Everything You Should Know About Earaches
Have you been finding remedies for stopping an earache fast due to constant discomfort?
Read on to learn the root causes of earache and treatment options.
What is earache?
Children frequently experience ear pain (otalgia), but adults can also experience it. Primary otalgia is pain that starts inside the ear, while secondary otalgia or transferred otalgia is pain that starts outside the ear.
Ear pain may start steadily or suddenly. The discomfort may be fleeting or constant and feel mild, sharp, or burning. The pain typically only affects one ear but can occasionally affect both ears.
What are the causes of ear pain?
Common complaints include earaches (sore ears), particularly in kids. An ear infection of the middle or outer ear is the most frequent culprit. Other typical reasons for ear discomfort include:
- Excessive accumulation of Ear Wax/ cerumen
- Damage to the eardrum or auditory canal while cleaning ear with Q tips
- Barotrauma due to pressure changes during air flights and Diving
Additionally, ear pain may result from an issue with another bodily part, such as:
- Difficulties with the jaw joint caused by referred pain called TMJ pain.
- Dental issues like a tooth infection or teeth grinding.
- Referred pain from throat infection, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis etc.
What are the treatment options for ear pain?
What is causing your discomfort will determine how you should treat your earache.
You might require ear drops to soften the wax if the cause of your discomfort is an accumulation of wax. A ENT specialist needed to clean your ear canal.
If you have anouter ear (Otitis externa) or middle ear (Otitis media) infection, then you will need a course oral Antibiotics, Ear drops and Pain killers.
How to stop an earache fast?
Here is how to stop an earache fast with easy steps:
- Holding a warm cloth or heat pack against the outside of your ear, consuming ibuprofen or paracetamol for pain alleviation, and sleeping with two pillows (or more) under your head.
- Avoid using over-the-counter ear drops or olive oil drops if your eardrum has ruptured. These might be dangerous and offer no ear pain relief.
- Avoid using cotton buds to clean your ears because they can harm your ears and ineffectively push ear wax more inside the ear canal.
- You can use cotton wool to carefully clean the outer ear if it has a discharge. Use a fresh piece of cotton wool for each ear if there is fluid coming from both.
Preventing earache
Although ear pain cannot always be avoided, there are some things you can do to lower your chance of ear infections and injuries.
When swimming, showering, or bathing, keep all foreign items out of your ears and always dry them afterwards. A shower cap, earplugs, or custom design swim-moulds specially made for you can also be worn while swimming.
Quit smoking if you do, and attempt to stay away from second-hand smoke, which has been connected to childhood ear infections.
Vaccination against the flu each year is a good way to remain healthy. Streptococcus pneumonia can cause middle ear infections; children should also receive pneumococcal immunization.
Consult Dr. Mustafa today to deal with ear pain
Don’t suffer in silence with earaches; get expert treatment today with Dr. Mustafa Kapadia, a highly qualified and well-known ENT expert worldwide. He is Dubai’s top ENT specialist, having worked in the field for more than ten years.
Book your appointment here!
