Mulling the Miracles of Mullein

The Miracle of Mullein Going Mainstream

Mullein Mitigates Otitis Media (aka Earaches)

 

Natural Ear Oil

Do you wish for a simpler, more natural life? Does it seem to you, that there are too many medicines and chemicals being poured on and into all of us, including infants and children? Would you prefer using a commonly grown herb to cure a common childhood ailment, instead of a costly medicine (regardless of whether insurance pays for it or not) that usually results in costly, long term side effects?

In this article, we are talking about earaches and Mullein ear oil may very well be your simple, home remedy

How Does Mullein Work?

The common name “Mullein” comes from the Latin word “Mollis,” meaning “soft” or “smooth” and refers to the texture of the leaves, which mirrors its action in the body: soothing, protective, relieving irritation and inflammation. It is an analgesic, alleviating pain, as well as an antiseptic, a relaxant, a lymphatic cleanser, and a bowel healer. This herb enjoys a solid reputation for healing a broad range of lung conditions. The entire herb, including flowers, leaves, and roots, is beneficial to the entire respiratory system. The fact that this quite common, nutritious plant supports and heals so many bodily systems and conditions makes it that much more amazing; but our focus today is on the ear.

Babies and Earaches

The majority of mothers have struggled with their newborns or little ones suffering from, what seems to be, unending earaches. It is terribly frustrating when your infant is inconsolable even after the diaper is changed, the breast is offered and you can tell your baby is still in pain, nursing out of desperation for relief, as it whimpers, cries, raises tiny arms as if to protect tiny ears, and/or pulling on them. Breast-feeding provides comfort and some physical relief through the action of sucking; but the babe often falls asleep due to sheer exhaustion, may sleep fitfully and not for long, awakens in pain...and... continues this cycle for days, leaving everyone in the home exhausted and irritated. All these classic earache symptoms are heart-rending to the parent who does not know how to console and comfort their child.

Why Are Earaches So Common In Babies? It’s Physical.

The eustachian tubes in babies are shorter, softer, and more horizontal compared to the older versions of themselves, which directly relates to drainage. When a baby has congestion, runny/clogged nose, mucus, fluids may back up into the ear, instead of draining, leading to pressure, and potentially, holding place for infection. The whole thing starts with the baby’s immature immune system, which is why breast-feeding is crucial, as maternal immunity is conferred to the infant via breast milk. Also, an interesting study[1] revealed that pressure from swallowing and jaw movements impact the eustachian tubes, to whit: “Children with negative middle ear pressures had poor muscular opening function…”. So, not only does breast milk confer infant immunity, but the action of breastfeeding increases the muscular development of the jaw, which serves to regulate the pressure on the eustachian tube itself! Remarkable and somewhat surprising that the natural functioning of the body is so effective considering that mainstream media would have us believe, inherently, that the body cannot function without drugs and medicines.

Unnecessary Procedures

In towns all across America, there occurred what would pass for a meme today in the community. It was due to the fact that certain Ears, Nose & Throat Doctor had a veritable monopoly in the area; if you brought your child to him, your child probably got tubes in ears and tonsils removed.  None in my family ever went to that doctor. And, even as a young person, because I learned from listening to adult-talk very carefully, I knew that the tubes would fall out of the ears as the children matured.  This is commonly known, yet commonly ignored.

This collective medical experience impacted my whole life; in that, from a young age, I realized that there were many unnecessary medical procedures performed on children for conditions they were likely to outgrow anyway. The generation before me did not even address the costs, effects, and reactions of the rounds of antibiotics that usually proceeded and accompanied such procedures.  Kids that had their tonsils removed had diets of ice cream and jello, etc., until their throat healed from the tonsillectomy. We can blame that way of being on ignorance but at what point should personal common sense and responsibility out weight ignorance or not knowing? Often these parents brought their kids to the doctor for every little thing; because, they had way more faith in physicians, procedures, and prescriptions, than they did in the healing ability of the human body.  Why?  What occurred to bring about this unnatural trend?

Most of these types of parents threw out herbal medicine and healing practices of their own culture and upbringing.  Oddly enough, some of these mothers would put a clove of garlic in a small amount of olive oil in a spoon and warm it over the stove. They would let it cool down, drop some on a cotton ball and/or drop some garlicked oil drops in the affected ear and plug it with the cotton ball.  But yet, still believed in the medical oligarchy.  I follow this practice, on my own children and myself, if needed. Nowadays, it is common knowledge that garlic has antibacterial properties. Therefore, as you can imagine, Garlic in combination with Mullein ear oil is a powerful earache remedy, which is thankfully readily available. So, of course, you can always DIY! 

If Anecdotal Evidence is Insufficient

There is a published paper[2] comparing the pain-relieving ability of an herbal medicine containing Allium sativum (Garlic), Verbascum thapsus (Mullein), Calendula flores (Calendula flowers), and Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) in olive oil versus an anesthetic ear drops formulation containing ametocaine and phenazone in glycerin. 

The herbal oil combination was just as effective in mitigating pain as the anesthetic ear drops. The study, also, addressed the controversial use of antibiotics in the young, especially as all the children recovered without any use of systemic anti-microbials and did so with zero complications. Yay! Again...are we REALLY that surprised that nature nurtures?

Relief for Our Children and Their Ears

Although a change in diet and nutrition, for infant and breast-feeding mother, can be a long-term remedy; the situation requires a solution that provides more-or-less immediate relief, and that’s where Mullein ear oil, especially with gentleness of ear-candling, triumphs!  Either remedy is effective on its own, but together, combined synergistically, are, often instantaneously, restorative. For, not only is Mullein soothing in nature, but also antiseptic and anti-bacterial and easily applied to the ear, with a massaging action that is comforting and healing, in and of itself.

Conclusion

Although many other factors that contribute to infant earaches, such as diet, nutrition, environment, immunity, stress, parental interaction, etc., should be addressed in the long-term interests of the child, and family. There is no doubt that a calm, peaceful, healthy home environment is ideal, but life happens, and imbalances occur. Therefore, in the process of balancing out, and/or eliminating other mitigating factors in the child’s daily life, mullein ear oil can provide quick relief for a painful, all-too-common childhood ailment. If you are fortunate enough to be able to combine the relaxation of ear candling with the effects of mullein, then your baby can return to a contented and comfortable state of being, naturally and safely, more efficiently. And, with these remedies ready at hand, suffering can be minimized, if not avoided completely. Ahhhh, the benefits of being prepared!

Takeaway: Be Prepared

In the best of all worlds, remedies we need are readily available nearby for a reasonable price, any hour of the day or night…if only that were always the case! How often is this the case: the nearest store is closed, the weather is terrible, the car battery is dead. Even in the best case, you’re alone with an inconsolable infant, or with one or more small children, jumping in your car, car-seating, driving, un-car-seating, carrying a crying baby, and possibly other small children, into maybe the only herb shop in town, where you are sure you’ll find products you trust and a knowledgeable staff, then reversing the whole process to go home…

OR, you can prepare your own at-the-ready ear care kit: Mullein ear oil, preferably with garlic, a dozen or so ear candles, possibly aromatherapy-enhanced, maybe some Lavender essential oil neat to apply to pulse points to calm and sooth, or else some relaxing blend.  Add to that some Rescue Remedy for emotional support, cotton balls and swabs, and perhaps a heating pad. Then all you have to do is open that closet or drawer, set up your relaxation and healing station, probably in your bed, and cuddle your baby to comfort.  In fact, if you are already prepared in such a way, your baby will likely never get to the hysterical crying phase, because at the first sign of an issue, you’ve applied your Mullein ear oil and/or ear-candled away the discomfort. Drama

 

[1] Bylander A. Comparison of eustachian tube function in children and adults with normal ears. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl. 1980 May-Jun;89(3 Pt 2):20-4. doi: 10.1177/00034894800890s308. PMID: 6778306.

[2] Sarrell EM, Mandelberg A, Cohen HA. Efficacy of Naturopathic Extracts in the Management of Ear Pain Associated With Acute Otitis Media. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155(7):796–799. doi:10.1001/archpedi.155.7.796