Natural Ear Infection cure

Common cause of ear infections in babies/ young children:

The eustachian ("you-STAY-shee-un") tubes connect the middle ears to the back of the throat. The tubes help the ears drain fluid. They also keep air pressure in the ears at the right level.

Swelling from a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection can keep the eustachian tubes from opening. This leads to pressure changes. Fluid may collect in the middle ear. The pressure and fluid can cause pain. You also can have ear pain from changes in pressure while you are flying in an airplane, driving up or down mountains, or scuba diving. Fluid in the ear can lead to an infection (acute otitis media). Young children have a high risk of ear infections, because their eustachian tubes are shorter and more easily blocked than the tubes in older children and adults.

Often, parents (and doctors) resort to the only treatment they are familiar with- antibiotics.  However, using antibiotics when unnecessary has a negative impact on the long term health of a child as it leads to antibiotic resistance.  According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, "If you think antibiotic resistance isn't a problem or doesn't affect you, think again. A prominent example of the dangers of antibiotic resistance is the spread of MRSA — or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA was once a concern only for people in the hospital, but a newer form of MRSA is causing infections in healthy people in the community.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when antibiotics no longer work against disease-causing bacteria. These infections are difficult to treat and can mean longer lasting illnesses, more doctor visits or extended hospital stays, and the need for more expensive and toxic medications. Some resistant infections can even cause death."
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics/FL00075

So what are other options?

• I have used Mullein Garlic oil drops in the ears of my children for years with 100% effectiveness.  When they start to pull at their ears, complain of pain, or I notice a reddened ear that is too warm to the touch, I tilt their head sideways, gently pull their earlobe down and out, drop in some of the mullein garlic, then gently 'pump' the tragus (the anterior pointed flap on the external ear that covers the ear hole) by pushing it down and closing the ear hole a couple times.  This last part is not comfortable for the child with the ear discomfort, but it helps move the oil down into the ear canal.
• Another option recommended by my awesome pediatrician that I haven't used yet, but am going to try next time is to dilute 1/2 tsp of salt in a cup on warm water and flush the nose.  This can be done for a little child by placing some drops up their nose for them to sniffle up into their sinus which flushes thick mucous plugging the pathway and allows for excess liquid drainage and a normal exchange of air so that the pressure in the middle ear is moderated.  You can also purchase saline drops from the pharmacy.
• To be used with both the above options and as a stand alone, is massaging around the ear & the use of a moist warm compress to increase blood flow and lymph flow.  A good moist warm compress is rice in a bag heated in the microwave.  If you do not have a rice bag, you can dump rice in a sock, tie it off and plop in the microwave.  *make sure not to overheat the rice or it can burn.