Ear Pain: Causes And Relief
If you have ever had ear pain, you know how miserable it can be. Luckily, most ear pain clears up on its own without any treatment. But if it doesn’t get better or the symptoms worsen, it’s a good idea to visit with an ENT doctor. Earaches happen most often to children, but it can also occur in adults. Sometimes it affects both ears, but many times, it’s one ear or the other. Ear pain can be burning, sharp, or dull and it can be constant or come and go. Pain in this area can also have a number of causes, such as an ear infection or an early sign of a cold or the flu.
Children With Ear Pain
Pretty much every child has ear pain at some point in their life. The hard part is that younger children cannot tell their parents what is wrong. Earaches are one of the most common reasons parents take their kids to the pediatrician, whether they know their child is in pain or not. While experts say that 3 out of every 4 babies will develop an ear infection at some point, diagnosing the cause of that pain can be hard. Children with ear pain will be more irritable and they may tug at their ears. They might also have trouble sleeping or even be more clumsy. Sometimes ear pain comes with a fever as well.
Ear Pain Causes Are Varied
There is no one cause for ear pain when a person feels discomfort in any part of the ear. The most common cause is an ear infection, but that is not always the case. Some of the other common causes include:
- Air pressure changes (like when flying on a plane)
- A foreign object in the ear
- Earwax buildup
- Sinus infections
- Water or soap in the ear
- Strep throat
- Overuse of cotton swabs
Some of the less common causes include:
- A torn eardrum
- Arthritis in the jaw
- An infected or impacted tooth
- Ear canals with eczema
- Braces on the teeth
Treating Your Ear Pain
If you or your child has ear pain, the treatment for the ailment depends on the cause of the pain. It might be best to try over-the-counter medications for the right age group. Warm compresses can also help ease the pain. Most of the time, ear pain will go away without any treatment at all, but if it doesn’t fade or if there are other symptoms that go along with it, it is best to see an ENT doctor for help. They can pinpoint the cause of the pain and treat that cause instead of just the pain itself.
If the pain is treated without getting to the root cause, the pain may subside, but it will likely come back again and it may be worse the next time. Contact Breathe Clear Institute if you or your child have ear pain along with other symptoms or ear pain that doesn’t seem to go away on its own.