Earaches are a common symptom and may be due to a variety of illnesses. 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 time it is one ear. Earache or ear pain may be due to infections or inflammation of the external, middle or inner ear. The pain may be constant or come and go, and the pain may be sharp, dull, or burning. They may also be due to structures that are located adjacent to the ear itself.
Causes:
- Trauma
- Swimmers ear
- Middle ear infections
- Use of cotton swabs or fingers in the ear canal
- Shampoo or water trapped in the ear
- Change in air pressure (such as flying on a plane)
- Sinus infection
- Strep throat
- Earwax blockage
Symptoms: (Adults)
- Ear pain
- Fluid drainage from ear
- Impaired hearing
Symptoms: (Children)
- Ear pain
- Fever
- Pulling or tugging at the ear
- Crying or acting irritable
- Difficulty responding to sounds
- Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of balance
- Headache
Home treatment:
- Take OTC pain relievers and OTC ear drops
- Avoid getting the ear wet
- Apply a warm washcloth to the ear
- Chewing gum may help relieve pressure
- Feeding an infant may help them relieve pressure
- NOTE: Eardrops or olive oil drops should not be used if the eardrum has burst.
Seek medical care if:
- You or your child has a persistent fever of 104F
- Fever for an infant of 101F
- Severe ear pain
- Blood or pus draining from the ear
- Dizziness
- Bad headache
- Swelling around the ear
- Severe pain that that stops suddenly (a sign that eardrum is rupturing)
If you are suffering from an earache, contact our Irving doctors today to schedule an appointment.