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.
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
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: