What causes an earache?

Earaches are most often caused by an ear infection or an injury to the ear, though a build-up of earwax, referred pain from a tooth or jaw problem, and pressure changes when flying can all be to blame. Outer-ear infections often follow water getting trapped after swimming, while middle-ear problems tend to come alongside a cold or throat infection.

How can I treat an earache at home?

Many earaches settle on their own within a few days. You can ease the discomfort with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, and by holding a warm flannel against the ear. Sitting upright helps relieve pressure, and it is best to keep water out of the affected ear.

When should I see a GP about an earache?

See your GP or a hearing specialist if the earache does not ease within a couple of days, keeps coming back, or is severe. Get help sooner if there is a very high temperature, swelling, fluid or pus leaking from the ear, dizziness, or a sudden loss of pain that could signal a burst eardrum. For a baby, a temperature of 38C or above needs prompt attention.

Can earwax cause an earache?

Yes. A build-up of earwax can cause earache along with a blocked feeling and muffled hearing. Never try to dig it out with cotton buds, as this only pushes the wax deeper; a professional can soften it with drops and then remove it gently by microsuction.

How can I prevent earaches?

You cannot prevent every earache, but you can lower your risk by keeping fingers and cotton buds out of your ears and drying them thoroughly after swimming or bathing. Avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke, and reducing your exposure to known allergens, also helps keep your ears healthier.

A Simple Guide to Earaches | VIP Hearing Solutions

Key Takeaways

Earache usually affects one ear but can hit both, from a dull constant ache to sharp pain.

Common causes include ear infections, injury, excess earwax, referred pain from toothache, and pressure changes when flying.

Many earaches ease at home by sitting upright, using a compress, and taking over-the-counter pain relief.

See your GP if earache lasts more than a couple of days, or comes with high fever, dizziness or discharge.

Have you been suffering from pain in your ears? You probably have an earache. Common in children, earaches can still happen into adulthood. But what are the symptoms of earaches and what might cause them? We explore this, and how you might be able to treat your earache.

Where does earache strike?

Earache usually occurs in only one ear, but can impact both at the same time. If you notice a dull and constant pain, a sharp pain, a pain that ebbs and flows, or a sense of burning in your ear, these all add up to an earache.

Other symptoms of an earache

The main symptom of an earache is, of course, pain in your ear. You may also notice that your hearing is fuzzy, muffled or unclear, and that you have some fluid coming from your ear. Children also often suffer from a fever, headache, and a feeling that the ear is full and uncomfortable. A child with earache can lose some balance and not be as hungry as usual. Parents should look out for behavioural changes such as irritability in young children, as well.

Infections and earache

Earaches are commonly caused by an injury to the ear or an infection somewhere in the ear. Infections in your outer ear can result from swimming and getting water stuck in the ear, hearing aid use, earphone use, and putting objects like cotton buds in your ears.

If you have a middle ear infection, this can be caused by chest or throat infections resulting in fluid behind your eardrums beginning to build up.

While inner ear disorders are less common, they can be caused by viral infections and bacterial infections

Other causes of earache

You may also suffer from an earache if you have toothache, which is known as referred pain (when pain is felt in a different place than it originates). Earaches often occur during pressure shifts when flying or otherwise shifting to a higher altitude, or if you have an excessive amount of earwax.

In rarer cases, you may be suffering from a perforated eardrum or an infected or impacted tooth. Those with skin conditions sometimes find that the skin within their ears can be irritated or become inflamed (such as with eczema ). If you have previously been diagnosed with arthritis, this can cause your jaw to ache, causing referred pain in your ear, and those with facial nerve pain often find that their ears are impacted by this.

Healing an earache

In many cases, an earache can be taken care of at home. You should avoid getting water in your ear or on the outer ear if it is inflamed, but you can put a cold compress against it to bring down the existing inflammation.

Sitting upright will generally ease the pressure in your ears, and some people find that chewing gum can also help. For young children, feeding them can have the same effect. You should be able to use over the counter pain relief and ear drops in most cases to ease the symptoms of earache.

GP treatments

You will sometimes need prescription medication for earaches, such as antibiotics and ear drops to clear up infections. However, if your earache is caused by excess wax, you might be given drops to soften this, and then your earwax may be removed with suction.

Should you see your GP?

Make sure to see your GP or a hearing specialist as soon as possible if your child has an ongoing fever of 38 ºC or more, and to seek urgent advice for a baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38 ºC or more. If you are suffering from earache yourself, your pain abruptly stopping could also be a red flag, as it can signal that your eardrum has ruptured.

If your pain becomes much worse, is accompanied by a severe headache or you are dizzy, you should book in with your doctor. It is also important to have your ear checked if it is swollen, bleeding or leaking pus, or if the muscles in your face are being impacted.

Even if the earache is not accompanied by these symptoms, you should get it checked out if it hasn’t eased in a couple of days.

Avoiding earaches

Not all earaches are easy to prevent, but you can reduce your chances of suffering from an earache by not putting your fingers or cotton wool buds in your ears, and drying your ears thoroughly after getting them wet. You should also steer clear of smoking or being around secondhand smoke, and reduce your exposure to known allergens. While you might still find yourself with an earache from time to time, these steps can keep your ears healthier overall.

If you or your child has an earache that is recurring or does not go away within forty-eight hours, get in touch with your GP as soon as you can for a thorough examination so you can get back to normal again.

A Simple Guide to Earaches