Ear pain is most often a symptom of otitis, a disease that is an inflammatory process in the ear. The most common form of this disease is otitis media - an inflammation of the middle ear, which often appears as a complication of ENT infections. Due to its anatomical features, children are more likely to suffer from this disease, but often otitis occurs in adults.
The causative agents of otitis are most often staphylococci, pneumococci, hemophilic rods and other pathogenic bacteria that show their activity in inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Bacteria can enter the middle ear through the auditory tube when coughing, sneezing, blowing.
Application of boric alcohol for the ear
When treating ear disorders as part of complex therapy, antiseptic solutions used locally are administered (buried in the ear canal). One of these means for treating the ear is boric alcohol - an alcohol solution of boric acid (3%). It is worth noting that this drug is now considered obsolete, and today more often prescribed more modern drugs that are more active. However, still boric alcohol for the ears continues to be used so far as an affordable and sufficiently effective tool, and it is often prescribed by the otolaryngologists. Let's consider the peculiarities of using boric alcohol for the ears.
How to treat the ear with boric alcohol?
There are two ways to use boric alcohol: instillation in the ear and use it to impregnate the auricles. We will become acquainted in more detail with these methods:
- Burying with boric alcohol. As a rule, for the treatment of otitis in adults, it is recommended to instill boric alcohol into 3 drops in each ear canal 3 - 4 times a day. Before the procedure, the alcohol solution of boric acid should be slightly warmed (for example, in a spoon above the fire) to a comfortable temperature. Bury your ears in prone position.
- Earwax with boric alcohol. For treatment, it is necessary to make small flagella (turundas) from gauze or cotton wool and, after impregnating them with boric alcohol, insert into the ear canal. It is best to perform the procedure before going to bed, leaving turuns for the whole night.
Before using boric alcohol, it is recommended to carefully clean the ears from accumulated sulfur, which will contribute to better penetration of the remedy. To cleanse the ears, hydrogen peroxide (3%) can be used. The procedure is as follows: 5-10 drops of hydrogen peroxide are buried in the ear, then, tilting the head in the opposite direction, the ear is thoroughly cleaned with a cotton swab. The same is repeated with the other ear.
Treatment of ears with boric alcohol is carried out for a week. Do not stop treatment earlier, barely feeling signs of improvement. If after a week the symptoms of the disease have not disappeared, you need to urgently consult a doctor.
Side effects of treating burs with alcohol
In view of the toxic effect of boric alcohol, treatment of ear diseases with this remedy should last no more than 10 days. Side effects of boric alcohol are:
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- vomiting ;
- blurred consciousness;
- convulsions;
- impaired renal function.
If these symptoms appear, you should immediately stop using boric alcohol and seek medical help.
Boric alcohol - contraindications
Treatment with boric alcohol can not be carried out in such cases:
- during pregnancy and lactation;
- with impaired renal function;
- with individual intolerance;
- in children under 1 year.