Can Olive Oil Remove Wax or Treat an Earache?

Olive Oil for Earache

Earache is a common occurrence and several factors might contribute to causing a strong pain in the ear. Ear wax accumulation, exposure to foreign substances in the ear canal, tonsillitis, throat pain and other factors could lead to a pain in the ear canal or cavity. Olive oil is recommended to cure earaches as the oil helps any microbial growth or any reaction caused in the ear canal due to excessive accumulation of ear-wax. Here we discussed some effective ways to use olive oil for earache relief.(1)

Does Olive oil Treat Earache?

  • Olive oil is commonly used as a muscle relaxant hence it relieves pain.
  • It helps in softening the wax, aiding in its easy removal from the ear canal.
  • Olive oil is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and helps in clearing any microbial overgrowth in the ear.(2)

How to Use Olive Oil for Earache

Olive oil can be used in many different forms, either alone or in combination with other home remedies for helping with earache. Olive oil has gained a lot of popularity all over the world in the last decade as an oil with a myriad of health benefits. Here we shall discover its use for relieving earache.

1. Warm Olive oil

You’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • dropper

Preparation time: 2 minutes.

How to do:

  • Firstly, warm up the olive oil.
  • Pour a few drops into the ear using a dropper (make sure the olive oil is not too hot)
  • Close the ear canal with a cotton plug.
  • Massage the outer portion of the ear gently and lie down on the opposite side.
  • After a little while, remove the cotton plug and clean the ear using an ear bud.(3)

Repetitions: Repeat every night before sleep for relief.

[ Read: How to Treat Earache with Tea Tree oil ]

2. Olive Oil and Peppermint Oil

You’ll need:

  • 3 – 4 drops of peppermint oil
  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil
  • dropper

Preparation time: 3 minutes.

How to do:

  • Mix peppermint oil with olive oil.
  • Use this as ear drops and pour 4 drops of this liquid into the ear canal using a dropper.
  • Keep the oil in the ear canal for 10 minutes at least.

Repetitions: This can be repeated twice every day till the earache subsides.

[ Read: How to Use Sweet oil for Earache ]

3. Apple Cider Vinegar and Olive oil

You’ll need:

  • 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • cotton swab

Preparation time: 3 minutes.

How to do:

  • Mix apple cider vinegar with olive oil.
  • Heat this oil mixture on low flame.
  • Once slightly warm, pour a few drops into one ear and lie on the side.
  • Place a cotton swab at the opening of the ear canal.
  • Leave it in for about 10 minutes and then drain it away by pointing the ear downwards..

Repetitions: This can be done a few times a day for instant relief.

[ Read: How to Cure Earache with Onion ]

Tips and Precautions

  • Olive oil used for medicinal purposes is different from the food grade olive oil. Be careful about the variety of olive oil being used for earaches.
  • Always ensure that the ear canal is dried after treatment with olive oil so there are no further problems arising out of the presence of a foreign substance in the ear for a prolonged duration.
  • Avoid swimming when suffering from earaches. Clogging of water in ear canal does not let effective recovery take place.

Do not remove ear wax on a daily basis; the presence of ear wax is important in order to avoid any foreign organisms from entering the ear.

Scientific Evidence: 

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