Ear pain: causes, symptoms and treatment

Ear pain is a common problem that can bring a lot of inconvenience and discomfort to a person. This unpleasant symptom may be episodic or of a permanent nature. 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. So, 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;
• auditory nerve damage;
• pathology of ENT organs;
• malignant and benign formations.

However, 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);
  instagram stories viewer
• because there is hair in the ears, there is a risk of inflammation of the bulbs, which leads to severe pain;
• allergic reactions;
• water ingress due to taking a bath or swimming in a pond( if the liquid does not leave the ear in a short time, otitis may develop);
• an 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 individual case, treatment should be approached differentially. If you can not independently determine the nature of unpleasant sensations, then do not engage in self-medication. It is better to seek advice from LOR.

Causes of earache in children

Ear pain - this is a fairly common problem, if we talk about child 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);
• is an epidemic parotitis( in the public the disease is known as mumps);
• teething, caries 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;
• sensation of congestion, itching and noise;
• increased body temperature;
• redness of the skin;
• at any contact with the ear pain sensations amplified.

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 infection in 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 form of this disease. In this case, the cause of the earache is the defeat of the bone maze, 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 secondary otitis media, the internal can be accompanied by the following manifestations:

• dizziness, which may be accompanied by severe nausea;
• movement coordination disorder;
• 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 completely 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 skull in the back of 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 external manifestations such as swelling, redness and purulent discharge from the ear. In addition, the body temperature can greatly increase.

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

Injuries to

Acute ears are often the result of a previous trauma. Most often, experts deal with the following injuries:

• Bruises - may be the result of a fall or a strong 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 eardrum. 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 may be the ingress of a foreign body, as well as carelessness in carrying out hygiene procedures.

Hearing organs are quite complex and fragile structure, and therefore they are quite sensitive to all kinds of injuries. To protect yourself from pain in the ears, it is important not only to strengthen immunity and maintain 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 visiting a 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:

• to alleviate unpleasant symptoms helps the alcohol compress, while making a cutout for the auditory canal;
• quickly relieve the pain of analgesics;
• also ENT doctors recommend using special drops.

Earaches: treatment with medications

The sooner 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. Using "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 need 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 earache

Pain in the ear can sometimes be intolerable. 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 combination of the 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 of the dose of the drug may be small.
• "Otinum" is a rather popular drug of local action. Its active components contribute to the rapid relief of pain, as well as the elimination of inflammation.
• "Otipaks" 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."Otipax" is simply indispensable if the pain is accompanied by swelling and severe inflammation.
• "Otofa" drops 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.
• "Sopraidex" - a drop, which includes a broad-spectrum antibiotic. 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

Folk medicine knows many recipes from all ailments. So, if you are surprised by ear pain, healers and herbalists it is recommended to use the following tools:

• 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;
• beets boiled 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;
• has a pronounced analgesic effect, has a lemon balm infusion, prepared from the calculation of 1 teaspoon of raw material per cup of boiling water( it must be buried in the ears and also drunk 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( stir until the composition becomes homogeneous);
• in equal proportions mix honey and tincture of propolis and dig it into your ears for the night.

Preventative measures

Ear pain can deliver a lot of discomfort. That's why it's 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 ear rods and other oblong items for ear cleaning, their use is undesirable because sulfur can move even deeper;
• be sure to use special earplugs if you bathe in ponds or pools( after bathing you must necessarily dry your ears);
• need to protect the ear canals from excessive noise not only in working conditions, but also in everyday life;
• in order 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;
• , foreign objects should not enter the ear canal( sometimes even a small splinter or something like this can cause a serious inflammatory process);
• , in case of slight 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 may be injuries, which are fraught with damage to the cartilage and tympanic membrane.

Treatment in each case is selected individually. But the first thing to do is to cope with unpleasant sensations. Ear drops with ear pain - 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.