Earache: what do you indicate with other symptoms?

Whether a sharp pain in the ear, unilateral ear pain or permanent pressure – ear pain (otalgia) often occurs as part of a cold, but does not necessarily have the symptom of a illness of the ear itself. The extremely painful stimuli in the form of ear pricks, ear pressure, ear pain when swallowing and more can also be an indication of a disease whose origin is somewhere else.

Concomitant symptoms are crucial for the diagnosis

The ear is a sensitive organ that consists of many small bones and cartilages. Since the skin around the ears is traversed by numerous nerves, pain at the site is particularly severe. In many cases the earache occurs on one side, but also bilateral forms are possible. Ear pain can be pressing, stinging or burning and can occur both on the outside of the ear and inside. They can be transmitted via muscles and nerve strands or can only radiate. In order to find out the cause, the accompanying symptoms of ear pain such as fever or dizziness are of great importance.

The following symptoms can occur together with earache:

Fever and fatigue
Whistling in the ear / ringing in the ears
Pain in the head or neck area
dizziness
Vomiting / diarrhea
Itching in the ear
Irritability / anxiety
Discharge from the ear (watery, purulent or bloody)
Difficulty hearing
Ear pain when swallowing
Cracking in the ear
ear piercing
Pressure in the ear

The middle ear comes under pressure during colds

The most common earache for colds. There is a connecting passage between the middle ear and the nasopharynx Eustachian tube (Eustachian tube).

It provides ventilation and balances the pressure between the tympanic cavity, an air-filled cavity in the middle ear, and the environment. If the mucous membrane of the ear trumpet swells due to an infection with cold pathogens, then ventilation and pressure equalization do not work optimally. On the other hand, the secretion can no longer flow freely. This leads to earache and feeling of pressure.

Otitis media common consequence of a cold in children

children suffer from infections much more often because their immune system only develops over time. Because the Eustachian tube is also much shorter and more horizontal for them, pathogens are particularly easy to play. It is not uncommon for children to have an earache for colds several times a year. And often an extremely painful and sometimes feverish develops from it Otitis (Otitis media acuta). Affected children are very tearful and irritable, often touch their ears and complain of headaches and stomach aches.

How can I help my child with ear pain?

An age-appropriate, decongestant nasal spray helps with ear pain caused by a cold. It improves ventilation and relieves pressure from the ear. You can also keep the aching ear warm, and home remedies such as onion bags are also helpful. If the earache remains stinging and the fever does not go down or fluid runs out of the ear, then you should introduce your child to a doctor. He decides on the administration of medication and about that, whether an antibiotic is necessary and useful. Because around half of all middle ear infections are caused by viruses – and antibiotics are powerless against them.

In addition to otitis media, there are a number of other diseases that can lead to ear pain in the little ones.

If the earache persists, see a doctor

The Inflammation of the middle ear due to a cold is one of the most common in children diseases, that can hide behind earache. But adults are also affected. Inflammation of the middle ear is shown by sharp pain in the ear, sometimes pulsating and rapidly increasing rapidly. Earache with a feeling of pressure is also typical. The accompanying symptoms can range from fever to dizziness to discharge from the ear. If otitis media does not heal properly, purulent inflammation of the bone behind the ear can develop (mastoiditis). It is accompanied by extremely strong stinging, unilateral ear pain and can be left untreated complications to lead.

Ear pain is often just one symptom among many

Ear pain often occurs in connection with other complaints and can indicate various diseases. It is therefore all the more important to keep an eye on the accompanying symptoms during diagnosis. You should keep this in mind:

Type of earache	Possible accompanying symptoms	Possible Cause
stabbing pain in the ear (sometimes pulsating, very strongly increasing) Earache with feeling of pressure	fever hearing loss dizziness Discharge of secretion	acute otitis media (otitis media acuta)
severe, sharp pain in the ear Ear pain when pressing the cartilage at the entrance to the ear canal	ear itching malodorous, greasy discharge Swelling and crusting in the ear canal normal to slightly limited hearing	Inflammation of the ear canal (otitis externa and bathotitis)
severe earache	tinnitus vertigo Vomit hardness of hearing uncontrollable, rhythmic movements of the eye	Inflammation of the inner ear (labyrinthitis)
sharp pain in the ear	severe sore throat difficulty swallowing fever weakness a headache halitosis	Tonsillitis (angina tonsillaris)
Stinging pain in the ear Earache with feeling of pressure	hearing impairment dizziness Cracking in the ear when swallowing very stuffy nose	Acute tube ventilation disorder (tube catarrh); also due to allergies
Earache with feeling of pressure	Hear like cotton wool ear itching Ringing in the ears dizziness	Closure of the ear canal by ear wax (cerumen) or foreign bodies
severe burning or pulling earache	Incoordination painful blisters on the ear hardness of hearing fever facial paralysis	Shingles on the ear (zoster oticus)
Auricle swollen painfully	fever chills sharply defined redness	Wound rose (erysipelas) on the ear
sudden, violent unilateral ear pain in front of and in the ear	painful, hard swelling fever Increased discomfort when eating	Inflammation of the parotid gland; also in connection with mumps
sudden, short, stabbing pain in the ear	hardness of hearing slight ear canal bleeding dizziness nausea	Tympanic membrane tear (e.g. after a blow to the ear, lack of pressure compensation, noise, injuries from cotton swabs)
Throbbing or stinging pain in the ear Pain increased by pulling on the ear	Redness and sometimes purulent swelling in the outer ear canal	Boils in the ear (bacterial inflammation)
Pain in front of and in the ear, which is exacerbated by chewing	a headache Cotton feeling in the ear	TMJ problems, often caused by teeth grinding at night
flashy, very violent, stinging pain in the ear unilateral earache	severe, recurrent facial pain	Trigeminal neuralgia (rare nerve disease)

In the case of ear pain, it is always advisable to see a doctor, especially if there is a fever, the pain is very severe and (purulent) liquids come out of the ear. Only a specialist can recognize possible dangers and complications and treat them appropriately.