5 home remedies for ear infections as Adele calls pain 'worse than childbirth'

Ear infections can be a nuisance when left untreated, but there are several home remedies that can ease some of the discomfort.

Adele has recently spoken about the agony of a rare ear infection that felt "worse than childbirth" and left her a "bit deaf" in one ear.

The 36-year-old singer came into contact with a rare water bacteria in Munich and it caused an ear infection which she called "the most painful thing that’s ever happened to me."

Speaking on stage in Las Vegas the star admitted it was "very hard to treat" especially after she’d been prescribed "the wrong antibiotics" which left her wanting to "chop" her ear off.

Ear infections are very common in adults and children, with one in ten adults suffering from chronic, recurring infections.

When GP appointments can be hard to come by, it’s important to have some tricks up your sleeve to help soothe the discomfort and pain in the meantime.

Over the counter pain medications such as ibuprofen work well as it’s an anti-inflammatory, so it’s great for treating infections. But if you need an extra boost, here are 5 home remedies for ear infection that you probably already have lying around.

Ginger

A surprising home remedy for soothing ear infections is ginger, as it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce pain. Heathline recommends to "apply ginger juice" or to warm up an oil (such as olive oil or coconut oil) and add ginger to it, before applying it around the outer ear canal. Never put it straight into the ear.

Compress

An ice pack, damp cloth or a warm compress such as a wheat bag can help relieve some of the ear pain. Boots Hearing Care says that some people may even benefit from swapping between hot and cold compresses every 10 minutes. Either way, it will offer some relief and draw out the infection.

Garlic

Another store cupboard staple that doubles as a perfect home remedy is garlic. Garlic is packed with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and can easily be crushed and turned into garlic oil to apply into the infected ear.

Crush fresh garlic and mix it with olive or coconut oil, before straining it. Slightly warm up your oil, lay on your side and apply a few drops twice a day for relief. Hearing First says it can help to reduce swelling, pain and attack the bacteria or virus in the infection.

Change sleep positions

If you usually sleep on the side where your ear is infected, then the additional pressure may only add to your pain. For now, swap to either laying on your back or opposite side, which will alleviate some of the pressure from the air. It also wouldn’t hurt to add an extra pillow underneath your head so it’s raised higher to allow for better drainage.

Olive Oil

Olive Oil is often used as a means to get rid of ear wax and soothe ear infections. The NHS recommends to lay on your side and place 2-3 drops of olive oil in your ear to help loosen ear wax. Lay on your side for 5 minutes afterwards and repeat the process 3-4 times a day.

It is a popular home remedy for ear infections too, as it isn’t harmful to put olive oil in your ear and has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties that can relieve some of the pain.

VeryWell Health says it’s a temporary option as there isn’t evidence that olive oil is "strong enough to kill the bacteria" to completely eradicate the infection.

Read more about Adele:

• Adele bursts into tears after seeing this iconic singer in the audience of her show (Today, 2-min read)

• Adele Reveals Why She Chose Indefinite Career Break (Mandatory, 2-min read)

• Adele says she doesn’t want to be a body image role model: ‘It makes me sad that people expected that much from me' (Yahoo Life, 3-min read)