What is an earache?

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’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, 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.

Read on for other symptoms, causes, treatments, and more.

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

Injury, infection, irritation in the ear, or referred pain may cause earaches. Referred pain is pain felt somewhere other than the infection or injured site. For example, pain that originates in the jaw or teeth may be felt in the ear. Causes of earaches can include:

Ear infections

Ear infectionsare a common cause of earaches or ear pain. Ear infections can occur in the outer, middle, and inner ear.

Outer ear infectioncan 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 infectioncan be caused by infections that stem from a respiratory tract infection. Fluid buildup behind the ear drums caused by these infections can breed bacteria.

Labyrinthitisis an inner ear disorder that’s sometimes caused by viral or bacterial infections from respiratory illnesses.

Other common causes of earaches

Less common causes of earaches

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.

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 buildup 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.

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). TheHealthline FindCare toolcan 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.

You can book an appointment with a primary care doctor in your area using ourHealthline FindCare tool.

Some earaches may be preventable. Try these preventive measures:

  • Avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
  • Keep foreign objects out of the ear.
  • Dry the ears after swimming or bathing.

Avoid allergy triggers, such as dust and pollen.

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