Few things can be as unpleasant as suffering from chronically clogged ears. Doctors warn against using Q-tips to relieve the pressure, but it can be hard to know what else to do. However, there are plenty of benefits for using essential oils for clogged ears.
These all natural plant extracts are a great way to find relief, and they don’t have any negative side effects. However, not all essential oils are the right choice for clogged ears, and some application methods are downright dangerous. To learn the details about how you should best use essential oils for clogged ears, keep reading.
What Causes Clogged Ears?
Clogged ears can be caused by a multitude of factors. Sometimes the problem is as simple as too much ear wax, while other times it’s a symptom of a chronic infection that just won’t go away. The feeling of constantly filled ears that comes with a constant ringing noise and hearing loss is called Meniere’s Disease. In many cases, the first sign of this painful disease is a feeling of overly full ears for no apparent reason.
A buildup of earwax in the ear canal can also lead to problems. While earwax is essential for the health of your ears because it prevents dust and other particles from getting in too deeply, it can also cause hearing loss, pain and itching when it builds up too much and can’t come out.
While most people rely on cotton swabs for relief, this often simply pushes the ear wax in farther and causes larger problems in the long run. To truly find relief from impacted earwax, it’s better to turn towards a non-dangerous solution like using essential oils for clogged ears.
7 Best Essential Oils for Clogged Ears
Thankfully, an all-natural solution for finding relief is to try using essential oils for clogged ears. These oils will loosen out the wax and other particles that are causing you discomfort, making it easier for you to feel like normal in no time. Not all essential oils will work for this process, so make sure to stick with the best essential oils that are best for clogged ears.
1. Tea Tree Oil: With natural antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties, tea tree oil can help kill ear infections and ease your problems in the long run. A few drops is all it takes to cut out your waxy buildup problems at the source so that your ear can heal itself.
2. Olive Oil: Too much earwax in your ear canal is called wax impaction, and it’s one of the main causes of clogged ears. While not technically an essential oil, olive oil can help to soften this wax build up so that it easily falls out of your ears.
To use olive oil for clogged ears, simply pour warm olive oil into a dropper, and drip about three drops into your ear before going to bed. Make sure that the clogged ear faces upwards through the night, and repeat the process for the following three nights. After four nights, replace the olive oil with warm water to loosen and remove the ear wax for good.
3. Garlic Oil: As an all-natural option for clearing clogged ears, garlic oil is naturally antibacterial and great for clearing out congestion. You can also make your own garlic oil from fresh garlic to get the best results for your ears. Simply mash two garlic cloves together and let them stand for 10 minutes. Add about 5tsp of olive oil in to the stove top and slowly warm it up for 10 to 15 minutes so that the potent healing properties of the garlic come out into the olive oil. Take the mixture off the stove and let it cool down until it’s safe to touch. You can then apply it to your ears for 1 minute to help loosen wax and remove the blockage that causes your ears to feel clogged. Next, drain out the oil and enjoy the feeling of unclogged ears!
4. Lavender Oil: If you’re looking for the best essential oils for clogged ears, lavender essential oil should certainly be added to your list. Not only can it relieve pain and ease problems with your nervous and respiratory system, but gently applying lavender oil to the inside of your ears can make a major difference for breaking up earwax and helping you get comfortable again.
5. Alcohol and Apple Cider Vinegar: Again, while apple cider vinegar isn’t an essential oil, it’s extremely useful for treating clogged ears and deserved to be included on this list. Combining rubbing alcohol with vinegar improves the benefits even farther and makes it useful for dealing with bacterial infections that are a leading cause of clogged ears. To get the best benefits out of the combination, simply mix together equal parts of apple cider vinegar and alcohol and add a few drops to your affected ear before sitting down for about 10 minutes to let it set. After this time, the ear wax should be easy to remove with a Qtip.
6. Eucalyptus Oil and Rosemary Oil: When used together, these two oils make a powerful combination for treating clogged ears naturally. Eucalyptus oil should be used first, as a few drops in the ear canal will help prepare the ear by opening the Eustachian tube. After a few minutes, you can add a few drops of Rosemary oil to fight off any bacterial or viral infections that are causing you ear pain. For sensitive ears, it can be better to mix the oils with a carrier oil so that they aren’t as strong in the ear canal. It’s also smart to treat both ears, even when only one is giving you problems. This helps balance out the body and prevent other problems from happening.
7. Oregano Oil: As a natural way to fight infections, oregano oil can keep your ears feeling unclogged and comfortable with regular use. Because it’s so potent, this oil is best mixed with a carrier oil to dilute it. Mix one drop of oregano oil to 1-oz of carrier oil and apply some of the mixture to a cotton ball. Put the cotton ball as close to the entrance of your ear canal as you can, and keep it there for several minutes so that the oil has time to work.
How to Use Essential Oils for Clogged Ears
It’s never a good idea to drip essential oils directly into your ear drum. Most oils are surprisingly strong, and they can cause serious damage to your ear drums if you put too much in. For this reason, it’s a smart idea to mix most oils with a carrier oil to dilute them, or even to use an oil diffuser instead. These diffusers are designed to spread the scent of essential oils through a room so that multiple people can enjoy the scent. To get the best benefits for your clogged ears, make sure to stand near the diffuser for several minutes at a time.