What causes ear pain and what to do about it

Ear pain is a phenomenon that many people of different ages have experienced. Ear pain is accompanied by discomfort, strong, constant, unpleasant, exhausting sensations, and has a negative impact on sleep patterns and quality of life. For this reason, the question of how to get rid of it comes to the fore.

Practice shows that people experiencing ear pain make many mistakes, which increases the likelihood of complications and negative consequences. In such cases, an ENT doctor is needed. The specialist will conduct a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment appropriate for the specific case.

To do this, you can contact our clinic and receive high-quality medical services. Our prices for paid medical services are the most affordable in Rostov-on-Don, and the otolaryngologist provides consultations for both adults and children.

Briefly about the ear

Forming an idea of ​​the structure of the ear allows you to understand in which parts pain may occur and what causes it. The organ is one of the most complex in the human body; it consists of three sections:

• Outer ear. This area includes what is accessible for visual inspection without the use of additional devices. We are talking about the concha and the visible part of the ear canal;
• Middle ear. This part is hidden from view and includes the tympanic cavity and the auditory ossicles. Protection of this section is provided by the temporal bone;
• Inner ear. This is the most complex section; its components are represented by bone canals. Its task is to convert incoming sounds into impulses that are transmitted to the brain and recognized there. Also, this department includes the vestibular apparatus, which is responsible for human coordination and balance.

Ear pain: causes

Ear diseases are a common problem that many people experience, regardless of age. Such pathologies can be caused by a large number of reasons. Each disease requires a different approach to treat. For this reason, there is a danger in self-diagnosis of the disease and treatment. If you experience ear pain, the first thing to do is consult a doctor.

Pain in the outer ear

Practice shows that the main cause of diseases in this department is infections. The outer ear is not protected, so the risk of microorganisms entering is high. But even taking into account this fact, the immune system copes with its functions and neutralizes the threat.

Another reason could be injury. Improper cleaning of the ears, blows and injuries provoke the occurrence and spread of the inflammatory process.

Among the symptoms of damage to the external part are:

• Itching in the ear;
• Acute pain in the ear;
• Movement of the jaws is accompanied by increased pain;
• Impact on the sink leads to increased discomfort.

Also, pain in the outer ear can be caused by the following diseases:

• Otitis externa. The cause is bacteria;
• Furuncle (ulcer);
• Injuries. The result of various injuries. Very often, pain in a child’s ear can be caused by foreign objects that children manage to insert into their ears.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that pain in the outer ear may indicate the presence of cerumen, a tumor, or a foreign object. In some cases, such symptoms are characteristic of eczema.

Middle ear pain

This department directly interacts with the outer ear and nasopharynx. For this reason, the disease can be transmitted to the middle ear. Pathological processes developing in the middle ear have a negative impact on the condition and functioning of other organs and tissues.

Among the symptoms indicating the presence of pathology in the middle ear are:

• Shooting pain in ear;
• Sensation of pulsating in the ear;
• Hearing problems in the affected ear;
• Distortion of the perception of one's own voice.

Pain in the ear in this area may indicate that the following pathologies are highly likely to develop:

• Acute inflammatory processes in the middle ear;
• Tumors in the area of ​​the tympanic cavity;
• Trauma and disruption of the integrity of the eardrum;
• Problems with the functioning of the auditory tube.

In some cases, severe ear pain may occur after going to the pool. The pain spreads both to the outer ear, where the infection could have entered, and to the middle ear, where the pain is caused by strong water pressure when diving to depth.

Problems in the inner ear

In most cases, damage to the inner ear is not accompanied by pain. This significantly complicates the detection of pathologies.

Symptoms of internal disease include:

• Problems with coordination arise;
• Difficulty maintaining balance;
• Nausea;
• Extraneous or uncharacteristic sounds in the ears;
• Headaches on a regular basis;
• Progressive hearing loss;
• Dizziness.

The list of common inner ear diseases includes:

• Labyrinthitis (infectious and inflammatory process);
• Hearing loss (impaired functioning of the apparatus responsible for the perception of sound waves);
• Meniere's disease (increased pressure in the labyrinth caused by an increase in labyrinthine fluid);
• Otosclerosis (pathological bone growth).

It is important to note that all of the above reasons are relevant for all ages.

Ear pain causes not related to the ears

In some cases, acute pain in the ear can occur without pathological processes in the auditory organs. Pain can be caused by diseases occurring in neighboring organs.

Among such processes occurring in neighboring organs are:

• Dental problems;
• Trigeminal neuralgia;
• Inflammation of ENT organs;
• Tumors of the larynx, oral cavity, lower pharyngeal region;
• Inflammation in distant organs
• Diseases of the esophagus;
• Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels (heart attack);
• Degenerative pathologies of the cervical vertebrae.

The most optimal solution when you experience ear pain is if you are seen by a paid therapist (Rostov-on-Don) and excludes those diseases that cannot be treated by an ENT doctor, or, on the contrary, refers you to the right specialist in a timely manner.

We must not forget that only a doctor can correctly diagnose and, based on the anamnesis, as well as test results, make a diagnosis and begin treatment.

Causes of earlobe pain

When asked by patients about why external ear pain occurs, specialists answer that its origin is directly related to the development of the inflammatory process. Inflammation in the earlobes can have different origins.

What to do if your earlobe hurts?

The list of reasons that provoke it is quite wide:

1. Allergic reaction. Under the influence of an allergen, the earlobe can become inflamed and swollen, which provokes inflammation with the appearance of itching and pain.
2. Oncology. Quite rare, but very dangerous reason. Only a specialist can distinguish a malignant ear tumor from a pathological phenomenon that arose under the influence of safer factors after conducting a histological examination.
3. Abscess. It develops as a result of poor-quality puncture of the lobe and the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms into the wound that provoke inflammation.

But most often, the prerequisite for the appearance of an inflammatory process in the lobe, accompanied by severe pain, is atheroma, which is popularly called a wen. Its appearance is associated with excessive production of sebaceous secretion, which “clogs” the gland. Initially, atheroma looks like a small soft ball in the earlobe and does not pose a threat to health, but after the excess amount of sebum is colonized by pathogenic microorganisms, the process of inflammation begins in the earlobe.

Worth knowing! No person is immune from the development of atheroma. A pathological process that can lead to serious consequences is provoked by metabolic disorders and lack of personal hygiene.

Types of ear pain

Pain in the ears can manifest itself in different ways. The specificity of pain acts as one of the guidelines in determining pathology.

Nature and intensity of ear pain:

• Sudden pain. Accompanied by acute pain, it can be caused by injury or a foreign object;
• Progressive pain. It occurs against the background of pathologies with moderate dynamics of development. May indicate wax plug, inflammation in the ear canal;
• Severe pain in the ear, accompanied by throbbing. Character for boil, OVSU, injury;
• Stitching, sharp. The pain occurs periodically, bringing with it discomfort. The main reason is neuralgia;
• Blunt pain. Manifests against the background of diffuse otitis, may indicate the presence of sulfur plugs, inflammation of the middle section in a chronic form;
• Itchy pain. Relevant for those cases when we are talking about damage to the external part. May be caused by otitis media, disruption of the integrity of the ear canal, eczema;
• Intermittent. This kind of sensation is characteristic of radiating pain;
• When swallowing. Causes: OVSU, malignant tumors of the oral cavity and larynx, pharyngitis, tonsillitis.

First aid

If a child complains of ear pain while on vacation, at night, on weekends, and it is not possible to quickly get an appointment with an ENT doctor, it is worth providing first aid to the child yourself. You should press on the tragus. If the touch responds with pain, then it is the ear that hurts due to inflammation. In the absence of unpleasant sensations, the cause of pain in the ear is likely due to teething, diseases of the throat or nose, etc.

First, mom needs to examine her ear. The discomfort was probably caused by water, an insect, or a foreign object. In this case, you should tilt your head towards the damaged area and wait.

Important to remember! You cannot remove foreign objects from the ear canal yourself, or deeply clean the ear with a cotton swab. Careless actions push the object deeper and can injure the eardrum.

If the pain intensifies every hour, the area around the ear is hyperemic, then you need to give the child an anesthetic, drop Otipax into the ear and go to an ENT doctor. Often, upon examination, discharge of a different nature is observed. Superficial treatment of the ear canal with a cotton swab dipped in boric alcohol without deep pressure is allowed. If pus is released, then it is strictly forbidden to warm the ear or instill any ear drops.

First aid for acute ear pain in a child without visible defects is to apply Nasonex (Avamys) to the nose. Even in the absence of a runny nose, sprays will relieve swelling, reduce internal pressure on the membrane in the middle ear, and relieve pain. If the baby’s condition does not improve, and ear pain is accompanied by an increase in temperature, you should use anti-inflammatory rectal suppositories and call an ambulance.

It is important to know! Infants under one year of age are prohibited from performing any manipulations independently.

What is “possible” and what is absolutely “not” for ear pain

If a child has ear pain, it is recommended to visit a doctor as an emergency. If you need an ENT doctor, you can make an appointment with him in our clinic.

How to reduce pain?

Folk remedies:

• Ammonia with camphor. The solutions are mixed. Gauze is dipped in the solution and placed in the ear for a few minutes, this allows you to get rid of pain;
• Decoction based on onions. Another way to get rid of pain. A warm decoction is used to wipe the auricle and ear canal. The result is a disinfecting effect and pain reduction.

An alternative option is to take a pain reliever. In some cases, the use of vasoconstrictor drops is allowed.

What not to do?

• Warm up the ear. This action may spread the infection;
• Taking antibiotics. This approach is ineffective and can cause damage to nerve endings;
• Use of medications “as advised.” The use of drops is prescribed only by a doctor based on examination and test data. Only a doctor will help resolve the issue of prescribing the optimal course of treatment for a child and an adult, taking into account the specifics of the clinical picture.
• “Folk” methods of a radical nature.

Our Heratsi Medical Center employs only experienced doctors with high professional training. We have high-precision equipment: an expert-class ultrasound machine, our own laboratory for working with analyses.

The cost of all services of the medical center can be viewed in the “Price” section or by calling the 24-hour hotline.

What to do if your earlobe is inflamed

In order to understand the nature of pain, you must contact a specialist to undergo certain studies.

Drug therapy

After an examination and determination of the cause of inflammation, the doctor prescribes a specific course of treatment. Drug therapy includes taking the following medications:

• anti-inflammatory ointments (Levomekol, Vishnevsky) or drops (Otinium, Otipax);
• antibiotics (Azithromycin, Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin) in the form of tablets or injections if the inflammation is caused by a bacterial pathogen. In this case, it is possible to prescribe antibacterial (Otofa, Anauran) and combined (Sofradex, Polydex) ear drops;
• antiseptics (iodine, boric alcohol, hydrogen peroxide) to disinfect the affected area;
• analgesics (Paracetamol, Nurofen, Lidocaine) to relieve pain;
• antihistamines - Suprastin, Loratodin, Claritin. For allergic manifestations, the use of Flucinar ointment is recommended.

When diagnosing pathologies such as atheroma, abscess or tumor, when the inflammatory process has penetrated too deeply into the ear cavity, the patient is referred to a surgeon for surgery (incision or puncture). After such treatment of inflammation of the earlobe, a rehabilitation course must be completed for a month.

Important: the use of any drug must be accompanied by a doctor’s prescription and strict adherence to dosages.

Folk remedies

This problem can be solved with the help of folk recipes based on medicinal herbs. The following recipes will help relieve inflammation caused by careless ear piercing:

1. Oil-pine balm with wound healing effect. To prepare it, you need to melt cow butter with pine tree resin in a 1:1 ratio. Then lubricate the wounds 2 r. per day until complete recovery.
2. Aloe to provide a bactericidal effect. Apply an aloe leaf to the affected area with the wet side and secure with a band-aid. Perform the manipulation 4 times. per day.
3. The inflamed puncture can be sprinkled with dried horsetail. The ear is not tightly tied with a bandage.

If you are concerned about the question of what to do when your earlobe is inflamed due to otitis, then medicinal plants will help with this problem:

1. Wormwood flowers. Take 1 tsp. herbs and infuse with alcohol or vodka (50 ml) for 1 week. Turundas are moistened in the resulting tincture and inserted into the ears for 2 hours. Even children are allowed this remedy.
2. Camphor oil. First, 5 drops of hydrogen peroxide are dripped into the ear and covered with a gauze band for 15 minutes. After the time has passed, the ear is washed with warm water and a turund soaked in oil is inserted into it for 30 minutes. The product must first be heated in a water bath. The procedure must be carried out for 5 days in the evenings, and after it you cannot leave the house.