To cope with the pathology of the ears, many doctors recommend the use of special therapeutic compresses. They have different varieties and have a warming and anesthetic effect. However, a specific agent for compresses should be prescribed by a specialist after examination.
Compress on the ear
A compress is a medical dressing that can contain a medicinal substance. This is a fairly effective method of therapy, which does not require significant time or money.
Principle of operation
The use of compresses to treat the ears helps to achieve such effects:
- Warming effect. Thanks to the procedure, blood circulation in the area of pathology localization can be stimulated. Due to this, the recovery processes are substantially accelerated. If, on the other hand, antibiotic treatment is carried out in parallel, the focus of pathology is quickly saturated with medicinal substances. In this case, the products of the decomposition of microbes are intensively excreted with the blood flow.
- Reduced pain. Due to local heat exposure, it is possible to reduce discomfort and cope with lumbago and congestion that occur when swallowing.
Compresses can be of different types - in particular, they separate out dry and wet ones. The first provide reliable protection of the affected part of the body from contact with external factors. They also contribute to the absorption of secretions from the ears, which, when the pathology worsens, break through the membrane.
Such compresses can be applied to or around the auricle. Usually a cotton-gauze dressing should be placed near the patient ear, then put on the hat.
With wet compresses, it is possible to achieve warming or cooling of the affected area. Before applying the bandage, the gauze cut is moistened in the medicinal composition. Most often, water or alcohol mixed with water is used for this purpose. Often, also use camphor oil or herbal infusions.
How to put a warming compress in our video:
Indications
Most often compresses are used in the development of certain types of otitis. The indications are:
- otitis media of acute or chronic nature in the catarrhal phase;
- External Otitis.
If otitis becomes purulent, the performance of any warming procedures is strictly prohibited. They can lead to aggravation of the pathological process and even provoke a rupture of the membrane.
Popular recipes
There are quite a few effective recipes that allow you to cope with ear pathologies.
Alcohol
To make a compress, you will need to stock up with these tools:
- vodka or diluted alcohol 40 degrees;
- sterile cotton wool and gauze;
- bandage;
- scarf or hat.
Before performing the compress, you need to perform a simple algorithm:
- Clear the outer part of the hearing organ from the excretions. To do this, use a cotton swab and gently wipe the auricle. Do this as carefully as possible so that bacteria do not penetrate inside.
- Place the dressings on the dressings with cream or petroleum jelly. An important difference between compresses for adults and children is the shape of the cutout. So, adults should make a triangular hole, whereas children should make a cut in the shape of a square.
- The vodka or alcohol should be properly prepared by heating to 37 degrees. In the received liquid it is recommended to moisten the gauze cut, squeeze it and put it to your ear. A half-alcoholic compress is prepared for the child.
- Then put on the hat or wrap the head around the scarf. The total duration of the procedure is approximately 3 hours.
- After the session is finished, the skin is wiped with a napkin and treated with cream.
The photo shows how to apply the compress
Also the procedure can be done with the use of camphor alcohol. The use of this substance in pure form is strictly prohibited - it must be mixed in equal proportions with water. The resulting solution is recommended to be slightly heated, after which you can make a compress. The duration of the procedure should not exceed 2 hours.
At the initial stage of the disease development boric alcohol will help. To prepare a compress it is enough to take a gauze swab, moisten it in a mixture of 3% alcohol and glycerin solution, taken in equal parts. After that, turundas are inserted into the ear for 3 hours.
With dimexid
This substance provides improvement of metabolic processes in the affected area, which positively affects the speed of the recovery process. In addition, dimexide is able to penetrate into cells of pathogenic microorganisms and destroy them.
You can apply a bandage with Dimexid for no more than 20-30 minutes. The procedure is recommended not more than 2 weeks. Before the beginning of therapy it is necessary to receive consultation of the doctor who will pick up a demanded concentration depending on a pathology.
Compress with this substance can not replace basic therapy. It is used only to eliminate pain and improve the prognosis of the disease.
Dry
This compress is applied in the form of a cotton-gauze dressing. To use it, you need to wrap the cotton wool with gauze and fold it in several layers. This design has a warming effect due to a delay in the normal heat transfer of the human body.
The bandage is recommended to be applied to the ear zone so that the ear canal is opened. Therefore, it must have a triangular shape. When fixing the bandage with a bandage, the shell of the ear should also be covered with several layers.
Also, a dry compress can be made with a small linen bag in which heated salt or sand is placed. They should be heated in a frying pan to a temperature of 70 degrees. The resulting remedy must be applied to the auricle.
From what you can make a compress on the ear
What you need to know
Before using the compress, you should always consult a doctor. There are situations when this type of treatment is strictly prohibited. With purulent processes, increased body temperature or damage to the skin, there is a risk of serious deterioration in the patient's health.
Recommendations and doctor's testimonials about compresses in the treatment of otitis media:
Contraindications
Before using the compress, it is necessary to exclude the presence of purulent processes and make sure that there are no other contraindications. So, the main limitations include the following:
- Purulent otitis media - heat exposure can provoke pus discharge and spread of abnormal process to adjacent areas. In such a situation, specialists sometimes allow compresses to be applied to the ears, but they should not have a warming effect.
- Complications of otitis media - they include such pathologies as mastoiditis, labyrinthitis.
- Purulent processes in the ears and lesions of adjacent skin areas.
- Fever, increased temperature.
Damages of the dermis, which are located from the outside, can be seen by everyone. To suspect a purulent process help discharge from the auditory aperture, however they do not appear immediately after the transformation of inflammation into such a stage. Therefore, compresses should appoint a doctor after an appropriate diagnosis.
The use of ear compresses allows you to quickly cope with inflammatory damage to the hearing organ. It is absolutely necessary to get a doctor's consultation. The specialist will conduct diagnostic studies and prescribe effective drugs for the performance of the compress.