10 Reasons Your Ear Hurts

Medically reviewed by Benjamin F. Asher, MD

Your ear can hurt for a variety of reasons. Ear pain, which is medically known as otalgia, can develop either because of a problem directly affecting your ear or in response to an issue happening in a different part of your body, known as referred pain.

Because ear pain can be a sign of an infection or another underlying issue that should be addressed, it's important to figure out what's causing your ear pain so that appropriate treatment can be prescribed. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner that dull, sharp, or burning sensation you're experiencing in one or both ears can go away.

1.Common Cold

The common cold can lead to ear pain. This is because a cold can cause Eustachian tube dysfunction. The Eustachian tube is a narrow tube that links the back of the nose to the middle ear (located behind the eardrum). Its purpose is to protect, ventilate, and drain the middle ear. When something prevents the Eustachian tube from doing its job, it is referred to as Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Eustachian tube dysfunction commonly happens when the lining of the tube is inflamed, which can be caused by a cold.

Besides ear pain, Eustachian tube dysfunction from a cold can also make your ear feel full. You may also hear popping sounds or even have a reduction in hearing. You may also experience a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.

2.Sinus Infection

A sinus infection is when your sinuses—air-filled pockets in the face—become inflamed. Sinuses are located within the bony structure of the cheeks, behind the forehead and eyebrows, on either side of the bridge of the nose, and behind the nose. Bacteria often cause these areas to get inflamed, though viruses and fungi can cause it too.

The inflammation from a sinus infection causes a buildup of fluid in your sinuses. The inflammation that develops when you have a sinus infection can cause the Eustachian tube to become inflamed or blocked, leading to ear pain.

Besides ear pain and fullness, possible symptoms of a sinus infection include headache, facial pain, runny nose, and nasal congestion.

3.Allergies

For some people, exposure to allergens like pollen or dust mites can irritate the sinuses, causing symptoms like sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose. In some cases, inflammation and fluid buildup in the sinuses may cause the Eustachian tube to become inflamed.

When the Eustachian tube becomes swollen due to allergies, the result can be ear pressure and pain.

4.Ear Infection

Ear infections can happen in someone of any age, but they are most common among children. This is because children's Eustachian tubes are easily clogged. Normally, this tube drains fluid that is made in the middle ear. If this tube gets blocked, fluid can build up.

When the ear's Eustachian tube becomes blocked and filled with fluid, a viral or bacterial infection in the middle ear can develop.

Besides ear pain, symptoms of an ear infection include fever, congestion, ear drainage, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Infants might not be able to verbalize their pain, and so they might instead be irritable, have trouble sleeping, or be unable to stop crying.

While some mild ear infections may clear on their own with at-home remedies, certain infections will require antibiotic treatment. Check with a healthcare provider if you notice a high fever, severe pain, or no improvement in your symptoms.

5.Ruptured Eardrum

The eardrum is a thin piece of tissue separating the outer and middle ear. When a hole develops in the tissue, it is known as a ruptured eardrum.

An eardrum may rupture because of an ear infection. As pus or fluid from the ear infection builds up behind the eardrum, pressure increases and the eardrum may rupture. A loud noise close to the ear, a quick change in air pressure, or an injury from an object like a cotton swab can also cause your eardrum to rupture.

Right when your eardrum ruptures, any pain you may have might actually go away. But after the rupture, you might develop pain again from an earache, as well as drainage from the ear, a buzzing sound in the ear, or hearing loss in the affected ear.

If the hole is small, a ruptured eardrum usually gets better on its own within a couple months. But if the pain is very bad, you should contact a healthcare provider. They can assess whether any care is needed. For instance, larger holes might need to be repaired with a procedure.

6.Wax Buildup

The body produces earwax (or cerumen) to help keep the ears clean and protected from dirt and debris. Too much earwax can lead to a buildup that partially or fully blocks the ear canal, which can cause an earache.

In addition to ear pain, you may also notice a feeling of fullness or experience muffled hearing, ringing in the ears, or dizziness.

Many cases of wax buildup can be resolved at home with expert-backed methods to help soften and flush out the wax, but it's good idea to consult with a healthcare provider if you're experiencing pain or having trouble removing it yourself.

7.Air Pressure Changes

Altitude changes while flying, diving underwater, or driving in a mountainous area can cause what's known as ear barotrauma. This is when the air pressure inside the ear is different than the pressure on the outside.

Other symptoms that can come along with ear pain from ear barotrauma include dizziness, loss of hearing, a sensation of stuffiness in the ears, and nosebleeds. Opening the Eustachian tube by yawning, chewing gum, or swallowing allows the pressure to be stabilized, often resolving the earache. You might know this as popping your ears.

If this doesn't resolve the ear discomfort after several hours, see a healthcare provider—especially if you notice fever, ear drainage, or severe pain. Some cases of untreated ear barotrauma can damage the ear drum or lead to hearing loss.

8.Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear refers to infection, irritation, or inflammation of the outer ear and ear canal. It's commonly caused by bacteria from unclear water in the ear. Despite its name, the condition doesn’t always have to do with swimming. It can also develop from factors like ear injuries or exposure to a foreign object.

Symptoms of swimmer's ear include ear pain, itchiness, discharge, and swelling. Because the infection can spread to other parts of the ear and become worse, it's important to have any potential cases of swimmer's ear examined by a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Swimmer's ear is typically treated with prescription ear drops to kill the bacteria and sometimes corticosteroids to relieve swelling. Over-the-counter (OTC) remedies for pain are also often recommended.

9.Temporomandibular Disorders

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a group of more than 30 conditions that disturb the way the jaw and its muscles function.

Pain in the chewing muscles or jaw joint is the most common symptom of a TMD. Earache is another common symptom of a TMD. Besides ear discomfort, you might also experience ringing in the ears, hearing loss, jaw stiffness, and locking of the jaw.

If you're noticing ear and jaw pain that seem to have gotten worse, difficulty opening or closing your mouth, and a popping or clicking sound coming from the jaw, contact a healthcare provider about a potential TMD.

10.Tonsillitis

The tonsils are lymph nodes that sit in the back of the mouth and at the top of the throat. When they're inflamed due to a bacterial or viral infection, it is known as tonsillitis. Strep throat is a common cause of tonsillitis.

Difficulty swallowing and sore throat are common symptoms of tonsillitis. It's also common to experience ear pain when you have inflamed tonsils. Fever, chills, and headache are other potential symptoms.

Treating Ear Pain

Depending on the cause, home remedies for ear pain might be able to work. If you have an earache, you can try the following:

• Place an ice pack or cool washcloth along the area to help calm inflammation and temporarily numb pain.

• Use a warm compress along the area to help clear wax, fluid, and inflammation from the Eustachian tube.

• When sleeping or relaxing, try resting in an upright position rather than lying down to cut down on pressure in the ear.

• Chew gum, especially while traveling by plane, to help relieve pressure that’s caused by a change in altitude or infection.

• Use OTC ear drops and pain relievers to calm mild discomfort.

If your symptoms aren’t getting better with OTC and at-home remedies, it might mean you need prescription medications and treatment from a specialist.

While many sinus and ear infections and cases of tonsillitis get better on their own, sometimes antibiotics are needed. Antibiotics are often needed to treat swimmer's ear.

Ear wax can often be removed at home. Products like baby oil, OTC ear drops, glycerin, mineral oil, and water can all soften the wax. But if you're having trouble or discomfort removing ear wax yourself, a healthcare provider can help. They can try other techniques, such as suctioning the ear canal.

TMDs can also often be treated with at-home remedies like a warm compress and OTC pain medications. Sometimes further treatment like physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and prescription medications like those for anxiety might be needed.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Often, ear pain can be managed at home and will go away as soon as your cold, sinus infection, allergies, or whatever else is causing the pain improves. But you should check with a healthcare provider if you have ear pain and notice any of the following:

• Fever

• Severe pain

• A sudden stop in ear pain (which is sometimes the sign of a ruptured eardrum)

• New symptoms like headache, dizziness, or ear swelling

• Any symptoms that get seem to be getting worse

• Hearing loss

• Ear drainage

• Bleeding from the ear

In addition to a physical exam and asking about your medical history, the healthcare provider will likely focus on looking into the ear, nose, and throat cavities to assess for pain, tenderness, and infection. If needed, a sample of fluid may be removed from the ear and sent to the lab to check for bacteria.

Depending on your diagnosis, you might be encouraged to try at-home remedies, take OTC medications, or use prescribed medications.

Preventing Ear Pain

It may not always be possible to completely prevent ear pain, but you can take some steps to help reduce the chances of it happening.

For example, try to steer clear of ear infections by keeping ears dry after swimming or showering. If you're prone to developing swimmer's ear, consider using earplugs while you're in the water. To take extra precaution, mix a drop of rubbing alcohol with white vinegar and gently place it in the ears after getting wet; this can help avoid bacteria.

Be mindful of not over-cleaning your ears, as ridding them of wax can irritate the ear canal and leave the area ripe for infection. And outside of headphones or ear buds, keep objects out of the ears—even if you want to clean them with a cotton swab—as this can cause injury.

Try using a steroid nasal spray if you have seasonal or occasional allergies that come with ear pain. Avoiding anything that triggers your allergies is key, as well.

A Quick Review

Ear pain is common and can develop from a variety of causes. The common cold, sinus infections, allergies, ear infections, swimmer's ear, a ruptured eardrum, wax buildup, air pressure changes, problems with your jaw and the muscles that control it, and tonsillitis can all lead to pain in your ear. For most cases of ear pain, at-home remedies like warm compresses and over-the-counter medications can help resolve the discomfort. Sometimes, further treatment, such as prescription medication, is necessary. Ear pain that is severe or that comes with other symptoms like fever or drainage should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

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