Ear pain is sort of common in kids, however, even adults may suffer from a frequent earache. In most cases, it affects
just one ear but in some, it can cause pain in both the ears. The pain could be dull, sharp or burning depending upon the cause and should cause a uniform or an on and off pattern of an earache. If you’ve got an ear infection, it also can cause other symptoms like fever and temporary hearing disorder. In some, it also can cause fluid drainage from the ears. Ear pain is usually amid a headache, jaw pain, difficulty in sleep and irritability.
There are many causes of ear pain in both kids and adults like injury, infection, or pain within the jaw. Here are a number of the common causes of ear pain explained by Dr. Pradeep who is working with one of the best ENT hospital in Visakhapatnam.
5 common causes of ear pain
Otalgia (ear pain), a standard symptom, is broadly classified into primary otalgia and secondary otalgia. The pain that originates from the ear is named as primary otalgia. it’s mostly caused because of infection of the center ear (otitis media) and outer ear (otitis externa). If the pain originates from the surface of the ear, then it’s called as secondary otalgia. According to the ENT specialists, the foremost common causes of secondary ear pain include dental infections and mandibular joint syndrome (jaw disorder). Primary otalgia is usually more common in children whereas secondary otalgia is common in adults & older people.
Common causes of ear pain include:
Earwax: because the name suggests, your auditory meatus produces a waxy substance referred to as cerumen, which is usually called earwax. Your ear produces and gets obviate the wax from time to time. When the method fails to function properly, it causes a buildup of earwax within the canal. This, in turn, gets hardened and accumulates within the auditory meatus blocking the canal, which can cause ear pain.
In certain cases, once you clean your ears with a cotton bud or the other objects, there are chances that you simply may accidentally pushed the wax deeper within the ear. This not only causes blockage of the canal but also cause ear pain. If left unattended, it can increase the danger of an ear infection. This might even cause temporary deafness along side severe earache.
Most people use home remedies like ointment to melt hardened earwax and take away it. There are over the counter kits which assist you to wash your ears and take away earwax reception. But if not through with care, it can damage the ears also. Hence, it’s always advised to consult an ENT specialist to get rid of earwax and treat ear pain.
Air pressure: one among the common causes of ear pain may be a change in atmospheric pressure. Usually, the pressure on each side of the eardrum is well balanced. However, there are certain factors which will affect the atmospheric pressure within the ears. For instance, once you are on a plane or are in an elevator, there’s a shift within the atmospheric pressure. The popping of the ears usually relieves the pressure within the ears. But when it’s not, it’d hurt the ears and cause ear pain.
To prevent the buildup of pressure within the ears during a plane, chew gum, yawn or swallow while takeoff and landing because it helps to begin the ear and cause de-clogging of ears on a flight.
Swimmer’s ear: There are times once you don’t wear an earplug while swimming or water gets leaked into your ears while taking a shower. This not only results in hearing disorder but also causes discomfort within the ears. If the water, which is trapped within the ears isn’t cleared, it can act as a tract for germs. The affected ear might appear red, swollen and may cause itching and leaking of pus.
The best method to avoid swimmer’s ear and stop ear pain is to keep the ears dry during swimming. You can even choose a cap to avoid entry of water when taking a shower. In most cases, doctors prescribe antibiotic ear drops to clear the infection if any, and painkillers to alleviate earache.
Ear infection: Infections of the ear are the key causes of ear pain which may cause mild to severe ear pain. Certain conditions like allergies, cough, cold and sinus infection can cause a tympanic cavity infection or otitis. Mucus which is produced during cold and cough can block the tubes present within the tympanic cavity. This causes excess fluid build up within the auditory meatus, which successively, can cause an infection.
Outer ear infection, referred to as otitis, are often caused because of using headphones or hearing aids which may damage the skin inside the auditory meatus. Putting fingers or cotton swabs also can irritate the skin within the auditory meatus, increasing the danger of infection.
In certain cases, medications to treat the underlying causes of ear pain like cold and allergy is required along with antibiotics for providing relief. Do consult a doctor if the pain worsens because if left untreated it can damage the ears and even cause deafness.
