Ear Infections

Identifying and eliminating dietary triggers is presented as more effective than repeated antibiotic prescriptions for ear infections. Garlic ear oil with mullein and St. John's Wort produces faster pain relief than anesthetic ear drops while also killing viruses and bacteria causing the infection. AAP guidelines recommend waiting 72 hours before prescribing antibiotics for most ear infections, though this guideline is widely under-followed in practice. Most ear infections are mixed viral-bacterial in origin. Standard fever reducers for ear infection-associated fever may extend illness duration and increase viral shedding. Ear infections are often triggered by specific foods. Ear infections are not always primary bacterial infections. Treatment should focus on identifying why ear infections occur in the first place. Pelargonium sidoides is a first-line intervention for undiagnosed pediatric respiratory illness because its antimicrobial activity covers virtually all common pediatric respiratory pathogens.