Why does ear pain occur?

Ear pain in adults is one of the most unpleasant sensations, comparable only to toothache. It appears suddenly and causes severe discomfort, making you forget about normal existence. When an adult has ear pain, it is very difficult, almost impossible to concentrate on everyday things and worries. Shooting, stabbing, cutting, radiating to the head - this is just an incomplete list of variations of the sensations experienced by adults with ear pain.

Ear pain in a healthy person

Unpleasant sensations in the organ of hearing can occur in a completely healthy person, and there are many reasons for this (we will look at some in more detail):

• sensitivity to strong wind and cold (Due to a long stay in the wind, a hematoma may form in the ear - it will go away on its own in a few days. No additional measures need to be taken in this situation.);
• water getting into the ear;
• presence of sulfur plug;
• mechanical injuries (if, in addition to pain, bleeding from the ear begins, consult a doctor immediately);
• acoustic injuries (occur due to exposure to loud sounds on the organ of hearing, for example, at a rock concert, in a noisy industry, or during prolonged use of headphones. As a rule, the pain goes away when moving away from the source of noise. If, due to the nature of the work, it is impossible to eliminate the source of noise, You definitely need to use special earplugs.);
• barotrauma (manifested by changes in atmospheric pressure; most often occur during air travel or diving. When your ears are blocked on an airplane, you need to yawn more often, swallow, or simply chew something to eliminate the condition of “stuffiness”);
• foreign body.

Water getting into the ear canal

Normally, water that enters the auricle due to the anatomical features of the structure of the hearing organ flows out of it independently. If for some reason she did not succeed, she needs to be “helped.” There are a couple of simple ways to do this.

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Method one: tilt your head to one side; bring your hand to the shell of your ear, press it hard, and then release it. The hand will act here as a pump - excess liquid will flow out.

The second method is probably known to everyone since childhood. We tilt our heads to the side and perform jumps on one leg: if the liquid has flowed into the right ear, then on the right, if into the left, on the left, respectively.

Method three. Dry your ear with a towel, take a deep breath and close both nostrils. Without unclenching your fingers, try to exhale, but without opening your mouth! If this manipulation is performed correctly, the excess liquid will be pushed out with the help of air. Method four: you can simply lie on your side, depending on which side the water poured in, and hold there for a short time, periodically making swallowing movements: the water will flow out on its own. If none of the methods brings results, and the fluid inside continues to cause discomfort, you need to seek help from an otolaryngologist.

Sulfur plugs

Earwax is an accumulation of earwax in the ear, which subsequently hardens and causes discomfort, tinnitus appears, and hearing loss decreases. In a healthy person, excess sulfur is removed spontaneously, for example, when chewing. But in some people, wax cannot be removed on its own; it accumulates near the ear canal, hardens and forms a plug. There is no need to try to get rid of the cork on your own, much less try to remove it with sharp objects (matches, toothpicks, etc.) - damage to the tissues of the shell or eardrum cannot be avoided in this case. The plug is removed by an ENT doctor. The procedure does not take much time: first he softens the plug with oil or solutions, and then rinses it with a special syringe or removes the sulfur plug with a special Wojacek hook.

When your ear hurts: symptoms of otitis externa

External otitis (the least dangerous compared to middle and internal, but at the same time the most common type of otitis) can be diffuse and limited. Both types are characterized by pain in the ears, but this pain is of a different nature.

Limited otitis

With limited external otitis, a boil forms in the external auditory canal. It makes itself known when you chew, clean your ears, or when you rub them. That is, the pain syndrome is not constant. Gradually the boil matures and bursts. As a result, the unpleasant sensations disappear.

Diffuse otitis media

A less “pleasant” type of disease in which the ear becomes completely inflamed. Diffuse otitis media can be caused by allergies or be bacterial or fungal (otomycosis). More often than others, this type of otitis is caused by staphylococci, streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

You can recognize it by the following signs:

• increasing pain of a different nature: the ear aches, shoots, it hurts constantly;
• itching and swelling;
• inflammation of the cartilage (perichondritis of the auricle);
• increased body temperature and deterioration in health;
• runny nose;
• uncharacteristic discharge from the ears;
• Ears are blocked, hearing is reduced.

Usually the first signs of otitis media appear the next day after swimming. In this case, there is no need to postpone a visit to the otolaryngologist. Complications may occur: temporary hearing loss, spread of infection to neighboring organs, development of a chronic form. Otitis media causes more serious consequences in older people and patients with diabetes. Up to the destruction of ear cartilage and bone structures.

Foreign body

Getting a foreign object into the ear is not uncommon. Moreover, not only children suffer from this when they place beads, peas, small parts of toys into the ear canal, but also adults when they carelessly clean their ears with sharp objects (matches, toothpicks, etc.) or test the advice of traditional medicine on themselves by sticking gauze inside , cotton wool and even food. Insects or small objects can get into the ear canal due to injuries or accidents. If you suspect that a foreign object has entered the hearing organ, you should not try to cope with the problem yourself: this can lead to damage to the ear canal. With inept movements, you can push the object even further into the depths, thereby greatly aggravating the situation. Help from a doctor for pain caused by a foreign body is the only sure way out!

Ear diseases in adults

Painful sensations can occur due to direct pathologies of the ear. These include: otitis media, eustachitis, tumors.

Otitis is an infectious inflammation of the ear, the leader among diseases of the ENT organs in terms of the number of visits to an otolaryngologist. The causes of the disease are untreated infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis), rhinitis, a deformed nasal septum, damage to the auricle, penetration of water into it or infections after self-cleaning the ear with foreign objects.

The human hearing organ consists of the outer, middle, and inner ear. Accordingly, external, middle and internal otitis are distinguished.

Otitis externa covers the ear canal. Basically, the disease develops when water penetrates into it while swimming. There is even the term “swimmer’s ear”: otitis media occurs with frequent contact with water. For treatment of ear pain caused by otitis externa, you should contact an otolaryngologist.

Friends! Timely and correct treatment will ensure you a speedy recovery!

Otitis media: a third of all visits to an otolaryngologist are associated with this type of otitis. The main complaint of patients is shooting pain in the middle ear. The disease can occur in several forms: acute, exudative and chronic purulent.

Internal otitis (labyrinthitis) is an inflammatory disease of the inner ear. The disease is severe and occurs infrequently: usually as a complication of otitis media or a severe form of another infectious disease (for example, tuberculosis).

If you suspect inflammation, you should not self-medicate: incorrectly prescribed treatment for otitis media or an undertreated condition can cause serious complications. Only an otolaryngologist can provide effective assistance to an adult with otitis media.

Eustachitis is an inflammation of the Eustachian (auditory) tube, which connects the organ of hearing to the nasopharynx. The Eustachian tube is needed to better capture sounds and ventilate the middle ear through the nasopharynx. With the qualified help of an otolaryngologist, treatment of ear pain caused by eustachitis occurs quickly, and relief occurs in a couple of days.

Ear tumors are uncommon. CT and MRI are used to determine pathology.

Diagnostics

It is necessary to conduct a general and biochemical blood test to determine the presence of infection, a microbiological analysis of a smear from the ear and nasopharynx. An ENT doctor examines the level of hearing and the patency of the auditory tube. X-rays and MRIs can determine the presence of inflammatory diseases, lesions of joint tissue or neoplasms; An ultrasound is performed to determine the condition of the hearing organs. In case of hypertension, blood pressure and ECG measurements are required. In the absence of physiological changes leading to tinnitus, consultation with a psychotherapist is necessary.

Ear pain with pathologies of other organs

When ear pain is directly related to diseases of the hearing organ, diagnosing and treating ear pain in adults is usually not difficult. It is much more difficult to help adults with ear pain if there are no visible pathologies upon examination. In such situations, we talk about otalgia - a condition when there is ear pain, but there is no inflammation.

Diseases that cause otalgia include:

• mastoiditis;
• This is an inflammation of the mastoid process of the temporal bone, located behind the auricle; as a rule, the disease develops as a complication after otitis).
• diseases of the temporomandibular joint located behind the auditory canal;
• This joint can be subject to pathologies such as arthritis, arthrosis, dislocations, which leads to pain in the hearing organ.
• dental diseases;
• problems with the spine;
• inflammation of the pharynx (acute tonsillitis, pharyngitis, peritonsillar abscess);
• oncological diseases of the pharynx;
• sinusitis;
• neuralgic pathologies;
• intracranial tumors.

Ear pain - what to do?

As we can see, pain syndrome has a different nature of occurrence. Only a doctor can understand the real cause, establish the correct diagnosis and offer an effective treatment for ear pain in adults. An otolaryngologist treats ear diseases in adults. If you encounter such a problem, immediately contact a specialist.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to visit a doctor right away. More often, unpleasant symptoms appear suddenly and at night. First of all, you need to take a pain reliever - an ibuprofen-based painkiller. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is most effective compared to other drugs.

If pain is accompanied by a runny nose, it would be a good idea to use vasoconstrictor nasal drops.

The first thing many patients do is run and buy ear drops for pain. But each drop has its own purpose: in one case they can fully treat, in another - not. Drops are not a universal remedy. Statistics show that when treating ears, in half of the cases patients mistakenly prescribe medications to themselves. Drops should be used only when you are completely confident in your diagnosis.

Drops will not help with injury - in such a situation it is better to take a painkiller and consult an ENT doctor. Heat compresses should not be used before consulting a doctor. For example, with purulent otitis, such a measure will only worsen the patient’s condition.

Before visiting a doctor, do not go out into the cold without a hat, do not try to clean the ear from secretions and pus in its depths on your own, and do not instill alcohol-based products.

As a rule, for ear infections of the middle ear, antibacterial agents are prescribed. For external inflammation - antibiotics in the form of drops. In any case, consultation with an ENT specialist is mandatory! Folk remedies can be used in combination with drug therapy and only after an accurate diagnosis, that is, after visiting a doctor.

How to treat ear pain

Treatment depends on the disease. So, cerumen plug is removed by washing with a special solution immediately at the doctor’s appointment, and to treat otitis media you will need antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. It is important not only to relieve pain, but also to act on its cause. For this purpose, medications are used (tablets and local applications), physiotherapy (UHF, electrophoresis and others). Self-medication is dangerous due to complications - rupture of the eardrum, spread of infection to other organs, partial or complete loss of hearing.

If you can’t see a doctor immediately (for example, severe pain in the ear occurred in the evening), you can:

• Take painkillers.
• Make a compress - insert a cotton swab into the auricle (not deep) (it can be soaked in boric or camping alcohol).
• Place drops in the nose, because ear pain often occurs from diseases and swelling in the nasopharynx

You can’t do it yourself:

• Warm up the ears - in case of infections, this can lead to even greater inflammation.
• Use ear drops and ear suppositories from your home medicine cabinet - they may not be suitable for this diagnosis, and open ear drops cannot be stored for a long time.
• Trying to wash out the plug or remove a stuck foreign body can damage the eardrum.

Be sure to consult with an ENT doctor if your ear is bothering you or you notice a rash, itching, discharge from the ear canal, auditory distortion or deterioration in hearing acuity. We invite you to the Kutuzovsky Children's Center - a clinic where experienced and knowledgeable doctors work. Our otolaryngologists (and other specialists) are available to see you daily by appointment. The clinic has all the necessary equipment to carry out the necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; also in our center you can undergo a body check up - a full medical examination at an affordable cost. Don’t tolerate pain – it can really be cured!

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Diagnosis and treatment of ear pain in Moscow

At the appointment, the doctor talks with the patient, collects anamnesis and conducts an examination using an otoscope, assesses the condition of the outer ear, ear canal and eardrum. He examines the pharynx, larynx, oral cavity and nasal passages. Sometimes the patient is referred for audiometry. If the cause of the pain is injury, you will also need to do an X-ray or CT scan.

Ear treatment in Moscow is offered by many medical institutions: from district clinics to multidisciplinary medical centers. The final cost of ear treatment in Moscow depends on the type of medical institution and its pricing policy. "ENT Clinic of Doctor Zaitsev" specializes in diseases of the hearing organs. Treatment of ear diseases is our specialty. We use the most modern equipment from famous world manufacturers. Our doctors' many years of experience allow us to successfully diagnose hearing pathologies and offer the most effective treatment. Prices for our services have not changed for more than three years.

If ear pain and other unpleasant symptoms appear, do not tolerate it and do not self-medicate. Please call, make an appointment and come. We will be happy to help you!

Throbbing pain in the ear: causes

Tinnitus, or throbbing in the ear, is the most dangerous symptom that a person experiences. Failure to provide timely assistance leads to:

• sleep disorders;
• the person becomes irritable;
• the appearance of absent-mindedness.

It must be remembered that throbbing pain is a harbinger of a serious illness. The most common cause of its appearance is considered to be age-related changes in the body. As a rule, pulsation in the hearing organs appears after 55 years. But there are other circumstances of throbbing pain:

• inflammatory process inside the ear (internal otitis);
• damage to the eardrum during injury;
• the formation of sulfur plugs due to untimely cleansing;
• in case of violation of the structure and function of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis);
• the presence of chronic arterial disease, which occurs when cholesterol is deposited in the vessels (atherosclerosis);
• hormonal disbalance;
• long-term use of antibiotics and other anti-inflammatory drugs;
• regular use of headphones to listen to music;
• constant stress or depression;
• disruption of the cardiovascular system;
• the presence of various infections in the body (chlamydia, bacteria, fungi, helminths, etc.);
• water-salt imbalance.

There is another important reason - malignant and benign tumors in the head and cervical spine. In this case, an urgent examination is necessary. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the more successful the treatment will be.

In an adult

The cause of throbbing ear pain in adults is often hypothermia. Frozen tissues swell slightly after heating. Due to swelling, the nerve endings are pinched and generate pain impulses. In adults, ear pain can be a consequence of damage to the jaw joint, dental diseases, pathologies of the spine and nervous system. If your ear is often blocked, the cause of the pain may be hypertension, coronary artery disease, or head injury.

The child has

If parents often clean their child's ears, the cause of ear pain may be a lack of wax. Sulfur protects the ear canal from dust, pathogens and other irritants. If there is not enough wax, the delicate surface of the ear canal and eardrum becomes inflamed. The site of inflammation causes pain. The cause of ear pain in a child may be a foreign body. While studying their bodies, young children often push beads, buttons, berry seeds (for example, cherries), peas and other small objects into the ear canal.