I went with a friend to the doctor today to help translate. It turns out that her little girl has a double ear infection. I took her to a neighborhood clinic, where the doctor gave her a prescription for medicine. The doctor was a big help, but we also got some advice from someone on the street.
We stopped at a noodle shop on the way home, and one of the people there started talking to us. As we were talking, I mentioned that the little girl has an ear infection. This chinese woman gave me advice on how to care for the infection. She said she had used this cure herself, and that it helped her. She said everyone in the countryside uses this cure. She said you take some breast milk and pour it in the ear. Then you wait a little bit, and then tilt the head to pour it out. She insisted this would cure the problem.
So my friend and I wondered if it is polite to ask a nursing mother to give you some breast milk for your ear. Okay...my imagination is running wild here. Must....bite...my...typing...fingers.... I don't know about me, but would you try it?
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I've heard of using breast milk to cure eye infections. In fact, a friend of mine's daughter had an eye infection and she "borrowed" some breast milk from me. Didn't bother me at all to let her have some, but then I'm a bit weird. :)
I would. Some of these native ideas are time tested and proven remedies and we have a lot of them going around in India too. Both in China and India, primary health care is not available to the vast majority of people living in rural parts and they depend on such treatments. I personally have used castor oil in the ear to cure ear aches with very quick and long lasting effect.
When we were little, Mom would take kids with ear aches to our uncle who smoked. She would have him blow cigarette smoke into the ear and then put a cotton ball into it, claiming that cured earaches. Whether it ever did or not, I do not remember. It seems to me that extra bacteria might just make things worse, but what do I know?
As a child ear infections were a common malady for me. In fact to this day, my measurement for pain is based on those earaches, nothing has ever reached that level.
Warm olive oil was often dropped into my ear, but nothing ever took the pain away. After a few years I had my tonsils and adenoids removed, and that was the first time I had any relief.
I wonder that instead of it being the actual breast milk that helped it, if it was the warm liquid. Reading everyone's comments has made me wonder that even more.
Did she mention what animal the breast milk was to be taken from?
ha ha, yes Looney, the animal mentioned would be a human. Actually, I'm wondering if it is because breast milk has immunities in it. Maybe they believe it will help...
I wouldn't mind asking - if it's for a child, that trumps embarrassment.
I'm with Paul, helping a child is the ultimate.
Blessings ~ Maxi
I wouldn't feel safe pouring anything in my ear unless the doctor told me to. One of our local radio DJ's here is often teased because he used to put bird seed in his ear when he would get ear infections, except the last time he had to go to the doctor to get it removed! :S
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