Home Remedies for Ear Infections, Plantar Faciitis and Other Common Ailments

There are many common ailments that are painful, but not serious. Conditions such as constipation, plantar fasciitis, colic, mastitis or earaches, for instance, might be soothed by a home remedy. For emergencies or serious conditions, a Doctor must be consulted, of course, but for those times when a serious condition has been ruled out, a tried and true home remedy might work just fine for a fraction of the cost. Here are five tried and true home remedies for these common ailments for you to consider.

Home Remedies to Soothe What Ails You

Constipation - Chronic constipation is no fun, and is a common problem. A four-ounce glass of cranberry juice, however, works just like waxing your insides. Don't use the sugared juice cocktail variety, however, due to the effect on your blood sugar and the increased calories. Also, remember that warm or hot foods will help keep things moving through your system as well. For babies suffering with constipation, a tablespoon of Karo corn syrup dissolved in a bottle of lukewarm water will often help loosen things up.

Stomach Upset, Gas and Colic - Peppermints give great relief for uncomfortable gas. You can just suck on the candy, or if you like, you can make some peppermint tea. For a baby with colic, dissolving a peppermint candy in a bottle of lukewarm water can work wonders on bringing up the painful gas bubbles.

Preventing an Ear Infection - Summer can be bad for ear infections, considering all the swimming in pools and ponds; also some people tend to get a lot of water in their ears while bathing or showering, which then stagnates and grows bacteria, leading to a painful ear infection. To avoid this, mix three equal parts of rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide, perhaps a teaspoon of each. You can put a few drops in each ear, holding the head to one side for a few minutes per ear. This mixture will dissipate the water and cleanse the ear. Even if you already have an ear ache, this might still help. Also, in swimming season when you need a lot of the mixture, you can try mixing about a 1/3 of cup of each ingredient and putting them in a baby bottle with the nipple cut a little larger. Each swimmer can shake a few drops in to their ears out of the bottle and it will last a long time. If you choose to do this, though, make sure you keep it well out of the reach of any small children.

Plantar Fasciitis is a very painful condition of the foot caused by the fibrous band on the bottom of the foot, extending from the heel to the toes, stretching and giving out kind of like old elastic. A very good therapy is to sit barefoot in a straight back chair and put the arch of your foot over a tennis ball on the floor. Rub the arch of your foot back and forth over the tennis ball for five minutes or so, several times a day, and you should experience great relief soon. Also, wear very supportive shoes, like tennis shoes. Make sure your shoes are not worn out, and avoid high heels or going barefoot.

Mastitis - Often experienced while breast feeding, Mastitis is a painful swelling in the breast. For some reason, putting raw red cabbage leaves inside your bra up against your breast works wonders to soothe this condition. This can help a new mother breast feed with more comfort. Obviously, remove the cabbage leaves before feeding the baby!

I am not a doctor and am not guaranteeing results. Although many of these home remedies have been approved by doctors and therapists, you should ask your own doctor if you have any concerns. These home remedies have been known to work successfully in the situations described, and hopefully they will give you some relief if you experience these common, painful conditions.

Sources: personal experience, and discussions with doctors, therapists, and their patients.