Earaches usually occur in children, but they can
occur in adults as well. An earache may affect one or both ears, but the
majority of the time it is in one ear. It may be constant or come and
go, and the pain may be dull, sharp, or burning.
If you have an ear infection, fever and temporary hearing loss may
occur. Young children who have ear infections tend to be fussy and
irritable. They may also tug at or rub their ears.
What Are the Common Causes of Earaches?
Injury, infection, irritation in the ear, or referred pain may cause
earaches. Referred pain is pain that is felt somewhere other than the
site of the infection or injury. Pain that originates in the jaw or
teeth may be felt in the ear.
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Common causes of earaches include:
ear infection
change in pressure (such as when flying on a plane)
earwax buildup
a foreign object in the ear
strep throat
sinus infection
shampoo or water trapped in the earear
use of cotton swabs in the ear
Less common causes of earaches include:
temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome
perforated eardrum
arthritis affecting the jaw
infected tooth
impacted tooth
eczema in the ear canal
trigeminal neuralgia (chronic facial nerve pain)
Treating Earaches at Home
There are several steps you can take at home to reduce earache pain.
They include:
applying a cold washcloth to the ear
avoiding getting the ear wet
sitting upright to help relieve ear pressure
using over-the-counter ear drops
taking over-the-counter pain relievers
chewing gum to help relieve pressure
feeding an infant to help relieve pressure
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When to See a Doctor
If you or your child has a persistent fever of 104ºF or higher, seek
medical attention. For an infant, seek medical help immediately for a
fever higher than 101ºF. You should also seek immediate medical
attention if you have severe pain that stops suddenly. This can be a
sign of the eardrum rupturing.
You should also watch for other symptoms. If these symptoms appear, make
an appointment with your doctor:
severe ear pain
dizziness
bad headache
swelling around the ear
drooping of the facial muscles
blood or pus draining from the ear
If an earache gets worse or does not improve in 24 to 48 hours, make an
appointment with your doctor.
Medical Treatment for Earaches
If you have an ear infection, your doctor will prescribe oral
antibiotics or eardrops. In some cases, he or she will prescribe both.
It is important that you finish your prescription. This ensures that the
infection will clear up completely. Do not just stop taking medication
once your symptoms improve.
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If the buildup of wax is causing your ear pain, you may be given
wax-softening eardrops. This may cause the wax to fall out on its own.
Your doctor may also flush out the wax using a process called ear lavage,
or he or she may use a vacuum-suction device to remove the wax.
Your doctor will treat TMJ, sinus infections, and other causes of
earaches directly. This should improve your ear pain.
Preventing Earaches
Some earaches may be preventable. Preventive
measures include:
avoiding smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke
keeping foreign objects out of the ear
drying the ears after swimming or bathing
avoiding allergy triggers, such as dust and pollen |