Earaches usually occur in children, but they can also occur in adults. Injury, infection, irritation in the ear, or referred pain may cause earaches. An earache may affect one or both of your ears. But most of the time, it’s 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, you may also get a fever, and temporary hearing loss may occur. Young children who have ear infections tend to be fussy and irritable. They may also tug or rub their ears.
Earache symptoms
Earaches can develop from ear infections or injury. Symptoms in adults include:
- ear pain
- impaired hearing
- fluid drainage from ear
Children can typically show additional symptoms, such as:
- ear pain
- muffled hearing or difficulty responding to sounds
- fever
- sense of fullness in the ear
- difficulty sleeping
- tugging or pulling at the ear
- crying or acting irritable more than usual
- headache
- loss of appetite
- loss of balance
What are the common causes of earaches?
Ear pain is felt somewhere other than the infection or injured site. For example, pain in the jaw or teeth may be felt in the ear.
Ear infections are a common cause of earaches or ear pain. Ear infections can occur in the outer, middle, and inner ear. Outer ear infection can be caused by swimming, wearing hearing aids or headphones that damage the skin inside the ear canal, or putting cotton swabs or fingers in the ear canal. Skin in the ear canal that gets scratched or irritated can lead to infection. Water softens the skin in the ear canal, which can create a breeding ground for bacteria. Middle ear infection can be caused by infections that stem from a respiratory tract infection. Fluid build-up behind the ear drums caused by these infections can breed bacteria. Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder that’s sometimes caused by viral or bacterial infections from respiratory illnesses.
Other common causes of earaches
- change in pressure, such as when flying on a plane
- earwax build-up
- a foreign object in the ear
- strep throat
- sinus infection
- Shampoo or water trapped in the ear
- use of cotton swabs in the ear
- Less common causes of earaches
- 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
You can take several steps at home to reduce earache pain. Try these options to ease the ear pain:
- Apply a cold washcloth to the ear.
- Avoid getting the ear wet.
- Sit upright to help relieve ear pressure.
- Use over-the-counter (OTC) ear drops.
- Take OTC pain relievers.
- Chew gum to help relieve pressure.
- Feed an infant to help them relieve their pressure.
Medical treatment for earaches
If you have an ear infection, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics or eardrops. In some cases, they’ll prescribe both. Don’t stop taking the medication once your symptoms improve. It’s important that you finish your entire prescription to ensure that the infection will clear up completely. If a build-up of wax is causing your ear pain, you may be given wax-softening eardrops. They 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 they may use a suction device to remove the wax. Your doctor will treat TMJ, sinus infections, and other causes of earaches directly to improve your ear pain.
When to see a doctor
If you or your child has a persistent fever of 104ºF (40 ºC) or higher, seek medical attention. For an infant, seek medical help immediately for a fever higher than 101ºF (38ºC). The Healthline Find Care tool can provide options in your area if you don’t already have a doctor.
You should also seek immediate medical attention if you have severe pain that stops suddenly. This could be a sign of the eardrum rupturing.
You should also watch for other symptoms. If any of the following 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
You should also make an appointment with your doctor if an earache gets worse or doesn’t improve in 24 to 48 hours. Some earaches may be preventable. Try these preventive measures:
- Avoid smoking and exposure to second hand smoke.
- Keep foreign objects out of the ear.
- Dry the ears after swimming or bathing.
- Avoid allergy triggers, such as dust and pollen.
Hydromedical is one of the leading on-call doctor services in Bali. Its team of experienced doctors, nurses, and medical professionals is available 24/7 to provide medical assistance in Bali. The service is easy to use, and you can call them from anywhere in Bali to get immediate medical attention. If you need treatment for ear pain while you are in Bali, you can go to Hydromedical clinic to get the treatment. Enjoy your holiday, without worrying about the ear pain with hydromedical