Ear compresses for children for how long. Vodka compress on the ear: when and how to do it? With camphor oil

Compress— various types of bandages for medicinal purposes. Compresses are divided into wet and dry.

Wet compresses can be hot (poultice) or cold (lotion).

Dry compress(usually a cotton-gauze bandage) is made of several layers of clean (sterile) gauze and a thick layer of cotton wool, which are secured with a bandage.

Warming compress- a damp cloth covered with waterproof paper (oilcloth, cellophane, polyethylene) and a layer of cotton wool, used in inflammatory processes for a resolving and distracting effect.

Compress on the ear(ear compress) are made in two types: oil compress and alcohol compress (aka vodka compress). The difference between these types of compress is the duration of the thermal effect.

Oil (vegetable, camphor) can retain heat longer than alcohol, but this type of compress is less aesthetic and practical - the oil can flow beyond the compress itself.

The easiest way is to make an alcohol compress (vodka compress).

To make an alcohol compress you need to prepare:

1. Gauze (options: gauze napkin, thick canvas or flannel rag, clean cotton cloth)

2. Polyethylene (cellophane) or compress paper (wax paper) slightly larger than the selected napkin by 1-2 cm;

3. Cotton wool the size of a palm or a little more;

4. Bandage (options: woolen scarf, scarf, cap);

5. 60 ml of vodka (for a vodka compress) or alcohol mixed half and half with water (for an alcohol compress).

Making a compress:

Tips for using vodka compress on the ear

Roll up the gauze into several layers, the size of the ear.

Make a slit in the gauze in the middle, large enough for the auricle to pass through it.

Soak the gauze with vodka (vodka compress) or alcohol mixed half and half with water (alcohol compress), lightly squeeze out the liquid and place the gauze behind the ear.

This part of your vodka compress should fit snugly against the skin and be located behind the ear area.

Apply polyethylene or compress paper, first making a slit in the center corresponding to the slit on the gauze.

The polyethylene layer should completely cover the surface of the first layer of compress, and the auricle itself should remain open.

Place a thick layer of cotton wool on the ear (including the pinna itself) and secure it with a bandage, woolen scarf, scarf or cap.

The alcohol compress is ready.

The compress is usually left on for 2-4 hours. But only in the absence of elevated body temperature.

Attention: To use an alcohol compress (vodka compress), you must first consult your doctor.

An alcohol compress on the ear is one of the pulling procedures in which a gauze bandage moistened with vodka or medical alcohol is applied to warm the affected area. This simple therapy is actively used in modern medicine, has several varieties and eliminates the consequences of many colds. Well suited for additional treatment at home.

A vodka compress on the ear enhances the effect of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents due to its decongestant, antiphlogistic and anesthetic properties. In addition, there is an effect of increasing local immunity and restoring cell metabolism.

The procedure increases the flow of blood through the vessels, dilating them, this relieves severe pain, which allows recovery to take place much faster and easier, without stagnation.

The effect is achieved through prolonged heating and disinfection of the source of infection. Contrary to public misconception, boric alcohol is not used in prevention and treatment - it is a product that does not have disinfecting properties and is dangerous for the body.

Before applying a vodka compress for otitis media, you need to determine the exact degree of inflammation in order to prevent the harmful effects of therapy on an organism weakened by the disease. It is best to start this after an examination by an otolaryngologist, who will indicate the root cause and prescribe appropriate therapy. Ensuring the most powerful healing effect depends on the correct distribution of substances in the right quantity and consistency, preventing them from spreading to the area of discomfort. When identifying various types of pain, you should always resort to a method such as an ear compress with extreme caution and attention.

A vodka compress on the ear is used, for example, for otitis in adults to isolate the symptoms of individual pathologies of the ear - external, catarrhal, exudative or tubo-otitis. In case of complications, heating is not recommended to prevent exacerbation of inflammatory processes. You should never neglect a consultation, as a result of which the patient will be given clear instructions on how to make an alcohol compress on the ear and prevent the proliferation of pathogenic flora in damaged tissues.

Vodka compress for otitis media

A well-made ear compress with vodka is excellent for pain relief and warming, maintaining moisture and warmth for a long time. A special lotion 8–9 mm thick, moistened with heated vodka, with a slot for the ear, speeds up and simplifies the application process. After a compress with vodka has been applied to the ear, a layer of cotton wool is bandaged over it and the structure is insulated with a scarf or hat.

There are two types of treatment methods - wet and dry. Each of them has its own uses. Dry can be placed directly on the damaged area, interacting with its infected tissues through the evaporation of alcohol. The wet method, on the contrary, to prevent direct contact with them, should only be around the ears, without touching them.

Before warming up the vodka, you need to accurately calculate the dosage.
For one procedure you will need 50 ml of vodka, diluted in a ratio of 1:1 for an adult and 1:3 for a child.

An alcohol compress for otitis media is created and applied in exactly the same way as vodka. There is no need to heat the alcohol, since when mixed with water it begins to intensely release heat. When diluted in water, the concentration of the drug should not exceed 20% of the total volume of the solution. In addition, your doctor may prescribe antibiotic drops such as Garazon, Sofradex or Polydex.

At the end of alcohol heating, the skin is moistened with water and insulated with clothing for a while. Both varieties are used for 3–4, in rare situations - up to 6 hours, until the warming effect completely stops. At this time, it is important to ensure that the mixture does not get into the ear hole. Repeated use should occur at least 2 hours after the previous time.

In addition to vodka and alcohol methods, oil methods are popular, which retain heat much longer. When creating a dressing with oil, it is heated to 38 °C. The healing heat lasts for 6–8 hours and has a very effective effect on inflammation. The disadvantage of oil is that it is more difficult to remove from skin or other surfaces. Many people prefer folk remedies using honey, sweet clover, basil herbs, chamomile or mint juice brewed in boiling water. But they are contraindicated if you are allergic to various components of herbs.

Three spoons of any of the herbs are brewed and infused for half an hour in 0.5 liters of boiling water, after which a bandage is applied in a manner similar to the previous methods. In addition, they can occasionally use a 12-day infusion of kombucha, which is moistened with a cloth. Sometimes inductothermy with a blue lamp or dry heat may be prescribed for procedures. To do this, take hot sand, after cooling, pour it into a bag, which is wrapped in cloth and applied to the sore spot.

How to make a compress for otitis media

Otitis is an active inflammation of the auricle due to an infection. It can be external, middle or internal. The main symptoms may be: high fever, severe runny nose, pain, progressive hearing loss, restless sleep and increased irritability. When the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, serious complications can occur due to fluid stagnation and increased pressure in the middle ear. The rupture of the eardrum then begins to scar, and if left as is, after several ruptures, you can completely lose your hearing. In this case, thermal therapy in traditional or folk medicine is prescribed only additionally, in combination with other potent drugs, to alleviate general symptoms and prevent the disease from becoming chronic. They are not used if the disease occurs in a purulent form.

You can learn in detail how to make a compress on the ear from an otolaryngologist. To make it you will need alcohol or vodka, cotton wool, wax paper, polyethylene, gauze, an elastic bandage or warm clothing. The design should be multi-layered and strong.

The first step is to fold the gauze or bandage into 8 layers in the shape of a rectangle and make a cut in it corresponding to the size of the shell - for a tighter fit.
Make a gasket out of polyethylene or wax paper with a slot of the same shape, but 1 cm wider. After this, take a piece of cotton wool that will be 1 cm wider than the gasket in the same way.
Create a solution of vodka in the required ratio and thoroughly soak the gauze with it. After this, squeeze it thoroughly and apply it to the skin around the ear so that it remains outside.
Next, use a ready-made pad made of polyethylene or wax paper over the bandage so that it completely and tightly covers it.
A 3 cm thick layer of cotton wool, in which no slit is made, should cover the already prepared layers on top of the ear, isolating it from external influences.
Completely insulate and secure the bandage with a scarf, elastic bandages or a cap if we are talking about a small child. The correctness of the actions can be checked by checking whether the bandage allows the finger to pass between its layers or not. Additionally, the structure can be secured with adhesive tape so that it holds better. The second, healthy part of the head should remain relatively free so that the patient can hear.

Such measures are often prescribed by doctors after bruises, injuries, and most often after the onset of inflammatory processes. With the right approach, thermal heating helps a lot.

An alcohol compress on the ear of a child with otitis media is contraindicated for children under 4 years of age. The best substitute for alcohol components would be vegetable or camphor oil, which has great healing potential. Before performing the procedure, you should prepare and calm your child, remove all jewelry and wash your hands with antibacterial soap. You need to act very moderately and carefully to avoid severe intoxication of the child’s body.

Contraindications to the use of compresses

Warming applications are not used for patients with thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis, meningitis, hyperthermia, mastoiditis and labyrinthitis, with oncopathologies, predisposition to bleeding, elevated temperature, skin furunculosis and, in particular, purulent or aggravated inflammation of the ear environment to prevent the proliferation of bacteria as body temperature rises.

If signs of inflammation of the inner ear are noticed, the symptoms of which may include extensive disturbances in orientation in space, coordination and dizziness, then thermal therapy is not carried out under any circumstances.

For acute pain, such treatment is a good choice of a method that is reliable and proven by centuries of practice. But in order not to cause harm to your health, do not forget that they can be caused by ethmoditis, sinusitis or dental diseases. You should remember the simplest rules of use so as not to minimize the therapeutic effect.

You can increase the width of the dressing layers during subsequent applications by 1 cm, this will slightly increase the intensity of the process. Leaving a cooled bandage at the site of injury is fraught with direct counteraction to its healing properties, and even aggravation of the patient’s situation. Chills after heating indicate incorrect placement of cotton wool, wax paper or film under the lotion - they do not block access to the active substances to the source of inflammation.

You cannot use undiluted vodka or alcohol, as there is a significant risk of serious burns. Cold or loose-fitting lotions are serious mistakes that, if allowed, contribute to the complete loss of the full potential of the procedure due to ineffective application or evaporation of alcohol. When treating children, it is impossible to isolate drugs from damaged tissues with synthetic materials: cellophane or polyethylene. Due to the sensitivity of the skin, they can cause allergic reactions, which will worsen the child’s condition.

The pain that occurs in the ear can be so excruciating that the prospect of having to endure it until the morning if your ear hurts at night is terrifying.

In this case, an alcohol compress, which many remember from childhood, can help out, although self-medication can be dangerous and you can only resort to choosing such a means of therapy if you are completely confident in the correctness of the actions.

And in any case, the next day you need to contact a therapist or otolaryngologist, since in many cases a compress cannot be the main type of treatment.

How effective?

For ear diseases, alcohol compresses - a type of home physiotherapy - are used very widely; they are recommended not only by popular healers, but also by doctors in clinics. Although this method is very simple, it is not recommended to use it uncontrollably.

Purpose of an alcohol compress- warm up the ear area, the source of the disease, in order to enhance metabolism in this area, improve blood flow and create unfavorable conditions for the development of the disease. It reduces the level of pain, making it bearable.

Accelerated blood flow quickly delivers the components of medications taken by the patient to the sore spot and quickly removes the resulting toxins from the source of inflammation. Healing processes occur much faster.

As an auxiliary method of treatment, an alcohol compress on the ear is used mainly for acute and non-purulent or chronic otitis (read about the treatment of otitis with folk remedies and), as well as for discomfort during diseases of the upper respiratory tract (clicking when swallowing).

Are there any contraindications?

Warming, including compresses, is used only in the initial stage of the disease or during the recovery process.

If otitis media (an inflammatory disease in the ear) has progressed and entered the purulent stage, then an alcohol compress will only accelerate the development of bacterial colonies, creating favorable conditions for them to reproduce, and will aggravate the situation.

In some cases, alcohol compresses are strictly prohibited:

age up to 4 years;
purulent process;
in the head;
high body temperature;
boil of the external auditory canal;
damaged or inflamed skin around the ear;
mastoiditis (bacterial inflammation of the mastoid process of the temporal bone);
allergy to compress components;
fungal ear infections;
dermatitis or eczema of the ear.

Convulsive syndromes and epilepsy are absolute contraindications against the use of camphor alcohol for compresses.

How to do it right?

The compress should be three-layer:

Sterile gauze, folded 6–8 times, which will be soaked in the solution. If gauze is not at hand, you can use any cotton fabric, folded several times and ironed for disinfection.
Compress paper, slightly larger in size than gauze. It will create an insulating layer that will prevent the liquid from soaking the entire dressing, which can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment and the concentration of the solution used.
A layer of cotton wool or a piece of flannel, with which the compress is covered to preserve heat.

Linear slits are first made in gauze and compress paper through which the auricle will be brought out - after all, the main effect of the compress is not directed at it, but at the middle and inner ear, located inside the bone along the periphery of the external auditory canal.

For greater efficiency and convenience, each subsequent layer of compress should be 2–4 cm wider than the previous one. When treating a child or adult patient with sensitive skin prone to irritation, the body around the ear should be lubricated with a rich cream.

If you use medical 96-degree alcohol, you need to dilute it with slightly warm water in a ratio of 1:3, moisten the gauze with it, squeeze it so that the liquid does not drain from it and apply it to the ear, letting the auricle out. Press the gauze tightly on all sides around the ear, cover with compress paper, also freeing the auricle, cover with a layer of cotton wool or flannel and secure with a bandage, scarf, or scarf. This compress lasts as long as the warming effect persists (up to 4 hours) and is repeated daily.
Similar to alcohol, a compress is made from vodka, which is diluted with warm boiled water in a 1:1 ratio.
For a compress, alcohol for otitis media can also be used with 10% camphor, which is diluted with warm water 1:1 or 1:2, the temperature of the solution should be equal to body temperature. The duration of action of such a compress should not exceed 1.5 hours, and it can be done in the morning and evening. Camphor in alcohol has an additional irritating effect and increases blood flow, which is subjectively felt as stronger heating.
For an alcohol compress, an adult can use a composition mixed from a tablespoon of warm water, vodka and boric alcohol taken. Further actions are standard, such a compress is kept until the warming effect ends (about 2 hours).

The compress is applied tightly, but the bandage should not interfere with blood circulation in and around the ear. If there is discomfort or severe burning, the procedure should be interrupted. It is not recommended to leave compress bandages on overnight.

After removing the compress, wipe the area around the ear with a cotton swab dipped in warm water, wipe dry, lightly grease with rich cream or olive (any vegetable) oil and cover with something warm. It is better to make warm compresses in the evening, shortly before bed.

Under no circumstances should you interrupt the course of compresses without completely treating your ear. In winter, while treatment is ongoing, it is better not to go outside at all.- you can easily get a complication of the disease. If such a need arises, be sure to wear a hat that covers your ears and plug the sore ear with cotton wool.

You should not start a course of compresses using camphor or boric alcohol, without first checking the skin for allergic resistance to these drugs.

To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the inner bend of the elbow or wrist and wait about an hour. If there is no redness of the skin in this area, the product can be used.

A warming alcohol compress applied to the ear not only retains the heat produced by the body, but also increases blood circulation in the affected area, which improves metabolism and speeds up recovery.

It is not recommended to blindly prescribe such procedures to yourself, because only a specialist with the help of instruments can see what is happening inside the ear. In exceptional cases, the compress can be used independently to relieve severe pain and wait until the morning if calling a specialist at night is impossible.

Used as a physiotherapeutic procedure during treatment or at the recovery stage, an alcohol compress will bring obvious benefits, stimulating local immunity and accelerating tissue regeneration.

If you notice symptoms of otitis in yourself or your child, consult a qualified doctor. In case of self-medication or untimely treatment, serious health problems can arise.

An otolaryngologist who will prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures and medication during your appointment. In addition, he will advise you to apply compresses to the sore ear.

Compresses at home:

Herbal compress. Prepare a special decoction. To do this, mix three tablespoons of dried herbs basil, sweet clover and chamomile. Pour one glass of boiling water and leave for thirty minutes, and then strain well. Fold the gauze into 7 layers and soak in the prepared herbal decoction. Squeeze lightly. Place it on your ear and cover it with cellophane. Secure with a bandage or scarf.
Compress according to Tsitovich with boric acid. It perfectly relieves inflammation and relieves pain. Gauze or bandage is soaked in glycerin and boric acid (its three percent solution). Next, a tampon is made and inserted into the ear. The compress is removed after three hours.

In addition, there are two more types of compresses that are much more common: oil and alcohol. To make an oil compress, camphor or vegetable oil is used. It retains heat longer, but is not as convenient as an alcohol compress, due to the fact that the oil can leak onto clothing or stain everything around it. It is for this reason that preference is usually given to alcohol compresses.

Remember that compresses should always be applied to the area around the sore ear, and not on it, as some people mistakenly believe.

Fold the cheesecloth and place them into one large napkin. Cut a circle in the middle of the napkin with a diameter no smaller than your ear. It needs to fit in it. A gauze pad is usually soaked in camphor or vegetable oil diluted with alcohol or vodka. If you decide to make an alcohol compress, use alcohol for impregnation.

After the gauze is well saturated with alcohol or oil, you should squeeze it out well so that the drops cannot get on your clothes or hair. The prepared compress is applied to the ear, placing it in a cut previously made in a gauze napkin. Apply a layer of cotton wool and wrap the sore ear with a bandage, scarf or scarf.

More information on how to apply an alcohol compress to children can be found in the video.

It should be remembered that at elevated body temperatures, applying a compress is not recommended due to adverse consequences. In addition, you should definitely consult with your doctor whether this type of treatment can be used.

If the patient suffers from diseases such as purulent processes, eczema of the neck and face, and inflammation of the mastoid process, then a warm compress is strictly contraindicated for him!

To prevent skin burns from the compress, lubricate the areas near the sore ear with any fatty cream. The compress should adhere well to the surface of the skin.

Compressing the ear at home will not require much effort from you. To make it, you will need:

Gauze or napkins based on it
Vodka or alcohol
Scissors
Camphor oil
Scarf or hat

Contraindications

Purulent otitis. With this disease, pus under the influence of heat can spill into the ear. Compresses are allowed, but without a warming effect.
Mastoiditis, labyrinthitis (complications of otitis media).

Children's ears often hurt. This is due to the fact that the auditory canal of children under three years of age is short and wide. It is for this reason that they very easily degenerate into inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media). The cause of the inflammatory disease is most often the penetration of infection into the ear. Parents should be able to make such compresses, as they can easily speed up the baby’s recovery.

Other provoking factors in children are teeth with caries and various infections of the nasopharynx. As for infants, they are also at risk, since such babies are always in a horizontal position. And this contributes to the fact that inflammation easily passes into the ear from the nasopharynx.

If a child has an earache, it is not difficult to determine. He begins to be very capricious and cry. If you suspect otitis in a baby who cannot yet speak, apply gentle pressure to the tragus on the ear. The child will immediately cry if he feels pain in this place.

If otitis media begins at night, you should not wait for the morning; it is better to call a doctor immediately so as not to start inflammation. Apply a compress while the specialist is on his way.

Do not forget that at high temperatures the compress is contraindicated.

A compress is given to children to reduce pain in the ear. Under its influence, blood supply improves in the area where inflammation began. This in turn helps speed up the recovery time.

How to make a compress for children:

Before the procedure, clean the outer area of the ear from discharge with a cotton swab.
It is not recommended to touch the child’s ear canal, as you can easily push the wax into the ear with a cotton swab, thereby aggravating the situation.
As for the area around the sore spot, it is best to treat it with baby cream.
This will prevent irritation from using an alcohol solution or vodka.
If you are making a compress for your baby, remember that the alcohol should be no stronger than 20-25%, and the vodka should be diluted in proportions of one to one. This will protect the child from possible burns.

How to make a compress for a child correctly

It is not recommended to leave the compress on all night, as the result may not be what you expected. After removing the compress, the skin around the sore ear is treated with cotton wool soaked in warm water or ordinary wet wipes and lubricated with a rich cream.

First of all, you should remember that not with all types of otitis (external, internal, middle) it is possible to warm up the sore ear. That is why, before you start applying a compress, show your baby to your doctor.

Step-by-step action in applying a compress to a child:

After these manipulations, slightly warm the alcohol to such a state that it is slightly warmer than body temperature.
Make a napkin out of gauze (roll it into about 7 layers). Use scissors to cut a hole in the gauze. Just like for an adult compress, gauze should be moistened in an alcohol solution or diluted vodka and lightly squeezed.
Apply a compress around the ear.
Place cling film or cellophane on the gauze (you can use parchment paper), in which, like in gauze, you need to make a hole in the shape of an ear.
The second layer, made of parchment or film, perfectly retains heat and prevents the cotton wool from becoming wet. Remember that the edges of this layer should extend slightly beyond the edges of the gauze napkin (about 2 cm).
Place cotton wool on top. The rule here is that the thicker the cotton layer, the better the effect of the compress. Don't forget to put cotton around your ear.
Secure everything with a bandage, and put on a hat or tie a scarf on top.

If the baby is still very small, then apply a compress to the sore ear, placing the child on its side. The ear that hurts should be on top. If the child is already sitting independently, then the compress is applied, as for adults, in a sitting position.

Experts advise carrying out this procedure twice a day.

The compress should remain on the child's ear for about three hours. This is done so that the ear area is thoroughly warmed up. Typically, such therapeutic procedures are carried out from 2 to 4 o’clock in the afternoon, since this time is the most effective.

According to statistics, over 10% of the population have had otitis media at least once in their life. This pathology can affect both adults and children, so it is important to know the causes and methods of prevention in order to protect yourself and your child. For treatment, a physiotherapeutic method such as a warm compress for otitis media on the sore ear is widely used. It is very effective both for treatment in a hospital and at home.

Otitis is an ENT disease of an infectious nature. The reasons for its occurrence include the following factors:

weakened immune system of the body;
hypothermia;
frequent colds;
fungal infection of the ear canal;
getting dirt or chemicals into your ears;
diseases of the nose and nasopharynx caused by pathogens (pneumococci, staphylococci, ARVI viruses) or allergens. These include rhinitis, sinusitis, enlarged nasopharyngeal tonsils (adenoids) in children, etc.;
mechanical injuries to the ears when removing foreign bodies or poor hygiene, blows, wounds;
deterioration of the patency of the Eustachian tubes after surgical operations in the nasal cavity and nasopharynx;
frequent diving, which creates increased humidity in the ear canal;
genetic predisposition (otitis media);
constant flights, during which intra-ear pressure increases.

Old age is also a risk of developing otitis externa.

Is it possible to use a compress for otitis media?

When treating otitis media, compresses with properly selected medications or other agents help relieve inflammation or relieve pain. In adults, it is allowed to use this method of therapy for the external form of the disease, acute and chronic stage, catarrhal stage of otitis media, which lasts for 2-3 days. For children, compresses can only be used with the permission of an otolaryngologist.

Thermal procedures are effective in the initial stage of pathology. With timely therapy using compresses, it is possible to avoid drug treatment. This treatment is safe for adults and children at the recovery stage.

Contraindications

There are certain diseases and factors in which such a treatment procedure as a compress is strictly contraindicated:

asthma. The smells of some medications can trigger an attack;
epilepsy;
allergic reactions to the drugs used or their individual intolerance;
various types of dermatitis and rashes of unknown etiology;
. A thermal procedure using alcohol-containing products promotes the spread of pus until the development of an abscess, mastoiditis or sepsis;
damage to the eardrum membranes;
furunculosis;
body temperature exceeding 37.5 0 C
the presence of various wounds and cuts in the ear cavity;
children's age up to 1 year.

Important: before using any type of compress on the ear for otitis media, be sure to consult a specialist, since the infection may be in the inner ear, and heat will cause accelerated growth of pathogenic microorganisms and aggravate the course of the disease.

Types of compresses

The effect of this procedure depends on the type of compress. Alcohol ones improve blood circulation and act as antiseptics, dry ones help relieve pain, and oil ones are recommended for use by small children. Therefore, for the treatment of this pathology to be effective, it is necessary to decide together with the doctor what type of warming compress is suitable in a particular case.

There are the following types of compresses:

Oil.
Alcoholic.
Dry.

Compress recipes

To prepare a warming bandage, you will need the following materials: gauze, wax paper or oilcloth, cotton wool, a wide bandage, a scarf to secure the compress. Let's take a closer look at existing recipes for treating otitis media using compresses.

Oil based

This type is considered the most effective means of warming therapy, as it allows you to maintain the thermal effect for a longer time (6-8 hours) in comparison with other types. Vegetable or camphor oil is used as a base. Heat it in a water bath to 38 degrees.

Since oil is difficult to remove from skin, clothing or bed linen, it is better to wear a thick cap after applying the compress. Gauze soaked in an alcohol solution will help clean the skin of the ears from residual oil. The oil base allows for gentle warming of the ears, so it is recommended during otitis media in children.

Alcohol based

Alcohol compress for otitis media is widely used at home. To prepare, take regular medical alcohol, diluted with water to 20 degrees. When treating children, the percentage of alcohol in the base should be even lower. If it is impossible to prepare a semi-alcohol compress for the ear, then you can use a vodka compress. In this case, vodka is diluted with water in proportions 1:1 for adults and 1:3 for children.

The procedure using an alcohol base is very effectively used to relieve pain, and also has an antibacterial effect to a certain extent.

Dry

Such warming up is rarely performed at home, as it requires special medical equipment. For otitis media, the ear is warmed with dry heat or the light of a blue lamp. As an alternative, use a stone, sand or salt base.

To carry out dry warming of the ears, take a little clean sand or table salt, a fabric bag and gauze. Sand (salt) must be preheated in a frying pan and poured into a bag, which is applied to the sore ear. To ensure sterility, it should be wrapped in gauze. The procedure is carried out until the base has cooled. For the stone base, you can use a regular piece of brick. It is also heated, wrapped in several layers of cotton cloth and applied to the ear.

Other types of compresses

For this procedure, you can use various medicinal plants as the basis of compresses, for example, a mixture of basil herbs, chamomile flowers and sweet clover. For cooking you need 3 tbsp. mixture, pour 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. The strained infusion can be used. The procedure time is no more than 4 hours.

Compresses made from medicinal herbs are contraindicated in case of allergies to these components.

Algorithm for applying a compress

The use of various therapeutic agents requires an identical procedure for applying a compress:

before starting, you must thoroughly wash your hands and treat them with an antiseptic;
the gauze is folded into 6-8 layers in the form of a square with an approximate side size of 10 cm. Using scissors, cut a hole for the ear in the center;
the compression paper for the insulating layer should be 2 cm larger in size, a similar cut is made in it;
remove hair and earrings from the affected ear;
pour the medicinal product into a small container in which gauze is moistened;
then it is lightly wrung out and put on the ear;
then put on an insulating layer;
the ear is covered with cotton wool of such size as to hide all previous layers;
The compress is fixed tightly with a hat, scarf or scarf so that air does not pass through and heat is retained. The beginning and end of the retainer are placed on the healthy ear so that it remains open. A properly installed compress should not let your finger through;
after 2 hours, be sure to check the compress (the inner layer should not be dry and cold).

Important: if during the procedure you notice a deterioration in your health or increased pain, then it is better to stop it and discuss further procedures with an otolaryngologist.

Precautionary measures

The use of wet warming compresses requires certain precautions:

strict adherence to the prescribed time for application of the compress (alcohol - 4 hours, oil - 8 hours, herbal - 2 hours). Exceeding the duration of the procedure can lead to the opposite effect and the development of complications;
after warming up, you should not immediately leave the room and you should avoid drafts and hypothermia;
if purulent symptoms begin to appear during treatment, be sure to stop warming up;
perform a compress no more than once a day;
Before performing the procedure, check the ear cavity for wounds.

Important: for children, when using an alcohol or vodka compress, use a lower concentration of alcohol and first coat the ear with cream to avoid burns.

Prevention

You can prevent the onset of the disease, as well as protect yourself from its secondary manifestations, using the following preventive principles.