Ear Pain

What Is Ear Pain? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Ear infections typically cause earaches and ear pain, but there are other common causes too.iStock
Ear pain (otalgia) commonly occurs in children, but it can also happen in adults. Pain that begins inside the ear is known as primary otalgia, whereas pain that originates outside the ear is known as secondary otalgia or referred otalgia.

Ear pain can arise gradually or all of a sudden. The pain can feel dull, sharp, or burning, and can be temporary or ongoing. Usually, the pain arises in only one ear, but sometimes it can appear in both ears.

Signs and Symptoms of Ear Pain

Symptoms that can accompany ear pain include:

  • Fever
  • Drainage from the ear
  • Hearing loss
  • Headache
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Jaw pain
  • Clicking or popping
  • Fussiness and irritability (in children)
  • Increased crying (in children)
  • Loss of appetite (in children)

Common Questions & Answers

What causes ear aches?
Ear infections are a common cause of ear pain, especially in children. Other causes include allergies, sinus infections, tooth infections, earwax buildup, altitude changes, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.
How can I get rid of ear pain?
Depending on the cause, you can treat it with medication, home remedies, or surgery (if necessary). Your doctor may suggest over-the-counter pain relievers or prescribe antibiotics. If the pain happens while flying or swimming, try chewing gum or sucking on hard candy.
How can I treat an ear infection at home?
An infection might require antibiotics, but while you’re waiting for those to work, and if your doctor is okay with it, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. Cold compresses applied for 20 minutes at a time may also help relieve the pain.
What are the symptoms of ear infection?
Ear pain, dulled hearing, and a fever are some of the main symptoms of an ear infection.
Can an ear infection heal on its own?
Yes. They often clear up after a week or two.

Causes and Risk Factors of Ear Pain

Ear pain is often caused by a blockage in the eustachian tube, the passageway that extends from the middle ear to the back of the nasal cavity and the throat. When the eustachian tube is blocked, air and fluid can’t flow through the passageway, causing a buildup of pressure and pain.

Ear infections are a common cause of ear pain, especially in children. Middle ear infections, called otitis media, occur when fluids build up inside the middle ear.

This fluid can then become infected by a bacteria or virus.
Children are more likely to get ear infections than adults, in part because their eustachian tubes are smaller and straighter, which makes it harder for fluid to drain out. Their immune systems are also still developing, which makes them more susceptible to infections.

Swimmer’s ear — also known as otitis externa (infection of the outer ear and ear canal) — can be caused by water that gets stuck in the outer ear canal after swimming, creating an ideal environment for infection-causing bacteria.

Ear pain can be caused by scratching the inside of the ear with a finger, cotton swab, or other object.

Other possible causes of ear pain include:

  • Allergies
  • Sinus infection
  • Sore throat
  • Tooth infection
  • Buildup of earwax
  • Ruptured eardrum
  • Altitude pressure changes (barotrauma)
  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, which stems from problems with the joint that connects your jaw to the side of your head
  • Arthritis of the jaw
Ear infections usually aren’t the main cause of ear pain in adults. Rather, the pain may stem from a problem like TMJ.

How Is Ear Pain Diagnosed?

A doctor can diagnose ear pain based on your symptoms and medical history. They will also likely examine your ears, nose, and throat with an otoscope (an instrument with a light) to check for redness and other symptoms in order to find the cause of your ear pain.

To diagnose an ear infection, a doctor can also use the otoscope to blow a puff of air against the eardrum to see if it’s moving normally or perform a quick test called a tympanogram that measures middle ear pressure.

Prognosis of Ear Pain

The prognosis of ear pain depends on the cause. Ear infections, for example, tend to clear up on their own within a week or two.

A ruptured eardrum also tends to heal by itself within a few months. The prognosis tends to be good; rarely, long-term hearing loss and symptoms like dizziness and vertigo can occur.

Duration of Ear Pain

Ear pain often goes away on its own within a few days, and your doctor may wait a few days before prescribing an antibiotic. Once you start antibiotics for an infection, you should see improvement within two to three days.

Treatment and Medication Options for Ear Pain

The treatment for ear pain often depends on what’s causing the problem. Common treatments include medication, surgery, and home remedies.

Medication Options

To reduce ear pain, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) drugs such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Your doctor may also recommend OTC ear drops to relieve the pain, but these should never be used if there’s a chance the eardrum has ruptured.

Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed for ear infections, but in many cases, they aren’t necessary. In children, antibiotics such as amoxicillin may be used to treat ear infections that are severe or last for more than a few days.

A buildup of earwax in the ear canal can cause an earache. Still, never stick anything into your ear — including a cotton swab, which will just push the wax deeper into the ear instead of removing it. Excessive earwax should be diagnosed and treated by a healthcare professional.

Home Remedies and Alternative and Complementary Therapies

Many people experience ear pain and mild hearing loss or muffling due to sudden changes in air pressure, such as when they’re traveling on an airplane, taking an elevator, or diving to the bottom of a swimming pool. When this occurs, swallowing repeatedly — for example, by chewing gum or sucking on hard candy — can help clear your ears.

(This kind of ear pain is usually temporary and rarely leads to lasting problems.)
A cold compress can help relieve ear pain. Place a cold pack or wet washcloth on the affected ear for about 20 minutes.

Both hot and cold packs can be used to ease the symptoms of TMJ, as can stress-reduction techniques or mouth guards.

Instead of lying flat, try resting with your head propped up. This can help ease the pressure in the middle ear.

Your doctor may also suggest an ear popper device, which uses a continuous flow of air to help fluid drain after an infection.


A 2016 review of studies considered a number of complementary and alternative treatments for pediatric otitis media, including homeopathy, phytotherapy, xylitol (a sugar alcohol), vitamin D supplements, and probiotics. Researchers found that there may be some benefits to these therapies, but evidence is limited and more research is needed.

Surgery Options

Children who are prone to earaches from ear infections may need to have a surgical procedure in which a small tube is inserted into the eardrums to prevent fluid buildup. Short-term tubes usually last about 12 to 18 months before falling out on their own.

Long-term tubes are larger and secured in place for a longer period of time.

Prevention of Ear Pain

Ear pain isn’t always preventable, but there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of ear injuries and ear infections.

Keep all foreign objects out of your ears, and always dry your ears after swimming, showering, or bathing. You can also wear a bathing cap, earplugs, or use custom-fitted swim molds when swimming.

If you smoke, quit; likewise, try to avoid secondhand smoke, which has been linked to ear infections in children.

One good step to stay healthy is to get a flu vaccine every year.

Children should get the pneumococcal vaccine as well, since the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause middle ear infections.

Complications of Ear Pain

The complications of ear pain largely depend on what’s causing the problem.

Ear infections such as swimmer’s ear can lead to an infection that spreads to areas surrounding the ear; this condition, called malignant otitis, can be serious, requiring high doses of antibiotics and urgent medical attention.

A ruptured eardrum, especially one that doesn’t heal completely, can cause problems such as hearing loss or vertigo. If an infection occurs, it can also spread to the bone behind the ear (mastoiditis) and require urgent medical attention.

In children, recurrent ear infections or a chronic build-up of fluid in the middle ear can cause hearing loss, behavior or speech problems, or even poor school performance. Ear tubes, however, can help reduce the risk of ear infections and correct any lingering hearing loss.

Research and Statistics: Who Has Ear Pain?

Pain from ear infections occurs more often in children than adults. About 5 out of 6 children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. In fact, ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to the doctor’s office.

Each year, more than 500,000 ear tube surgeries are performed on children. Children who receive these surgeries are usually 3 years old or younger.

Related Conditions and Causes of Ear Pain

Ear pain is often caused by ear infections, including middle ear infections (otitis media) and swimmer’s ear (otitis externa). Children are more likely to have ear infections than adults, although they can occur in people of all ages.

In adults, conditions like TMJ and arthritis of the jaw can also cause ear pain, along with allergies, sinus infections, earwax, and toothaches.

Resources We Love

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

The NIDCD is a research institution and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since its founding in 1988, its funding and support have led to discoveries that have helped millions of people with hearing, speech, and language disorders.

ENT Health

This website, run by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, offers information on a number of conditions affecting the ears. It also explains what ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists do and why you may need to see one about ear pain you’re experiencing.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

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