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Natural Remedy for Ear Pain found superior to Antibiotics and Anesthetics

Acute Otitis Media (AOM) means middle ear pain, and medical doctors have long treated it with either antibiotics, or topical anesthetics.

A recent well designed study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found here, compared levels of middle ear pain found in children with AOM when treated with Naturopathic Herbal Extract Ear Drops (NHED), and levels of pain found in children treated with the anesthetic amethocaine.  Both treatments were given alone, and also with the antibiotic amoxycillin.

The reduction in pain found, by subgroup are as follows:

1. NHED alone:                                        95.9%
2. NHED with amoxycillin:                        90.9%
3. Amethocaine alone:                               84.75%
4. Amethocaine with amoxycillin:   77.8%

It is clear form these results that the Naturopathic Herbal Treatment was superior (and statistically significantly so) in reducing pain to both local anesthetic and antibiotic treatment.

AOM is mostly self-limiting – i.e. it usually gets better by itself, but early treatment with something that reduces the pain is obviously important to both child and parents.  This Naturopathic Treatment has been found both more effective in reducing pain from AOM, and safer (it has no reported side effects, in stark contrast to antibiotics).

The Naturopathic Herbal Drops used in this study contained the following herbs: allium sativum, verbascum thapsus, calendula flores, hypericum perfoliatum, lavender, and vitamin E in olive oil.

The full study can be found here.

As many of you know, naturopathic doctors have several alternatives to antibiotics for both ear pain and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and even for H. pylori the dreaded bacteria associated with stomach ulcers.  Antibiotics have a definite place in medicine but it unfortunately all too commonly used for simple, self limiting infections such as acute otitis media (ear infections).  Always boost the immune system, drink lots of water and manage the pain while allowing the body to heal.

For more information about treating Ear Pain and other common childhood disorders, safely and effectively, or to make an appointment for your child, please contact Natural Health California on (650) 327-2053.

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