Ear pain is a common problem that can cause a lot of inconvenience and discomfort to a person. This unpleasant symptom can be episodic or permanent. Sometimes pain in the auricle is a sign of a serious illness. To find the right treatment, you need to clearly determine 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, discomfort can occur if the following he alth 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;
- damage to the auditory nerve;
- pathology of ENT organs;
- malignant and benign formations.
However, ear pain is not always a sign of illness. It may well occur inhe althy people for the following reasons:
- being outdoors without a hat during a strong and cold wind (in this case, the pain goes away on its own after a while and does not require additional treatment);
- since there is hair in the ears, there is a risk of inflammation of the bulbs, which leads to severe pain;
- allergic reactions;
- water ingress from taking a bath or swimming in a pond (if the fluid does not come out of the ear within a short time, otitis media may develop);
- excessive buildup of wax in the ear can cause pain and a feeling of fullness (these symptoms can also be accompanied by insufficient secretion of wax).
It is important to understand that the causes of ear pain can be very diverse, and therefore, in each individual case, treatment must be approached differentially. If you cannot independently determine the nature of the discomfort, then you should not self-medicate. It is better to seek advice from an ENT.
Causes of ear pain in children
Ear pain is a fairly common problem when it comes to children's he alth. So, it can be caused by the following reasons:
- otitis media, which may be the result of an acute respiratory viral infection or congenital pathology of the auricles;
- acute or chronic tonsillitis;
- eustachitis (inflammatory processes in the auditory tube);
- mumps (popularly known as mumps);
- teething, caries andother oral problems can lead to ear pain.
The protective functions of the child's body are quite 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 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 may be as follows:
- pain in the auricle that does not disappear for several days;
- hearing loss;
- fullness, itching and noise;
- increased body temperature;
- skin redness;
- pain increases with any contact with the ear.
Quite often, otitis externa, 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. Furunculosis can be considered a much more unpleasant manifestation of otitis externa. The initial manifestation looks like a small reddish swelling, the touch of which is very painful. In the center is a purulent head, which in no case should be opened on your own to avoid infection.
Otitis media is much morea serious problem that may be associated with injuries or infection in the inner cavity of the ear. Symptoms of this disease may be the same as in the previous case, only more pronounced.
Otitis media is the most serious form of this disease. In this case, the cause of ear pain is the defeat of the bony labyrinth, as well as the canals surrounding it. In addition, there is a significant risk of damage to the auditory receptors and the vestibular apparatus. In addition to the symptoms inherent in otitis externa and otitis media, internal may be accompanied by the following manifestations:
- dizziness, which may be accompanied by severe nausea;
- discoordination;
- twitching eye;
- total or partial hearing loss.
Eustachitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the Eustachian tube. In this case, the pain can be either very intense, or insignificant, or completely absent. You can recognize the disease by symptoms such as congestion in the ears, a sensation of noise and cod, hearing loss. There may also be an unpleasant feeling, as if there is water in the ear.
Mastoiditis is an inflammation of a bony protrusion located on the skull behind the ear. The main symptom of this disease is severe throbbing pain both in the sink 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 temperature may risebody.
The question of how to relieve ear pain is decided individually in each case. Before starting the treatment of inflammatory diseases, you need to undergo a complete examination and pass all the necessary tests.
Injuries
Acute ear pain is often the result of an injury. Most often, specialists deal with damage of the following nature:
- Bruises - can be the result of a fall or a strong blow. Pain is associated with the formation of a hematoma. And if blood or any other liquid comes out of the ear, then the risk of a skull fracture is high.
- Barotrauma - associated with a sharp jump in pressure in the eardrum. The reason may be a sudden loud sound. Also, a similar problem can occur when you are on an airplane or when driving at high speed. In most cases, congestion and pain resolve without medical intervention.
- Pain in the auricle is often the result of foreign bodies entering the cavity. Small objects or insects entering the ear canal cause inflammation and swelling. You should immediately contact an ENT doctor to eliminate the cause of discomfort.
- Rupture of the eardrum not only causes severe pain, but also leads to partial or complete hearing loss. The reason may be the ingress of a foreign body, as well as negligence during hygiene procedures.
The organs of hearing have a rather complex and fragile structure, and therefore they are quite sensitive to various kinds of injuries. Toto protect yourself from pain in the ears, it is important not only to strengthen the immune system and observe the temperature regime, but also to protect them from mechanical damage.
First aid for earache
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 a visit to a specialist. Especially when it comes to injury or foreign objects getting into the ear. 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 first aid methods:
- an alcohol compress helps relieve unpleasant symptoms, while you need to make a cut for the ear canal;
- fast relieve pain analgesics;
- also ENT doctors recommend the use of special drops.
Ear pain: medication treatment
The sooner you start treatment, the sooner you get rid of unpleasant symptoms and prevent the risk of complications. Of course, it is not recommended to self-prescribe medications. Any medication should be taken strictly according to the doctor's prescription.
Before you can start a full-fledged treatment, you need to eliminate discomfort. An anesthetic may be prescribed for this. With ear pain (moderate), paracetamol is prescribed. For additional impact, you can use Otipax drops or their analogues.
If you have a feeling of congestion in your ears and your hearing has worsened, pay attention to the condition of your nose. Taking advantageWith Naphthyzinum, Nazivin, or other congestion drops, you will immediately feel relief. If severe ear pain is accompanied by fever and purulent discharge, then most likely you will need to undergo antibiotic treatment. But before that, the otolaryngologist must conduct a thorough examination and carry out all the necessary procedures aimed at cleansing and disinfecting the auditory canal. The choice of drugs should be approached with special responsibility, because they have a lot of side effects. Amoxicillin is considered the safest antibiotic.
The course of treatment for ear pain lasts an average of 10 days. During this time, it is important not only to take medications on time, but also to monitor the general condition of the body.
Ear pain drops
Ear pain is sometimes unbearable. No need to endure it, because you can use special drugs. So, we can distinguish the following popular drops from ear pain:
- "Anauran" is an indispensable tool for those who have chronic ear problems. Due to the combined composition of the drops, they have not only analgesic, but also antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects. The tool has virtually no side effects.
- "Garazon" - contains antibiotic and anti-inflammatory substances. Due to the concentrated composition, the doses of the drug can be small.
- "Otinum" is a fairly popular topical drug. His activecomponents contribute to the rapid relief of pain, as well as the elimination of inflammation.
- "Otipax" are ear drops, the active ingredients of which are phenazone and lidocaine. The latter quickly and permanently eliminates pain. In addition, this tool is characterized by an active disinfectant action, during which the eardrum remains intact. 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 approved for the treatment of children and pregnant women.
- "Polydex" - in addition to anti-inflammatory, the drug also has an antihistamine effect.
- "Sofradex" are drops, which include a broad-spectrum antibiotic. They quickly eliminate pain, swelling and itching. Due to the presence of a hormonal substance (dexamethasone), the drops are not recommended for long-term use.
Folk treatments for ear pain
Folk medicine knows many recipes for all ailments. So, if you are taken by surprise by ear pain, healers and herbalists are recommended to use the following remedies:
- almond oil should be slightly warmed up in a water bath, then drip literally 2-3 drops into the big ear;
- for washing the ears, an infusion made from a teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers is ideal,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 a swab soaked in onion or garlic juice into the ear canal;
- melissa infusion has a pronounced analgesic effect, prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of raw materials per glass of boiling water (it must be instilled into the ears, and also drunk instead of tea);
- to prepare an effective composition for a compress, add a little camphor oil to a bottle of ammonia and pour this mixture into a liter of water in which s alt was previously dissolved in the amount of a tablespoon (shake the composition until it becomes homogeneous);
- mix equal proportions of honey and propolis tincture and bury the resulting product in the ears at night.
Preventive measures
Ear pain can cause a lot of discomfort. That is why it is worth paying due attention to prevention so that you do not have to spend a lot of time and money on treatment. The following preventive measures are known:
- Despite the convenience of ear sticks and other oblong items for cleaning the ears, the use of them is undesirable because the wax can move even deeper;
- be sure to use special earplugs if you swim in ponds or pools (after swimming, be sure to dry your ears);
- you need to protect your ear canals from unnecessarynoise not only in working conditions, but also in everyday life;
- to avoid possible problems with the ears, you should carefully monitor the condition of the nose and prevent liquid from getting into it;
- no foreign objects should get into the ear canal (sometimes even a small splinter or something like that can cause a serious inflammatory process);
- if you experience any discomfort or hearing loss, see a specialist immediately.
Conclusions
Ear pain is a fairly common symptom, which, unfortunately, is not given enough attention by many. 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 ear pain. These 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 can be injuries that are fraught with damage to the cartilage and eardrum.
Treatment in each case is selected individually. But first of all, you need to deal with unpleasant sensations. Ear drops for ear pain is one of the most effective remedies. 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 a deterioration in well-being, you may have to resort to taking antibiotics. Also, don't forget to boost your immune system.avoid re-exacerbation and transition of the disease into a chronic form.
