What causes ear pain?

Otalgia is the medical terminology used for pain in the ear. Ear pain is always severe because ear is innervated by a rich nerve supply. Cranial nerves 5, 7, 9 and 10 supply to the ear, the second and third cervical nerve roots are also present there. The skin of the ear is also very sensitive causing extreme pain.

Ear pain may be because of many reasons, not necessarily indicating an ear problem alone. It is estimated that over 50% of the people who approach a physician with complaints of ear pain have no identifiable ear disease. Many complaints of ear pain are actually due to pain in the near by temporomandibular joint. Others may have the disorders of larynx and pharynx causing ear pain.

Causes of ear pain:
1. Children are more affected by ear infections which is the main cause of ear pain in them. Infections like a. Otitis externa (infection of the external ear) b. Malignant otitis externa (external ear infection turns out to be cancerous) c. Acute otitis media (infection of the middle ear) d. Chronic otitis media (persistent infection of the middle ear) are the common infections of the ear causing pain in both children and adults.

2. Serous otitis media is another ear condition where fluid gets collected in the middle ear causing severe pain without any sign of infection. This is common in scuba divers where the Eustachian tube gets blocked because of the sudden change of pressures and the fluid gets trapped in the middle ear causing pain.

3. Cerumen is the normal waxy substance that is found in the ear which protects dust and small insects from entering our ears. When these cerumen gets impacted, they cause otalgia and temporary hearing loss.

4. Attempts to clear the external auditory canal with matches, hair pins, safety pins and other implements are not only dangerous but also cause trauma to the skin leading to ear pain and ear infections.

5. Foreign bodies which accidentally enter the ear while cleaning may get stuck and cause profound ear pain.

6. Swimmer's ear, an ear condition is another cause of ear pain where water enters the swimmer's ear causing severe discomfort.

7. Eustachian tube block caused by upper respiratory infection due to pressure alteration while coughing or the mucus itself blocking the tube can cause ear pain and irritation.

8. Other inflammation of the surrounding structure like sinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, tonsillitis and allergic rhinitis can also present with ear pain.

9. Dental caries (infected) and eruption of molar/premolar tooth may also bring about ear pain.

10. Any abuse to ear drum like loud noises beyond hearing frequency caused by sitting near speakers in a concert or a child accidentally crying/shouting loudly near the ear may cause damage of the ear drum and otalgia.

11. Tinnitus also causes some kind of discomfort which is expressed as pain by many who experience it.

12. Cyst in the ear causes severe pain which may be due to infection or block caused by the cyst itself.

13. Any discharging sinus formed by an infected acne in the face, especially near the ears will also cause severe pain in the ear.

14. Temporomandibular joint syndrome is a disorder of the joint where the temporal and the mandibular bone meet. This TMJ syndrome usually presents with ear pain as the major symptom.

15. The infection of facial nerve called as Ramsay Hunt syndrome caused by herpes zoster virus presents with ear pain as a important symptom where the ear drum and external ear is infected with fluid filled blisters.

16. Cancers of the ear structures causes severe pain. Cancers of the pharynx and larynx also presents with pain in the ear.

Ear infections can be due to any of the causes mentioned above. If you get ear pain, it is always better to see your doctor than waiting for the pain to subside or try out any self medications.