Olive Oil Earache ^new^

If olive oil is introduced into an ear with a perforated eardrum, the oil can traverse the middle ear space and contact the ossicles (the tiny bones of hearing) and potentially the Eustachian tube opening. Because olive oil is non-sterile and viscous, it is difficult to remove from the middle ear cavity. This can lead to a condition known as lipogranuloma (a foreign body reaction) or exacerbate an existing infection by trapping bacteria in a nutrient-rich medium. Therefore, the cardinal rule of olive oil therapy is:

The narrative of olive oil for earaches is a testament to the durability of effective folk medicine. It is not a panacea for infection, nor is it a substitute for antibiotics in acute otitis media. However, to dismiss it as unscientific is to ignore the physics of lipid solubility and the chemistry of inflammation. olive oil earache