How to use propolis tincture for otitis media in children

Symptoms

What does the expression mean? The child’s ears are blocked: many people understand its meaning differently, and because of this, confusion and confusion occurs. Symptoms of this phenomenon usually manifest themselves as follows:

• Blunt pain;
• hearing impairment;
• sensation of a foreign body in the ears;
• feeling of discomfort: often the child’s ears become blocked, but they do not hurt;
• headache;
• ripples in the eyes;
• nasal congestion;
• noise and ringing in the ears;
• dizziness;
• when swallowing, pain begins, so small children, when their ears are blocked, often refuse to eat;
• lethargy, weakness, irritability, insomnia, lack of appetite;
• in a neglected state, even purulent discharge is observed.

If these symptoms are present, you need to try to understand why the child’s ears are blocked: this will allow you to take the necessary measures as quickly as possible and alleviate the baby’s condition.

How to understand if your baby is in pain

Children experience ear pain for many reasons. The main symptom most often becomes the anatomical structure of the auricle and meatus. It is known that the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear cavity and the nasopharynx, is not yet fully formed in children. Therefore, through this cavity, a large number of microbes penetrate into the baby’s body, which cause inflammation not only of the nasal cavity, but also of the ear organ.

If the baby does not have a temperature, it is too early to calm down, since this symptom can occur with otitis of the external ear or in the case of such serious illnesses as perforation of the eardrum or inflammation of the lymph nodes. It is strictly forbidden to ignore the disease , otherwise you may deprive your baby of the ability to hear.

Due to age restrictions, very young children cannot tell their parents about pain. So they start screaming and crying heart-rendingly. Parents can figure out what happened to the baby with the help of palpation. Use gentle movements to touch the baby's head and ears, while lightly touching the tragus. When a baby cries, you can understand the beginning of an inflammatory process in the ears.

In this case, you cannot hesitate. Urgently seek advice from a specialist and begin a course of treatment.

The child’s ears are blocked: why, what to do and what means to treat?

Ear congestion is an ambiguous symptom. Both adults and children encounter it. The ears of a small child must be especially protected from negative factors to avoid inflammation. Children's ears are vulnerable and susceptible to inflammation. Where an adult’s body can overcome an infection, a child’s body may not be able to cope, and as a result the child will complain that his ears hurt. It happens that the problem goes away on its own, there is no need to do anything, but you should not neglect the symptom. If your baby’s ears are blocked or he is not feeling well, then visiting an otolaryngologist is a necessary measure. Prepare your child mentally so that he is not afraid.

Why can my ears get clogged?

What are the reasons for a stuffy ear? There are a lot of them. Children often complain of ear congestion after swimming, during a cold, or after walking outside. These are the factors that can provoke inflammation against the background of weakened immunity.

If your child's ears are blocked, but nothing hurts, go for a consultation with a doctor. Perhaps the whole point is not good enough cleansing. It is important to maintain hygiene and wash your ears and wipe them with a damp cotton swab to avoid ear problems that lead to hearing impairment.

Why does a child have stuffy ears? Below is a list of possible reasons:

Is ear congestion always accompanied by pain?

Ear congestion is not necessarily accompanied by pain. Does not cause pain:

• ear plug formed due to poor or improper hygiene;
• minor mechanical damage to the auricle;
• getting water or small objects into your ears;
• beginning rhinitis;
• problems that arise after taking certain medications.

If the ear hurts, this indicates inflammation or serious damage. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Possible reasons

A variety of factors can cause ear congestion. Small children may complain of this symptom after water procedures, games, during a cold, etc. Sometimes their ears become blocked for no apparent reason. It is more difficult to identify the problem in infants, since they cannot complain of feeling unwell. Periodically check your baby's reaction to sounds at the usual volume: if he does not respond to them, this may indicate a decrease in sound perception.

When a child often has blocked ears without any particular reason, the matter may be associated with anatomical anomalies, for example, a deviated nasal septum.

If your child has a blocked ear, but it does not hurt, most likely the problem is related to hygiene or the characteristics of his body. It is recommended to undergo a preventive examination by a pediatrician; the doctor will tell you what to do.

If your clogged ears are accompanied by symptoms such as fever, malaise, or headache, consult a doctor immediately. Nothing can be done without his consultation. This is especially true for situations where the ear hurts and the unpleasant sensations radiate to neighboring organs.

Ear congestion as a symptom of disease

Often the cause of ear congestion lies in the development of some disease. Among the most common are the following.

Full list of reasons

In order to eliminate the problem, it is necessary to first determine the cause of its occurrence.

There are quite a few factors that can cause ear congestion. Among the most common are the following:

• Change in atmospheric pressure level. This is one of the most common reasons. This includes not only flying on an airplane, but also being in the subway or a banal climb up a mountain.
• Runny nose. Ear congestion can act as a symptom of a child developing a runny nose. This is due to the fact that with a runny nose, swelling of the nasopharynx is observed, which automatically entails blocking of the Eustachian tube in the ear and its congestion.
• Otitis. Ear congestion can be accompanied by quite severe pain. At the same time, the child cries a lot and is capricious. Otitis externa almost never causes the ear to become blocked. It is a completely different matter when a child develops otitis media or internal otitis.

• Presence of sulfur plugs. They act as a kind of partition of the ear canal, which causes a feeling of ear congestion.
• Deviation of the nasal septum.
• Presence of a third party item. Children often insert foreign bodies into their ears or nose while playing. If they are not removed in time, this can lead to ear congestion or other quite serious problems.
• Water that got into the ear while swimming. This problem is especially common when bathing newborn babies.

Ear congestion as a symptom of disease

Often the cause of ear congestion lies in the development of some disease. Among the most common are the following.

Runny nose

The nasopharynx is connected to the ear through a special canal - the Eustachian tube.

If the child is not sick, air moves freely through this channel, and in the middle ear the pressure level is equal to atmospheric pressure.

With a runny nose, swelling of the mucous membrane develops. This leads to nasal blockage. The air is no longer able to move freely. The pressure in the middle ear cavity increases by several points. This provokes a feeling of ear congestion.

How to help your child

Recommendations on what to do in a particular situation can vary dramatically. It is not recommended to take any action until the exact cause is determined.

If you find wax plugs, you can get rid of the problem at home. This kind of trouble happens quite often in children. A solution of furatsilin or hydrogen peroxide will help to wash away the dirt, but in order not to risk the child’s health, it is better to contact a specialist who will clean the child’s ears in just 10 minutes.

If your ear is not only blocked, but also hurts, you cannot do without a visit to an ENT specialist. Most likely, the reason is inflammation, and therefore doing home procedures with washing and warming is strictly prohibited. Warming compresses can be used only for catarrhal otitis media. After suppuration develops, heating the ears is prohibited. But instead it is necessary to do antibacterial treatment. The doctor will prescribe medications that will reduce pain, inflammation and swelling, and destroy bacteria and infections.

For runny nose and allergies, vasoconstrictor nasal drops are used. It is also recommended to rinse to get rid of mucus, but only if the discharge is not too dense. To relieve swelling and eliminate the influence of allergens, antihistamines are taken. As soon as the swelling of the nasopharynx subsides, the ears will return to normal.

If your ears are blocked due to a deformed eardrum, the doctor will prescribe a minor surgical intervention. To remove accumulations of exudate, the membrane is punctured. And when the membrane is retracted, it is necessary to blow through the Eustachian tube to equalize the pressure.

If the nasal septum is deviated or adenoids develop, surgical intervention will be required. Operations of this type are carried out quite often. They involve correcting defects that lead to ear congestion. To straighten the nasal septum, modern approaches to surgery make it possible to perform all the necessary manipulations without cutting tissue.

If the problem is changes in blood pressure in a child, there is no need to do anything about the ears. To alleviate his condition, use natural medicines, that is, food. A piece of dark chocolate will raise your blood pressure, while milk will lower it. Non-standard approaches such as:

• music therapy;
• walks in the open air;
• physiotherapy;
• massage;
• swimming lessons;
• good sleep;
• acupuncture;
• taking vitamins;
• setting a daily routine.

You can help your child cope with discomfort if you know the exact cause. Otherwise, you will only aggravate the situation and provoke the development of any disease.

Almost every mother faces the problem of ear congestion in her child. This is an unpleasant phenomenon that brings significant discomfort to the child and leads to hearing loss.

Before starting treatment, you need to determine why your child’s ears are blocked.

The most common causes of ear congestion in children are:

• presence of sulfur plug;
• water getting into the ear canal when swimming;
• colds;
• ARVI;
• inflammation of the middle ear;
• eustachitis;
• foreign particle in the ear;
• runny nose;
• a sharp change in atmospheric pressure (during movement in mountainous areas or during a flight).

Treatment for ear congestion due to a cold includes the following measures:

1. Rinsing the nasal cavity. To do this, use saline solutions (Humer, Aquamaris). They help remove excess mucous secretions from the auditory tube and relieve its swelling. However, you should not wash it too often. It is enough to carry out the procedure twice a day.
2. If the child is already big enough, invite him to inflate the balloon. This method will help with colds without a runny nose.
3. Salt compress. Heat kitchen salt in a frying pan, then wrap it in a piece of thick cloth and apply it to the child’s blocked ear.
4. Beetroot compress. To do this, you need to peel it, cut it into small pieces and boil it in water with the addition of honey. The boiled mixture is ground and bandages are applied to the blocked ear.
5. Application of propolis and almond oil. The components are mixed in equal proportions, a cotton swab or swab is moistened in them, and placed in the child’s ear canal before bedtime. This procedure must be done every day for two weeks.
6. Almond or nut oil is heated and dropped into the stuffy ear. A bandage should be applied on top to prevent the solution from leaking out.
7. Chamomile infusion. Add a teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers to 200 milliliters of water, boil and leave for a couple of hours. Then filter and instill the resulting infusion into the ear 3 times a day.
8. The use of phytocandles. A fairly effective method for relieving ear congestion during a cold. However, do not forget that candles stimulate the formation of earwax.

Relief from ear congestion due to rhinitis:

1. When you have a runny nose, the main task is to reduce swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and auditory tube. First of all, the child needs to blow his nose well. Then vasoconstrictor drops are instilled into the nose. It would be a good idea to perform a special exercise to help alleviate the condition.

   The child should hold his nose with his fingers and try to exhale. Then you need to swallow saliva several times. When you exhale, your ears may become even more clogged. Don't be afraid. After swallowing movements it will become much easier. This exercise for a runny nose can be done several times a day.

2. Sharp inhalations and exhalations relieve the condition of a runny nose. In this case, a slight pop should be heard.
3. Swallowing exercise. The child should collect more saliva and swallow it. The exercise is repeated 5-6 times. A popping sound may also be heard.
4. If a child has blocked ears due to a runny nose, rinsing the nose with saline solution will help. After rinsing, vasoconstrictor drops are instilled into the nasal passages. You need to do the procedure 2-3 times a day until your hearing is restored.
5. To relieve ear congestion during a runny nose, it is recommended to regularly blow your nose. You cannot draw mucus into yourself. This can only worsen the situation and lead to inflammation of the auditory tubes.

Treatment of ear congestion caused by a foreign body.

If the ear is blocked due to a foreign object (which is especially common in children), you need to contact an otolaryngologist, who will pull it out using special tools.

You should not carry out this procedure yourself, as this can push the foreign particle further and damage the eardrum.

Getting rid of a plug that caused a feeling of congestion:

1. If your child has a wax plug, you can try to remove it yourself. The child is placed on the side of the healthy ear, and a few drops of a softening solution are instilled into the blocked ear. The easiest way to do this is to use hydrogen peroxide. After softening, the wax will flow out of the ear and hearing will be restored. For these purposes, you can also use special pharmaceutical compositions, for example, A-cerumen.
2. Another way to remove the plug is to rinse the ear with warm water or a weak antiseptic solution (furacilin). Liquid is drawn into a special syringe and released into the ear canal. If you have never done this, it is better to consult a doctor. He will rinse quickly and painlessly.

How to remove congestion from sinusitis?

If ear congestion in a child provokes the development of a disease such as sinusitis, experts recommend using complex therapy. It includes:

1. Nasal drops. As a rule, Naphthyzin, Sanorin, Tizin, Vibrocil are used for sinusitis. The result of their action is to relieve swelling of the nasopharynx and reduce the inflammatory process. If the course of treatment does not give a positive result after 6-7 days, you should change therapy.
2. Ear drops. The most commonly used drops are Otipax, Rivanol, Otium. They can only be used if the disease is already at a strong stage of development. This is due to the fact that they contain potent drugs.
3. Compresses. You can also relieve the inflammatory process and get rid of pain from ear congestion as a result of sinusitis by using alcohol or salt compresses. If your baby has an elevated body temperature, it is not recommended to apply compresses.

What to do to relieve congestion?

An otolaryngologist should treat the ears. However, there are cases when you can do without consulting a doctor.

If your ears are blocked due to pressure changes or loud music, the sensation will go away on its own after the irritant is eliminated. If water gets into the auditory tube, it is enough to jump, tilt your head towards the blocked ear, and then blot it with a towel to remove the water. You can also gently massage the ear with your palm until the fluid comes out.

To prevent the formation of wax plugs, it is enough to regularly clean your ears with a cotton swab. This should be done carefully, without going too deep inside the auditory tube to avoid damaging it. To avoid this, it is strictly forbidden to use cotton swabs.

If a plug does form, you can remove it at home only by first softening it (for more details, see the article: what to do at home if plugs have formed in your child’s ears?). To do this, instill a solution of hydrogen peroxide or slightly warmed vegetable oil (2 drops each) into the ear. Then you need to stuff your ear with cotton wool for 5 minutes. After this, rinse the ear with a warm (not hot!) weak solution of potassium permanganate using a syringe without a needle and remove any remaining residue. Experts, however, consider home methods dangerous and recommend seeking qualified medical help. It is also undesirable to remove foreign objects from the ear on your own. At the same time, there is a danger of pushing them even deeper.

If your ears are blocked due to rhinitis, it is necessary to treat the root cause. To quickly relieve symptoms, you can ask your child to inflate a balloon. Rinsing the nose with saline solution will also have a beneficial effect. These methods can only be used for older children.

Self-medication of any inflammatory processes in the ears, especially if they hurt, is strictly prohibited. This is fraught with serious complications. You must consult a doctor and strictly follow all recommendations.

Clogged ears with a runny nose, what to do?

Any course of medical therapy should be started only after consultation with a specialist. Treatment of ear congestion is carried out symptomatically. The course of drugs depends entirely on the cause that provoked the disease.

Pharmacy drops

All types of drops that are prescribed for ear congestion can be divided into 2 groups:

1. Vasoconstrictors. This group of drops is used if the cause of the disease is a violation of free air circulation. These include drugs such as Nazol, Vibrocil, Rinonorm. Please note that these drops have a temporary effect. This means that symptoms will return within 5 to 11 hours.
2. Anti-inflammatory. This group includes Otinum and Otipax. They are prescribed only if the child is diagnosed with otitis media. In all other cases, their action will not have a positive result.

These drugs can only be used if prescribed by a specialist.

Alcohol compress

In order to achieve regeneration of tissues damaged by the disease, it is necessary to dilate the blood vessels. This can be achieved through the use of alcohol compresses. They help eliminate the inflammatory process and also help get rid of pain.

To prepare it, it is recommended to follow the following sequence of actions:

• Fold gauze or thin cloth in several layers. Make a cut in its middle part, the size of which corresponds to the size of the child’s ear.
• Using this principle, prepare cotton wool and a plastic napkin.
• Dilute alcohol with water 1:1.

• Soak gauze in the solution and squeeze it out a little.
• Place a damp layer of gauze on the ear so that it lies around the child's ear.
• Place a polyethylene napkin on top and then cotton wool.
• Secure the compress with a warm handkerchief or scarf.

After 2–2.5 hours, the compress must be removed.

When using alcohol compresses, it is worth considering that if a child has a high temperature, it is strictly prohibited to use such a remedy.

In addition, if a child is prescribed a course of antiviral drugs, the parallel use of alcohol compresses can speed up the speed of their action and speed up the baby’s recovery.

How to help

Sometimes you can help your child at home if there is a suspicion of non-dangerous causes for the development of such a condition.

Procedure No. 1

• make a cotton swab and clean the ear canal. You can first drop a drop of vegetable oil into the ear canal.
• make a small cotton swab and moisten it with a salt solution, squeeze it out and place it in the child’s ear.
• apply a warm compress.
• Place the baby on its side so that the affected ear is down.

There are many ways to normalize the baby's condition. Parents can choose any one for themselves. It is important to measure your body temperature; before performing such actions, the thermometer readings must be normal.

Procedure No. 2

• rinse the nasal cavity with saline solution. You can use pharmaceutical products designed specifically for this;
• spray the liquid from the bottle into each nasal passage in turn;
• ask the baby to blow his nose well.

Such actions will clean the auditory tube and remove discharge from this area. The swelling will also become noticeably less. Doctors also recommend that children inflate balloons if ear congestion occurs. Such manipulations will help when the condition occurs due to a cold.

Procedure No. 3

• buy phytosuppositories at the pharmacy, the use of which is necessary only when wax plugs form in the ear;
• prepare a small container with water, napkins and several cotton wool flagella;
• insert a candle into the baby’s ear and light the tip on top;
• wait until the fire reaches a special mark, remove the candle and extinguish it in a container of water;
• Gently clean the baby's ear with a cotton swab.

If you do not have the skills to use such a product, then it is better to take your child to a doctor. The doctor will do the same procedure professionally.

Features of application

Any sudden pain in the auditory canal requires a visit to an otolaryngologist. The fact is that it can be a symptom of a violation of the integrity of the drum membrane. In this case, unauthorized use of the tincture is not only ineffective, but also dangerous. If it enters the internal organ of hearing, vestibular disorders may develop.

Propolis should be used for ear pain only in combination with traditional medications prescribed by a doctor. On its own, it is not able to overcome the active inflammation occurring in the organ of hearing. As a result, the disease may become chronic or the course of ear pathology may worsen.

For adults

Some people treated with propolis complained of a worsening condition. The reason is not the lack of effectiveness of traditional methods, but their incorrect application. It is important to consider the following factors:

• instill the product at room temperature. Cold liquid causes discomfort and impairs the absorption of nutrients. To warm the drops, hold the bottle a little in your palms or dip it in warm water;
• Do not increase the recommended frequency of use. Like other medications, propolis tincture can cause overdose;
• if the pain is severe, it is recommended to drip the tincture into the ears and at the same time make compresses with propolis.

For children

Is it possible to drip propolis into children's ears? This question interests many parents. The alcohol solution is not prohibited even for infants, only a weaker concentration is used than for adults. Before instilling the extract, it is diluted with boiled water in a 1:1 ratio. This helps prevent burns and irritation of sensitive baby skin.

It is important to consider hypersensitivity reactions. The younger the baby, the greater their likelihood.

Complications and consequences of a stuffy ear

For the most part, hearing loss that occurs in a child is quite dangerous, since if you ignore its treatment or do the procedures prescribed by a specialist incorrectly, it takes on a chronic course and can threaten the development of serious complications :

• The most dangerous situation is when parents ignore ear congestion caused by an inflammatory process. In this case, the inflammation takes on a recurrent nature and threatens to end in meningitis, purulent damage to the child’s brain.
• Another complication of the pathological phenomenon may be a rupture of the eardrum, which can lead to complete loss of hearing and open access for pathogenic microflora to the membranes of the brain.
• Incorrect or insufficient treatment provokes the development of persistent hearing loss, which will then be very difficult to get rid of.

Important! In order to prevent dangerous complications, parents whose children often have blocked ears should consult a doctor about any therapeutic measures taken independently, and strictly follow all the doctor’s treatment recommendations. Only in this case there is a real chance to relieve the baby of ear congestion without causing any complications.

The effectiveness of propolis for otitis media

Propolis is a hard, waxy substance, dark in color with a greenish or brown tint. This is tree wax processed under the action of enzymes. It was noticed that before laying eggs, bees treat the honeycomb with it, supposedly cleaning it and preparing it for reproduction. After this, the API product began to be studied, and its effectiveness in combating a number of problems was proven.

Propolis is used as an antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and immunostimulating agent.

Such a wide spectrum of action is due to the rich composition of the apiproduct, which includes:

• essential oils;
• vitamins of groups E, A, B, C;
• amino acids;
• flavonoids;
• plant pollen;
• minerals and trace elements;
• bee enzymes.

Propolis for otitis helps reduce the activity of the inflammatory process due to antimicrobial and antiviral effects, healing and restoration of damaged tissues, strengthening local immunity, and reducing pain.

Treatment of otitis media with propolis is carried out only after consultation with your doctor. The use of the apiproduct is permitted as an auxiliary therapy to the main treatment. It is necessary to treat a bacterial infection with antibacterial drugs; propolis, as proven by doctors, enhances their effect. You cannot prescribe medications on your own; otitis media is a life-threatening disease; incorrectly selected therapy will aggravate the condition and lead to serious complications.

Why is self-medication dangerous?

By self-medicating any disease, especially in children, there is a high probability of aggravating the underlying disease, transforming it into a chronic or erased form.

When it comes to ear pain in childhood, most often they mean otitis media in children as the most likely cause. So what will happen if acute otitis in childhood is not treated correctly and on time?

1. The transition of an acute form of a disease to a chronic or recurrent one, its latent or protracted course.
2. Persistent hearing loss up to deafness.
3. Serious complications: otoanthritis, labyrinthitis, otogenic meningitis, thrombosis of the cerebral venous sinuses, brain abscesses and others.

Aqueous solution for otitis media

An aqueous solution of propolis is no less effective for otitis media. To prepare it, 10 grams of crushed apiproduct is poured with 100 milliliters of boiling water, cooled to a temperature of 45 degrees. The mixture is infused for two hours and filtered. This drug is used in the form of drops, applying 2 in each ear three times a day. An aqueous solution is safer in terms of irritation, especially when used in children.

Another well-known treatment method for otitis media is rinsing with a propolis solution. To prepare the drug, 10-20 grams of the substance are taken per liter of boiled, cooled water, mixed, and filtered. Using a syringe, the ear canal is washed under pressure. Such manipulation can only be carried out if the eardrum is intact.