All compresses are aids in the treatment of a number of diseases. They represent various kinds bandages that are applied to certain areas of the body to warm, cool, dissolve or distract. IN medical practice All compresses are divided into dry and wet. The latter, in turn, are divided into cold ones, which are called lotions, and hot ones, that is, poultices. Dry compresses are usually made from gauze and cotton wool. To do this, sterile gauze is rolled into several layers, between which layers of cotton wool are placed. This cotton-gauze bandage is secured with bandages.

Warming compresses consist of a damp cloth that is covered with a waterproof material. Thick waxed paper, oilcloth, and polyethylene are used as such materials. The top of the compress is covered with a layer of cotton wool. A warming compress is used for many inflammatory processes, as it has a resolving and distracting effect.

Compresses for otitis media

For preschool and younger children school age often bother. This disease causes severe pain, which can be relieved with a warm compress. If your child has an earache, do not rush to apply a compress! The point is that not all forms of this disease suggest warming. Yes, when purulent otitis You cannot apply a compress to a child, because the results can be unpredictable. In addition, contraindications are any damage to the skin around the ears, swelling, high temperature (37.5 and above), as well as any inflammation of the outer ear.

Child with otitis media ear compress can be done with alcohol (vodka) or oil based. They differ in duration thermal effect A. Oil compresses can warm the ear for several hours longer, but they also have disadvantages. No matter how hard you try to protect your baby’s bed and clothes from greasy stains, the oil will still leak out of the compress.

It is easier to place an alcohol (vodka) compress on a child’s ear, since everything necessary materials always at hand. It is allowed to use medical alcohol diluted with water, boric alcohol, chloramphenicol, camphor alcohol solutions and regular vodka. How to make a compress correctly, read below.

Compress technique

To make a warming ear compress, stock up on cotton wool, polyethylene, alcohol (30 ml of alcohol and 30 ml of water or 60 ml of vodka) and gauze, which can be replaced with a flannel napkin or cotton cloth. You will also need a bandage to secure the compress. It can be replaced with a cap, scarf or thin cap. It depends on the age of the child.

We roll up a piece of gauze in several layers to make a rectangle slightly larger size than the auricle. Then we make a hole in this rectangle for the ear, soak the gauze in alcohol diluted with water or vodka and squeeze it out. Apply a compress to auricle, put polyethylene on top with pre- make a slot for the auricle, then hide the entire ear under a layer of cotton wool, and secure the compress with a cap. After two to four hours, the compress must be removed. It is best to apply such compresses before bedtime so that the pain subsides and the baby can fall asleep.

Precautions

Never give your child alcohol or oil compresses without first consulting your doctor! The fact is that only an experienced ENT specialist, after a thorough examination, can say with confidence that there are no purulent-inflammatory processes in the middle ear, and outwardly they may not manifest themselves in any way.

Inflammatory processes in a child’s ear develop quite often - this is due to physiological characteristics. As a rule, painful sensations, indicating the development of pathology, arise unexpectedly and often disturb the baby at night. To alleviate the child's condition before the doctor arrives, you can apply a warm compress to the ear. How to make a compress on a child’s ear, its types and in what cases this remedy is contraindicated - all this should be discussed in detail.

Indications for use

An ear bandage is an effective remedy for almost all types of otitis in children. It can be given to a child suffering from external, acute, chronic or average shape diseases.

If diagnosed catarrhal otitis media, then it is permissible to put a bandage on the child’s ear - the exception is purulent phase diseases.

Correctly set steps for ear treatment have a complex therapeutic effect:

1. Painkiller. Exposure to heat dulls pain and makes discomfort less pronounced;
2. Improves the healing process of inflammation and promotes intensification of blood circulation;
3. If a bandage is placed on a child as an addition to antibiotic therapy, then the remedy accelerates the removal of toxins and intensifies the process of saturation of affected tissues with antibiotics.

Contraindications

Before applying a warming bandage, you should make sure that there are no contraindications to the use of this remedy, otherwise there is a risk of aggravating the condition little patient. Warming compresses should not be placed on the ears in the following cases:

• fever (at a temperature if there is a general or local increase), febrile conditions;
• purulent form of otitis media. Exposure to heat can cause pus to spill, causing inflammation to spread to neighboring areas. It is possible to determine that otitis media has passed into the purulent stage by the corresponding discharge from the ear canals. However, they do not appear immediately, so you should first consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis;
• abrasions, wounds, scratches in the area where the bandage is planned to be applied;
• localized in the ear area skin diseases, boils, purulent lesions of the auricle;
• mastoiditis, labyrinthitis and other complications arising from the development of otitis media.

In some cases, the attending physician may recommend applying a compress to the ear for purulent otitis - however, in such cases, the composition of the product will be different and it will not have a warming effect. If there is a temperature, cold compresses can be used - on the recommendation of an otolaryngologist.

Types of Warming Compresses

There are several main types of warming compresses that are effective for ear pain. It should be taken into account that products with vodka or alcohol are approved for use only by children who have reached 3–4 years of age, only after consultation with a specialist. For otitis media in children under 4 years of age, it is recommended to replace alcohol or vodka in the compress with vegetable oil.

With camphor oil

What you will need:

• camphor oil;
• gauze;
• cotton wool;
• oilcloth;
• bandage.

It is acceptable to use in the treatment of children over two years of age.

Older children can make a compress with camphor alcohol and oil mixed in equal proportions.

Vodka compress

Necessary:

• vodka (at least 300 strength);
• bandage;
• gauze;
• compression paper (can be replaced with oilcloth or cellophane);
• scarf/hat/shawl

Suitable for use by children from 3 years of age.

Alcoholic

What you will need:

• alcohol;
• water;
• bandage;
• gauze/cloth napkin;
• oilcloth/compress paper;
• cotton wool;
• scarf/hat/shawl

It is permissible to do it with boric alcohol - in any case, the alcohol must be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Can be used from 4 years of age.

Dry

Necessary:

• sand calcined to high temperatures;
• linen bag;
• textile.

Can be used for otitis media in children if prescribed dry heat.

How to apply a compress - instructions

The technique of placing a warm compress on the ear consists of two main stages, each of which in turn is divided into separate steps:

• Preparatory.
• Main.

The preparation algorithm for placing a warm compress on a child’s ear is as follows:

1. Talk to your child about the upcoming procedure. Explain that the process is painless, will help you feel better and recover quickly;
2. It is better to sit a small child in the arms of one of the parents; older children can be seated on a chair;
3. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap;
4. Remove foreign objects from the ears (pin or collect long hair, remove earrings or clips).

Measure the child's body temperature. Even with a slight increase, the procedure should be postponed, since at a temperature warming compresses are contraindicated!

How to make a compress correctly - the following information will help you understand this issue:

• Compress type
• Production (detailed description)
• Exposure time

With camphor oil

1. Take a piece of gauze and fold it several times (when folded, the square should be slightly more ear child);
2. Soak gauze in camphor oil and squeeze;
3. Place gauze on the ear (it should be in the slot), cover with oilcloth and a layer of cotton wool;
4. Fix the compress with a bandage.

IN daytime: 3–4 hours.

At night: throughout the night.

Vodka compress

1. Cut a piece of gauze and fold it into three or four layers in the shape of a square, the size being slightly larger than the baby’s ear;
2. Cut a hole in the gauze square so that the baby's ear can pass through it;
3. Soak gauze with diluted vodka and squeeze;
4. Place the moistened gauze on the ear so that it fits tightly to the area behind the ear and it is completely closed;
5. Make a hole in compress paper / oilcloth / cellophane and put it on the ear;
6. Apply a layer of cotton wool (20 mm thick);
7. Fixing the compress with a bandage;
8. Wear a warm hat, scarf or scarf.

Alcoholic

The technology is similar to the previous compress, but diluted alcohol is used instead of vodka. The recommended proportion is 1:1, but for children younger age It is better to prepare a less concentrated solution; 1 part alcohol to 2 parts water will be enough.

No more than 6 hours a day. The bandage is applied during the day, kept for 2 hours and the procedure is repeated at 2-3 hour intervals.

Dry

1. Heat the sand to high temperature;
2. Let cool slightly;
3. Pour into a linen bag;
4. Wrap the bag with cloth;
5. Apply the compress to your ear.

It is acceptable to leave it overnight.

Experts recommend applying a compress during the day between 14:00 and 16:00. Modern research show that at this time any procedures performed to treat ear diseases are especially effective.

Before you start placing a bandage on your child, you should consider a number of important nuances:

• If an alcohol-containing composition is used, then before applying the baby’s skin should be smeared with a moisturizer - this may be baby cream, special oil or Vaseline;
• It is not recommended to use polyethylene film as an insulating material;
• after the bandage is removed, you should clean the skin around the ear (you can use a moistened warm water soft cloth or a wet wipe), then apply moisturizer or baby oil;
• the bandage should fit tightly to the skin to prevent evaporation of alcohol and heat loss;
• pain in the ear can be caused not only by otitis media, but also by diseases such as sinusitis, dental diseases, ethmoiditis, for the treatment of which compresses that have a warming effect cannot be used.

If the technology for placing a warm compress is followed, it has an effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect and helps relieve pain and speed up the recovery of a child suffering from otitis media in various forms. You should definitely take into account the list of contraindications and begin treatment with any home remedies (including compresses) only after consultation with a specialist.

A compress on a child’s ear with otitis media is used quite often, since this treatment method does not cause any discomfort. At first glance, this simple procedure can, in the case of a purulent form of otitis, further aggravate the condition, so it is important to know what types of compress can be used and how to do it correctly?

To remove severe pain for otitis media, parents apply a warm compress to the child’s ear, but not everyone knows that this method of treatment is not always safe for the baby’s health. The whole reason is hidden in the form of the disease. Inflammation of the middle ear can be accompanied not only by pain, but also by the accumulation of pus. If the ear tissues are additionally heated in this state, then pathogenic microorganisms all conditions for active reproduction will be created. If there are no purulent masses in the ear canals, then a compress will be an effective treatment.

When otitis media occurs in a child, such warming procedures perform a number of functions:

• Increase blood circulation;
• Accelerate regeneration processes at the point of inflammation;
• Promotes the removal of toxic substances;
• Help drugs penetrate tissues faster;
• Reduce acute pain;
• They provide an opportunity to relax and calm the child.

In order not to harm your health, you need to know how to apply a compress to a child’s ear. Detailed advice on this issue can be obtained from your doctor. This procedure for otitis media is often recommended for children under 3 years of age, since in this case ear pain is often caused by a hearing organ that is not yet fully formed.

Parents often think that there is nothing better for the ear than vodka lotions, but this is not always the case. traditional methods treatments can be justified. The type of compress is prescribed only by an otolaryngologist, having previously determined the type and cause of the disease.

What types of compresses are there?

Compresses for otitis media in children are often multilayer cotton-gauze swabs that can be soaked in medication. The doctor should tell you how to do it and how to apply it to the ear correctly, since different shape otitis requires appropriate treatment.

There are several types of compresses:

• Warming;
• Wet ( herbal infusions, medicines, alcohol, oil);
• Dry.

If a child has ear pain, parents should immediately consult a doctor who will examine and diagnose the disease. At initial stage For otitis media, it is often recommended to use warm compresses, as they accelerate blood flow and relieve inflammation. Warming procedures are strictly prohibited if the child has high temperature bodies.

A wet or moist compress can also be warming, but it differs in the presence of an impregnated layer. Various liquids that have a warming effect can be used as impregnation. When choosing this type of procedure, you need to remember that children under 4 years of age are prohibited from using alcohol-based formulations. Such a substance can be too active on the baby’s delicate skin. For safety, it is better to replace alcohol with an oil composition.

In the case of treating an adult or child over 4 years old, you need to know how to do alcohol compress on the ear, so that the heat not only relieves pain, but also fights the inflammation itself.

A dry compress is used for both strong and minimal warmth. Its main function is to absorb purulent discharge, which often appear when acute form otitis This type of procedure helps reduce discomfort, but does not remove the cause of the disease.

Dry compress

This type of ear compress is acceptable as a warming agent only at the initial stage of otitis media. It is contraindicated to use it in case of severe inflammation. It can be filled with heated table salt, which is preheated to 60 degrees. Hot salt is placed in a linen bag, which is carefully wrapped in a towel or piece of plain cloth. A multi-layer compress is applied to the ear, holding until the salt cools completely.

If dry heat is needed at the stage of removing purulent masses, then a compress is created simply from several layers of cotton wool and a sterile bandage.

Alcoholic

Using an ear compress with vodka is considered one of the most common treatment methods. Vodka or alcohol must be diluted. For children, vodka is diluted 1:2, and for adults – 1:1. If alcohol is used, the solution should be 20%.

You need to make an alcohol compress like this:

1. Cut a piece of gauze into 6-7 layers. Soak the finished piece with vodka solution. Make a hole in the middle of the piece for the ear.
2. Cut a piece of wax paper the same size or thick fabric with a hole in the middle. Cover with 1 layer.
3. Lay out a layer of cotton wool.
4. Wrap a bandage on top of your head. For better warmth, you can wear a warm hat.

The duration of this procedure is from 2 to 4 hours. It is better to carry out such warming before bedtime. Before using the compress, the child's skin around the ear should be lubricated with moisturizer to avoid burns.

Warming compress

The use of a warm compress should always be carried out under supervision and careful selection medicinal substance, with which the layers will be impregnated. The following can be used as warming components:

• Almond oil;
• Sand or table salt in a closed pad;
• Peppermint solution;
• Kombucha infusion;
• Boric alcohol;
• Camphor alcohol;
• Calendula oil, etc.

Use any plant based for a compress can cause allergies in a child, so be sure to conduct an allergy test before using the composition.

With dimexide

Dimexide is an active disinfectant that simultaneously relieves pain. When ingested, it has a toxic effect, so it can only be used for topical and external treatment. For otitis, dimexide disinfects the ear cavity well, relieves swelling and accelerates exchange between tissues. It is often added to the composition of the solution for impregnating the compress, as it speeds up the passage medicinal compositions to the point of inflammation.

To prepare, just moisten a napkin in a 10% dimexide solution and apply it to your ear for 30 minutes, covering it with a thick cloth or cotton wool. This procedure must be repeated every day for 10 days.

With camphor oil

An ear compress with camphor oil is used only until the stage of accumulation of pus in the ear. If the patient already has acute purulent form otitis, then such a warming procedure will only aggravate the course of the disease.

In the absence of contraindications, making this type of compress is quite simple:

1. Cut a piece of gauze 10x10 cm so that it is folded into six layers.
2. Make a hole in the middle for the auricle; you cannot completely cover the entire ear.
3. Soak a piece of gauze with camphor oil so that it is wet, but drops do not roll off it.
4. On top of this layer, apply another clean gauze layer, but using cotton wool.
5. Wrap the finished compress elastic bandage for 30-40 minutes.

You can repeat this procedure every day for a week. For an even greater warming effect, you can wrap a scarf over the bandage.

Is it possible to apply a compress for otitis media and ear pain?

A vodka compress on the ear for otitis media has the fastest warming effect, so it can be used at the first symptoms of the disease. If the pain is particularly acute, then the effect of warming procedures may be ineffective. To treat severe pain syndrome it is necessary to use more radical methods, using antibiotic drugs, physiotherapy.

If after applying the compress the pain intensifies or the temperature rises, then you should not continue this procedure. To protect the patient’s health, it is better to immediately seek medical help.

How to apply a compress instructions?

A dry compress is the only warming procedure that can be applied directly to the auricle. Wet compresses are always made with a hole in the middle. The application technique is quite simple:

1. Perform standard ear hygiene.
2. Cut a piece of cotton fabric or gauze so that it covers the ear area by 3-4 cm. Make a hole in the middle of the fabric for the ear.
3. Cut a piece of wax paper, plastic bag or thick fabric with the same hole in the middle. Cover with 1 layer.
4. Lay out a layer of cotton so that the third layer is 2-4 cm wider than the previous one.
5. Secure it to the head with a bandage. For better warmth, you can wear a warm hat or wrap yourself in a thick scarf.

After removing the compress, wipe the skin with a clean cloth. If there are leftovers medicinal composition, then carefully clean the skin and ear canal.

Contraindications

You should not carry out such procedures if the patient has parallel diseases or symptoms:

• Damage to the skin around the ears;
• Having a severe allergic reaction;
• Severe swelling;
• Itching in the ears;
• High body temperature;
• Mental illnesses (epilepsy);
• Scalp dermatitis;
• Eczema;
• Purulent discharge from the ear canal;
• Severe headache;
• Dizziness;
• Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the head.

You shouldn't resort to similar method treatment for pregnant and lactating women. Only an otolaryngologist can prescribe such procedures.

Before using this procedure, doctors give their recommendations:

1. Do not keep an alcohol compress on your ear for more than 4 hours.
2. For a greater thermal effect, it is better not to use cellophane to treat children under 2 years of age.
3. Additional heating with a lamp is appropriate only after examination by a doctor.
4. Do not use at the slightest increase in temperature.
5. For treating children under 4 years of age, it is better to use oil rather than alcohol formulations.

Detailed instructions should be clarified by each attending physician, taking into account individual characteristics patient.

You can treat otitis media with a compress, but it is important to know the form of the disease. Without corresponding medical consultation self-medication can aggravate the course of the disease.

For a child, ear pain is almost unbearable. Parents, in turn, try in every possible way to help the baby. As you know, without a doctor’s examination, you should not drop any medication into a child’s ear, as this may cause unpleasant consequences. For this reason, many parents use good old remedies traditional treatment. Compress is one of the most effective means. For ear inflammation, you can only use a warm compress, and not in all cases. Before using a warming procedure for a baby, every mother should know in what cases it is possible to warm the ear and in what cases it is not. In our article we will talk about applying a warm compress to a child’s ear.

Warming compress on a child's ear

Warm compresses are very useful for ear pain. Thanks to the effect of heat, blood circulation accelerates and blood vessels dilate, as a result of which pain is reduced and the child feels much better. Parents are often tormented by the question of in what cases it is possible to warm sore ear? The opinion of experts on this matter is as follows: Warming the ear is rather an additional therapy that becomes effective at the recovery stage. For example, a warm compress can be applied to ear pain that is not related to inflammatory process, or if we're talking about about otitis, which arose due to concomitant disease, for example, against the background of a cold. During the first two days, you should not warm your child’s ear. If after two days the child does not have a fever and there is no discharge from the ear, the ear can be thoroughly warmed up.

This is important! In no case are warm compresses self-treatment. You can warm your ear only if there are no contraindications.

Contraindications

Despite this factor, doctors strongly recommend caution when warming the ear. Applying a compress has some serious contraindications for use:

• You cannot warm your ear if there is discharge from the ear canal;
• Under no circumstances should you create a “greenhouse” effect for the ear. In other words, moist heat is a contraindication. In this case, small drops of water settle inside the ear, which contribute to the spread of infection and an increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms;
• It is forbidden to warm the baby’s ear if the body temperature exceeds the norm;
• You should not warm your ear if you suspect a perforated eardrum.

This is important: If there is a suspicion of contraindications, put off warm compresses until you consult a doctor.

Preparation for the procedure

Before applying a warm compress, you should prepare for this procedure. Let's look at what the preparation consists of:

• Check if the child has elevated temperature bodies;
• Talk to your child and tell him about the upcoming procedure. To prevent the child from being scared, you should carefully explain that this manipulation will help relieve pain, while applying a compress is an absolutely painless procedure;
• It is best to apply the compress in a sitting position;
• Parents should treat their hands with an antiseptic solution;
• Remove hair from the child's face (if it is a girl) and remove jewelry from the earlobes.

Warming compress

Before preparing a compress, every parent should read the step-by-step instructions.

Alcohol compress

First, let's look at how to apply a warming compress to a child's ear based on an alcohol or vodka compress:

This is important: It should be noted that alcohol-based compresses have extensive range contraindications, for this reason alcohol compresses are allowed for use only after consultation with a doctor.

• First you need to prepare the gauze. In the middle of the gauze we make a small cut into which the baby’s ear should fit;
• Take vodka or alcohol and add boiled warm water in a 1:1 ratio;
• Wet the gauze generously and squeeze thoroughly;
• We put gauze on the ear;
• You need to put an oilcloth on top, and a piece of cotton wool on top, this is necessary so that the alcohol-based compress does not erode;
• So that the child can fully move with the compress, we fix the compress with a bandage;
• To further maintain warmth, you can attach a scarf or wear a hat to your ear.

The compress should be worn for at least two hours and no more than 4 hours. If we are talking about a child under 3 years old, the duration of wearing the compress is limited to one hour.

Oil compress for a child

An oil warming compress for the ear is prepared a little differently. First, we prepare the oil; camphor oil is most in demand in otolaryngology. You need to heat it up to about 37-37.4 degrees. Under no circumstances should you heat oil in microwave oven. Electromagnetic rays destroy the benefits of oil. It is best to heat the liquid using a water bath. A piece of cotton wool should be soaked in oil, squeezed thoroughly and inserted into the baby’s ear. We fix it on top bandage so that the presence of a compress does not hinder the child’s movements. Compress based camphor oil can be left for 4-6 hours. The procedure can be done twice a day.

Dry heat

Dry heat also applies to compresses. As dry heat, you can use ordinary chicken egg. Boil the product until cooked and wrap it in a piece of cloth folded several times. The egg should not burn, it should warm. Dry heat should be applied periodically - 15 minutes of heat exposure - 15 minutes of break. The procedure is repeated until the egg cools down. As the fabric cools, you can straighten it out; when the egg becomes slightly warm, you can remove the fabric altogether.

In addition to the egg, the usual table salt. It needs to be thoroughly heated in a frying pan until golden brown and placed in a fabric bag. You need to make sure that the salt does not burn, but warms. Apply a salt compress to the baby’s ear for 20 minutes. Then we take a short break, then repeat the procedure.

Precautions

Young, inexperienced parents should familiarize themselves with this list in more detail so as not to harm the baby:

• Before letting your child warm his ear with dry heat, apply a compress to your ear. It is very important that the child does not experience discomfort or pain during warming up;
• When heating the oil, lower your fingertip and make sure that the oil temperature does not exceed the specified norm;
• Check your ear for cuts or scratches. skin. If they are present, an alcohol compress is contraindicated;
• Under no circumstances should you allow your child to go outside after warming up. After thorough warming up, it is advisable to put the child to bed; it is for this reason that many experts recommend warming up at night.

Prevention

Preventive measures in this case are aimed solely at preventing the development of otitis media. Let's take a closer look:

• Dress your baby according to the weather;
• Clean ears with special sticks with limiters;
• Treat a runny nose, for babies - suck out fluid from the nose using a baby bulb;
• It is advisable to breastfeed the baby. In this case, the child’s immunity is at its highest;
• IN winter time buy your child a complex of age-appropriate vitamins.

Conclusion

From our article we can conclude that it is advisable to warm a child’s ear only after consultation with the attending physician. This will help avoid some complications and make the procedure more effective and safe.

The pain that occurs in the ear can be so excruciating that the prospect of having to endure it until the morning if your ear hurts at night is terrifying.

In this case, an alcohol compress, which many remember from childhood, can help out, although self-medication can be dangerous and you can only resort to choosing such a means of therapy if you are completely confident in the correctness of the actions.

And in any case, the next day you need to contact a therapist or otolaryngologist, since in many cases a compress cannot be the main type of treatment.

How effective?

For ear diseases, alcohol compresses - a type of home physiotherapy - are used very widely; they are recommended not only by popular healers, but also by doctors in clinics. Although this method is very simple, it is not recommended to use it uncontrollably.

Purpose of an alcohol compress- warm up the ear area, the source of the disease, in order to enhance metabolism in this area, improve blood flow and create favorable conditions for the development of the disease. It reduces the level of pain, making it bearable.

Accelerated blood flow quickly delivers the components taken by the patient to the sore spot medicines and quickly removes the resulting toxins from the source of inflammation. Healing processes occur much faster.

How helper method treatment, an alcohol compress on the ear is used mainly for acute and non-purulent or chronic otitis media(read about the treatment of otitis media folk remedies y and), as well as for discomfort during diseases of the upper respiratory tract(clicking sound when swallowing).

Are there any contraindications?

Warming, including compresses, is used only in the initial stage of the disease or during the recovery process.

If otitis media ( inflammatory disease in the ear) has progressed and entered the purulent stage, then an alcohol compress will only accelerate the development of bacterial colonies, creating favorable conditions for them to reproduce, and will aggravate the situation.

In some cases, alcohol compresses are strictly prohibited:

• age up to 4 years;
• purulent process;
• in the head;
• high body temperature;
• boil of the external auditory canal;
• damaged or inflamed skin around the ear;
• mastoiditis (bacterial inflammation mastoid process temporal bone);
• allergy to compress components;
• fungal ear infections;
• dermatitis or eczema of the ear.

Seizure syndromes and epilepsy are absolute contraindications against the use of camphor alcohol for compresses.

How to do it right?

The compress should be three-layer:

• Sterile gauze, folded 6–8 times, which will be soaked in the solution. If gauze is not at hand, you can use any cotton fabric, folded several times and ironed for disinfection.
• Compress paper, slightly larger in size than gauze. This will create an insulating layer that will prevent the liquid from soaking into the entire dressing, which could reduce the effectiveness of the treatment and the concentration of the solution used.
• A layer of cotton wool or a piece of flannel, with which the compress is covered to preserve heat.

Linear slits are first made in gauze and compress paper through which the auricle will be brought out - after all, the main effect of the compress is not directed at it, but at the middle and inner ear, located inside the bone along the periphery of the external auditory canal.

For greater efficiency and convenience, each subsequent layer of compress should be 2–4 cm wider than the previous one. When treating a child or adult patient with sensitive skin If you are prone to irritation, the body around the ear should be lubricated with a rich cream.

• If you use medical 96-degree alcohol, you need to dilute it with slightly warm water in a ratio of 1:3, moisten the gauze with it, squeeze it so that the liquid does not drain from it and apply it to the ear, letting the auricle out. Press the gauze tightly on all sides around the ear, cover with compress paper, also freeing the auricle, cover with a layer of cotton wool or flannel and secure with a bandage, scarf, or scarf. This compress lasts as long as the warming effect persists (up to 4 hours) and is repeated daily.
• Similar to alcohol, a compress is made from vodka, which is diluted with warm boiled water in a 1:1 ratio.
• For a compress, alcohol for otitis media can also be used with 10% camphor, which is diluted with warm water 1:1 or 1:2, the temperature of the solution should be equal to body temperature. The duration of action of such a compress should not exceed 1.5 hours, and it can be done in the morning and evening. Camphor in alcohol has an additional irritating effect and increases blood flow, which is subjectively felt as stronger heating.
• For an alcohol compress, an adult can use a composition mixed from a tablespoon of warm water, vodka and boric alcohol. Further actions are standard, such a compress is kept until the warming effect ends (about 2 hours).

The compress is applied tightly, but the bandage should not interfere with blood circulation in and around the ear. If there is discomfort, strong burning sensation the procedure should be interrupted. It is not recommended to leave compress bandages on overnight.

After removing the compress, wipe the area around the ear with a cotton swab soaked in warm water, wipe dry, lightly grease with rich cream or olive (any vegetable) oil and cover with something warm. Apply warm compresses better in the evening, shortly before bedtime.

Under no circumstances should you interrupt the course of compresses without completely treating your ear. In winter, while treatment is underway, it’s better not to go out at all- you can easily get a complication of the disease. If such a need arises, be sure to wear a hat that covers your ears and sore ear plug with cotton wool.

You should not start a course of compresses using camphor or boric alcohol, without first checking the skin for allergic resistance to these drugs.

To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the inner bend of the elbow or wrist and wait about an hour. If there is no redness of the skin in this area, the product can be used.

A warming alcohol compress applied to the ear not only retains the heat produced by the body, but also increases blood circulation in the affected area, which improves metabolism and speeds up recovery.

It is not recommended to blindly prescribe such procedures to yourself, because only a specialist with the help of instruments can see what is happening inside the ear. In exceptional cases, the compress can be used independently to relieve severe pain and wait until the morning if calling a specialist at night is impossible.

Used as a physiotherapeutic procedure during treatment or at the recovery stage, an alcohol compress will bring obvious benefit, stimulating local immunity and accelerating tissue regeneration.