Earache

What is earache?

Earache (sore ear) is a common complaint, especially in children. It is most commonly caused by an ear infection.

What causes ear pain?

Earache (sore ear) is a common complaint, especially in children. It is most commonly caused by an ear infection of the middle ear or outer ear. Other common causes of ear pain are:

• changes in air pressure, such as when you take off or land in a plane
• an object in the ear (a ‘foreign body’)
• an injury to your ear or eardrum
• a build up of ear wax

Ear pain can also come from a problem in another part of your body, such as:

• referred pain from an infection near the ear, such as sinusitis or tonsillitis
• problems with the jaw joint (called the temporomandibular joint or TMJ)
• dental problems, such as teeth grinding or a dental infection

When do I need to see my doctor for earache?

Sometimes a sore ear is caused by a more serious problem. It’s important to see your doctor if:

• your ear pain persists or gets worse
• you have discharge (fluid leaking) from your ear
• you feel sick or have a fever
• your hearing is getting worse
• you have diabetes or a lowered immune system
• your child under 2 years of age has a sore ear

How can I treat earache?

How you treat your earache depends on what is causing your pain.

If your pain is coming from a build-up of wax, you may need ear drops to soften the wax. You might need to have your ear canal cleaned by a health professional.

If your earache is caused by a middle ear infection, it’s likely to get better on its own within 7 days and usually won’t need antibiotics. Until the pain gets better, you can use simple pain relief medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen.

If your earache is caused by an outer ear infection, you may need a prescription for antibiotic ear drops to treat it. The drops may contain other medicines such as steroids.

Never try to remove something stuck inside your ear by yourself — ask your doctor for help.

What can I do to relieve ear pain?

Remedies that may give you some relief include:

• holding a warm cloth or heat pack along the outside of your ear
• taking pain relief medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• sleeping with your head resting on 2 pillows (or more)

Don’t use over-the-counter ear drops or olive oil drops if your eardrum has burst. These can be harmful and will not relieve earache.

Don’t clean your ears with cotton buds, they can damage your ears and don’t effectively remove the wax.

If you have discharge from your ear, you can gently clean the outer ear with cotton wool. If there is discharge from both ears, use a new piece of cotton wool for each ear.

If you are concerned, check your symptoms with the healthdirect online Symptom Checker for advice on when to seek medical attention.