Ear pain: causes, symptoms and treatment

Ear pain is a common problem that can give a person a lot of discomfort and discomfort. This unpleasant symptom may be episodic or of a permanent character. Sometimes the pain in the area of the auricle is a sign of serious illness. To find the right treatment, you need to clearly identify the cause that caused the problem.

Common causes of ear pain

Ear pain is a fairly common phenomenon that can be caused by a number of reasons. Thus, unpleasant sensations can arise if the following health problems occur:

• Inflammatory processes (both in the ear itself and in neighboring organs);
• Arthritis and arthrosis of the maxillofacial joint;
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes and salivary glands;
• Damage to the auditory nerve;
• Pathology of ENT organs;
• Malignant and benign formations.

Nevertheless, ear pain is not always a sign of the disease. It may well arise in healthy people for the following reasons:

• Being on the street without a headdress during a strong and cold wind (in this case the pain after some time passes independently and does not require additional treatment);
• Because there is hair in the ears, there is a risk of inflammation of the bulbs, which leads to severe pain;
• Allergic reactions;
• Getting water as a result of taking a bath or swimming in a pond (if the liquid does not leave the ear in a short time, otitis may develop);
• Excessive accumulation of sulfur in the auricle can lead to pain and a feeling of congestion (similar symptoms may also be accompanied by inadequate secretion of sulfur).

It is important to understand that the causes of ear pain can be very diverse, and therefore in each case, treatment must be approached differentially. If you can not independently determine the nature of unpleasant sensations, then you should not engage in self-medication. It is better to seek advice from LOR.

Causes of Ear Pain in Children

Ear pain is a fairly common problem when it comes to children's health. So, it can be caused by the following reasons:

• Otitis, which may be the result of an acute respiratory viral infection or congenital abnormalities of the auricles;
• Acute or chronic tonsillitis;
• Eustachiitis (inflammatory processes in the area of the auditory tube);
• Epidemic parotitis (in people, the disease is known as mumps);
• Dentition, tooth decay and other oral problems can lead to pain in the ears.

The protective functions of the child's body are rather weak, and therefore babies often suffer from infectious and inflammatory diseases, which are accompanied by pain in the ears. To avoid the development of chronic pathologies and to avoid possible complications in the future, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a pediatrician and an ENT doctor.

Inflammatory diseases

Ear pain often occurs due to inflammatory processes. One of the most common diseases is otitis externa. Its symptoms can be as follows:

• Painful sensations in the region of the auricle, which do not disappear for several days;
• Decreased hearing acuity;
• Feeling of stuffiness, itching and noise;
• Increased body temperature;
• Redness of the skin;
• At any contact with the ear, painful sensations increase.

Quite often, external otitis, in addition to pain, can also have external manifestations. So, if we are talking about perichondritis, then the ear cartilage becomes very inflamed. As a result, redness will occur.

A much more unpleasant manifestation of external otitis can be considered furunculosis. The initial manifestation looks like a small reddish swelling, the touch to which is very painful. In the center there is a purulent head, which must never be opened by yourself in order to avoid infection.

Otitis media is a much more serious problem, which can be associated with trauma or infiltration of the infection into the inner cavity of the ear. Symptoms of this disease can be the same as in the previous case, only more pronounced.

Internal otitis media is the most serious type of this disease. In this case, the cause of the earache is the defeat of the bony labyrinth, as well as the surrounding canals. In addition, there is a significant risk of damage to the auditory receptors and the vestibular apparatus. In addition to the symptoms inherent in external and middle otitis media, the internal can be accompanied by the following manifestations:

• Dizziness, which can be accompanied by severe nausea;
• Violation of coordination of movements;
• Twitching eye;
• Total or partial hearing loss.

Eustachiitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the Eustachian tube. In this case, the pain can be either very intense, or insignificant, or altogether absent. Recognize the disease can be on such symptoms as stuffiness in the ears, a sense of noise and cod, hearing impairment. There may also be an unpleasant feeling, as if there is water in the ear.

Mastoiditis is an inflammation of the bony protuberance located on the cranium behind the ear. The main symptom of this disease is a strong throbbing pain both in the shell itself and behind it. In addition, mastoiditis is accompanied by such external manifestations as swelling, redness and purulent discharge from the ear. In addition, the body temperature can greatly increase.

The question of how to relieve the ear pain is solved individually in each specific case. Before embarking on the treatment of inflammatory diseases, you need to undergo a complete examination and pass all the necessary tests.

Injuries

Acute ear pain is often the result of a previous injury. Most often experts deal with the following injuries:

• Bruises - may be the result of a fall or a severe blow. Painful sensations are associated with the formation of a hematoma. And if from the ear blood or any other liquid is allocated, the risk of a fracture of the skull is high.
• Barotrauma - associated with a sharp jump in pressure in the tympanic membrane. The cause may be a sudden loud sound. Also, a similar problem can occur when you are in an airplane or when driving at high speed. In most cases, congestion and pain pass without medical intervention.
• Pain in the auricle often becomes a consequence of falling into the cavity of foreign bodies. Small objects or insects, entering the auditory canal, cause inflammation and swelling. You should immediately contact an ENT doctor to eliminate the cause of unpleasant sensations.
• The rupture of the tympanic membrane not only causes severe pain, but also leads to a partial or total loss of hearing. The reason can be the ingress of a foreign body, as well as carelessness in carrying out hygiene procedures.

Hearing organs have a fairly complex and fragile structure, and therefore they are quite sensitive to various kinds of injuries. To protect yourself from pain in the ears, it is important not only to strengthen immunity and comply with the temperature regime, but also to protect them from mechanical damage.

First aid for ear pain

Ear pain in adults or children can cause a lot of discomfort and lead to serious complications, which is why it is recommended not to delay the visit to a specialized specialist. Especially when it comes to injuries or ingress of foreign objects. If the pain is severe, it is better to limit any movement and call an ambulance. In other cases it is permissible to resort to the following methods of first aid:

• Alleviate unpleasant symptoms helps the alcohol compress, while you need to make a cutout for the auditory canal;
• Quickly relieve the pain of analgesics;
• Also ENT doctors recommend using special drops.

Ear pain: treatment with medication

The earlier you start treatment, the faster you will get rid of unpleasant symptoms and prevent the risk of complications. Of course, it is not recommended to prescribe medicines yourself. Take any medicine should be strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

Before you start a full-fledged treatment, you need to eliminate discomfort. For this, an anesthetic may be prescribed. With an earache (moderate), paracetamol is prescribed. For additional impact, you can use Otipax drops or their analogues.

If you have a feeling of stuffiness in your ears, and your hearing has worsened, pay attention to the condition of the nose. Taking advantage of "Naphthyzine", "Nazivin" or other drops to eliminate stuffiness, you will immediately feel relieved.

If severe ear aches are accompanied by fever and purulent discharge, then most likely you will have to undergo antibiotic treatment. But before that, the otolaryngologist should conduct a thorough examination and carry out all the necessary procedures aimed at cleaning and disinfection of the auditory canal. The choice of drugs should be approached with special responsibility, because they have a lot of side effects. The most safe antibiotic is "Amoxicillin". The course of treatment of pain in the ears on average lasts 10 days. During this time it is important not only to take medicines on time, but also to monitor the general condition of the body.

Drops from an earache

Pain in the ear is sometimes unbearable. You do not have to endure it, because you can use special medications. So, we can distinguish the following popular drops from an earache:

• "Anauran" is an indispensable tool for those who have problems with their ears chronic. Due to the combined composition, the drops have not only analgesic, but also antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects. The product has practically no side effects.
• "Garazon" - contains antibiotic and anti-inflammatory substances. Due to the concentrated composition, the doses of the preparation may be small.
• "Otinum" is a rather popular drug of local action. Its active components contribute to the rapid removal of pain, as well as the elimination of inflammation.
• "Otypaks" are ear drops, active components of which are phenazone and lidocaine. The latter quickly and permanently removes pain. In addition, this tool is characterized by an active disinfecting action, during which the tympanic membrane remains unscathed. "Otipaks" is simply indispensable if the pain is accompanied by swelling and severe inflammation.
• Drops "Otofa" contain an antibiotic that helps to quickly cope with inflammation and infections. This drug is one of the few that is allowed for the treatment of children and pregnant women.
• "Polidex" - in addition to anti-inflammatory, the drug also has antihistamine action.
• "Софрадекс" are drops, which structure includes an antibiotic of a wide spectrum of action. They quickly eliminate pain, swelling and itching. Due to the presence of a hormonal substance (dexamethasone), drops are not recommended for long-term use.

Folk methods of treatment of ear pain

Traditional medicine knows a lot of recipes from all the ailments. So, if you have been taken aback by an earache, healers and herbalists it is recommended to use the following means:

• Almond oil should be slightly heated in a water bath, then drip into the large ear literally 2-3 drops;
• For washing the ears is perfect for infusion, prepared from a teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers, filled with a glass of hot water;
• Boiled beets in honey water can be used as a compress;
• If the pain is caused by complications after a cold, then you can cope with it by inserting into the ear canal a tampon impregnated with onion juice or garlic;
• Pronounced analgesic effect has a lemon balm infusion, prepared from the calculation of 1 teaspoon of raw materials per cup of boiling water (it must be digested in the ears, and also drink instead of tea);
• To prepare an effective composition for the compress, add a little camphor oil to the ammonia flask and pour this mixture into a liter of water in which the salt was dissolved in the amount of a tablespoon beforehand (stir until the composition becomes homogeneous);
• In equal proportions mix honey and tincture of propolis and dig it into your ears for the night.

Preventive measures

Ear pain can deliver a lot of discomfort. That is why it is worth paying due attention to prevention so that you do not have to spend much time and money on treatment. The following preventive measures are known:

• Despite the convenience of the ear rods and other oblong objects for cleaning the ears, their use is undesirable, because sulfur can move even deeper;
• Be sure to use special earplugs if you bathe in pools or pools (after bathing you must necessarily dry your ears);
• It is necessary to protect the auditory passages from excessive noise not only in working conditions, but also in everyday life;
• To avoid possible problems with the ears, it is worthwhile to closely monitor the condition of the nose and prevent fluid from getting into it;
• In the ear canal should not fall into foreign objects (sometimes even a small sliver or something like this can cause a serious inflammatory process);
• In case of slightest discomfort and worsening of hearing, immediately go to an appointment with a specialist.

conclusions

Pain in the ears is a common symptom, which, unfortunately, many people pay little attention. As a result, discomfort develops into a serious chronic disease. The reason for this situation is that not all people know about the possible causes of pain in the ears. It can be inflammatory processes directly in the sink, as well as in the nose or throat. In addition, the cause of pain in the ears can be injuries, which are fraught with damage to the cartilage and tympanic membrane.

Treatment in each case is selected individually. But the first thing you need to cope with unpleasant sensations. Ear drops with pain in the ear - this is one of the most effective means. To enhance their effect, paracetamol or other anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed. In cases where the pain is accompanied by an increase in body temperature and deterioration of well-being, it may be necessary to resort to taking antibiotics. Also, do not forget about the strengthening of immunity, in order to avoid a repeated exacerbation and transition of the disease into a chronic form.