Earache
An earache is a sharp, dull, or burning pain in one or both ears. The pain may last a short time or be ongoing. Related conditions include:
- Otitis media
- Swimmer's ear
Swimmer's ear
Swimmer's ear is inflammation, irritation, or infection of the outer ear and ear canal. The medical term for swimmer's ear is otitis externa. Swimme...
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Malignant otitis externa
Malignant otitis externa is a disorder that involves infection and damage of the bones of the ear canal and at the base of the skull.
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Earache - Animation
If your child has a sharp, dull, or burning pain in his ear, he's suffering an earache, a common reason parents take their children to the doctor. Several things can cause earaches, including Swimmer's ear (where the skin of the ear canal is inflamed), pressure or elevation changes (that stretch the sensitive ear drum), and ear infections. The Eustachian tube runs from the middle of each ear to the back of the throat. This tube drains fluid normally made in the middle ear. If the tube gets blocked, fluid can build up, leading to infection. This can lead to pressure behind the ear drum or an ear infection. If your child has an earache, your child will complain of ear pain. Babies with an earache will often be fussy and not sleep well. Many children have temporary hearing loss during, and right after, an ear infection or other cause of earache. Children under 6 months old who might have an ear infection need to see a doctor. Your child's doctor will look inside the child's ear using an instrument called an otoscope. The doctor might see areas of redness, air bubbles behind the ear drum, and fluid inside the middle ear. You can relieve an earache by placing a warm or cold pack or a warm or cold wet wash cloth to your child's ear for 20 minutes. For children old enough to safely chew gum, chewing may help relieve the pain and pressure of an earache. Oral pain medications or over-the-counter ear drops can help, as long as your child's eardrum has not ruptured. Vibrating devices, such as the EarDoc, are one way to relieve pain without medications. If an infection caused your child's earache, it is very treatable, but it may come back again. If your child has to take an antibiotic, make sure he takes all of the medicine.
Considerations
The symptoms of an ear infection may include:
- Ear pain
- Fever
Fever
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...
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- Increased crying
- Irritability
Many children will have minor hearing loss during or right after an ear infection. Most of the time, the problem goes away. Lasting hearing loss is rare, but the risk increases with the number of infections.
Causes
The eustachian tube runs from the middle part of each ear to the back of the throat. This tube drains fluid that is made in the middle ear. If the eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid can build up. This may lead to pressure behind the eardrum or an ear infection.
Ear infection
Otitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleEar pain in adults is less likely to be from an ear infection. Pain that you feel in the ear may be coming from another place, such as your teeth, the joint in your jaw (temporomandibular joint), or your throat. This is called referred pain.
Temporomandibular joint
Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJ disorders) are problems that affect the chewing muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to y...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCauses of ear pain may include:
- Arthritis of the jaw
Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation or degeneration of one or more joints. A joint is the area where 2 bones meet. There are more than 100 different types of...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Short-term (acute) ear infection
Short-term (acute) ear infection
Suspected ear infections are one of the most common reasons parents take their children to the health care provider. The most common type of ear inf...
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Long-term (chronic) ear infection
Chronic ear infection is fluid, swelling, or an infection behind the eardrum that does not go away or keeps coming back. It causes long-term or perm...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Ear injury from pressure changes (from high altitudes and other causes)
Ear injury from pressure changes
Ear barotrauma causes discomfort in the ear due to pressure differences between the inside and outside of the eardrum. It may include damage to the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Object stuck in the ear or buildup of ear wax
Object stuck in the ear
Ear emergencies include objects in the ear canal, ruptured eardrums, sudden hearing loss, and severe infections.
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Hole in the eardrum
A ruptured eardrum is an opening or hole in the eardrum. The eardrum is a thin piece of tissue that separates the outer and middle ear. Damage to t...
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Sinus infection
Sinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...
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- Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ)
Temporomandibular joint syndrome
Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJ disorders) are problems that affect the chewing muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to y...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tooth infection
Tooth infection
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection.
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Ear pain in a child or infant may be due to infection. Other causes may include:
- Ear canal irritation from cotton-tipped swabs
- Soap or shampoo staying in the ear
Home Care
The following steps may help an earache:
- Place a cold pack or cold wet washcloth on the outer ear for 20 minutes to reduce pain.
- Chewing may help relieve the pain and pressure of an ear infection. (Gum can be a choking hazard for young children.)
- Resting in an upright position instead of lying down can reduce pressure in the middle ear.
- Over-the-counter ear drops can be used to relieve pain, as long as the eardrum has not ruptured.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can provide relief for children and adults with an earache. (Do not give aspirin to children.)
For ear pain caused by a change of altitude, such as on an airplane:
Ear pain caused by a change of altitude
Traveling with children presents special challenges. It disrupts familiar routines and imposes new demands. Planning ahead, and involving children ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article- Swallow or chew gum as the plane descends.
- Allow infants to suck on a bottle or breastfeed.
The following steps can help prevent earaches:
- Avoid smoking near children. Secondhand smoke is a major cause of ear infections in children.
- Prevent outer ear infections by not putting objects in the ear.
- Dry the ears well after bathing or swimming.
- Take steps to control allergies. Try to avoid allergy triggers.
- Try a steroid nasal spray to help reduce ear infections. (However, over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants do not prevent ear infections.)
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your health care provider if:
- Your child has a high fever, severe pain, or seems sicker than is usual for an ear infection.
- Your child has new symptoms such as dizziness, headache, swelling around the ear, or weakness in the face muscles.
- Severe pain suddenly stops (this may be a sign of a ruptured eardrum).
- Symptoms (pain, fever, or irritability) get worse or do not improve within 24 to 48 hours.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The provider will do a physical exam and look at the ear, nose, and throat areas.
Physical exam
During a physical examination, a health care provider checks your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinati...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePain, tenderness, or redness of the mastoid bone behind the ear on the skull is often a sign of a serious infection.
Reviewed By
Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Internal review and update on 02/03/2024 by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Earwood JS, Rogers TS, Rathjen NA. Ear pain: diagnosing common and uncommon causes. Am Fam Physician. 2018;97(1):20-27. PMID: 29365233 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29365233/.
Haddad J, Dodhia SN. General considerations and evaluation of the ear. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 654.
Pelton SI. Otitis externa, otitis media, and mastoiditis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 61.
Player B. Earache. In: Kliegman RM, Toth H, Bordini BJ, Basel D, eds. Nelson Pediatric Symptom-Based Diagnosis. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 5.