Question: My 9 year old son gets frequent ear aches. The doctor does not give him antibiotics because he says they usually don’t help and that the infection just has to run its course. It’s hard to watch my son suffer. Do you know of a natural or herbal treatment for ear aches?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
An ear infection (acute otitis media) is most often a viral infection that affects the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains the tiny vibrating bones of the ear. bacterial infections are less common. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.
Ear infections are often painful because of inflammation and build-up of fluids in the middle ear. In most cases, the American Academy of Paediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a wait-and-see approach for the first 48 to 72 hours because mild ear infections often clear up on their own. Also, antibiotic resistance is fostered by inappropriate antibiotic treatment. Initial treatment often begins with managing pain with four-times-a-day Tylenol and monitoring the problem for worsening. Ear infection in infants and severe cases in general require antibiotic medications. Long-term problems related to ear infections — persistent fluids in the middle ear, persistent infections or frequent infections — can cause hearing problems and other serious complications. You will find that a vaporizor will help in addition to the Tylenol and sometimes a small dose of Sudafed will provide enough decongestion to open congested eustation tubes.
External ear infections or swimmer's ear conditions usually receive topical antibiotic drops, and some topical agents will also cover mild middle ear infections also.