear, depletion of ear wax and breaks in the skin that lines the ear canal predisposes a person to swimmer’s ear. Ear wax (cerumen) acts as a defence agent of the ears that keep them clean and fight off germs to prevent infection. This wax creates a thin film inside the ear that repels water and is mildly acidic that prevents flourishing of bacteria in the ear. But excess of moisture in the ear or scratching ear canal while cleaning can reduce the protective wax and cause breaks in skin favouring bacterial growth.

There are some factors that put a person at risk of swimmer’s ear. These firstly include swimming (mainly in water highly infested with bacteria), excessive sweating that causes moisture in the ear and can allow the bacteria to grow. 

Next is harsh cleaning of the ear canal with ear buds, hair pins, keys etc. and wearing hearing aid, using headphones that can cause trauma and break in delicate skin lining the inside of the ear canal favouring bacterial growth. 

Another factor is skin problems like psoriasis and skin allergies (like from jewellery, hair dye, cosmetics). 

Symptoms 

Initially the symptoms of swimmer’s ear are mild but if not treated in time they tend to become severe. The symptoms include itching in the ear, pain in ear and drainage of fluid from ear. The intensity of itching varies from mild to intense as per the severity of case. The pain also varies in intensity from mild discomfort to severe pain. The intensity keeps increasing from mild to moderate to severe as the infection advances. 

In case of severe infection the pain is very intense and can radiate to face, head or neck. The fluid draining from ear can be very slight to excessive. It can be clear odourless, or pus. 

With the above symptoms, there is redness in the ear and the outer ear may also be swollen and hot. Feeling of fullness inside your ear, muffled / decreased hearing may also arise. In advanced stage fever and swelling in lymph nodes of neck can occur.

Children are more prone to get outer ear infections because they have smaller ear canal as compared to adults that cause difficulty in proper drainage of fluid out from their ears. Children who spend excessive time in water are specifically more at risk. The young children who can’t speak might pull the ear, cry on touching ear, have fluid draining from ear. They may be irritable, cranky and cry a lot and can’t sleep properly.

Complications 

Most times these cases recover quickly with treatment. However sometimes complications can occur. 

The first complication is temporary hearing loss. 
Second there are chances of this infection to become chronic that continues for more than three months. The chances to become chronic are high if the infective agent is a rare bacteria, or the condition arises from an allergic skin reaction and if the person has dermatitis or psoriasis.
Next rare but serious complications include infection in deep layers of skin, damage to bone and cartilage surrounding the ear canal and spread of infection to the brain or nearby nerves.