6 Possible Causes of Ear Pain

Most of us have experienced ear pain at some point in our lives. These ear aches are caused by a variety of reasons.

Some of them are mild which gets cured by itself, while some are severe which need immediate attention. The latter are most probably caused by some root problems that can lead to big complications if it’s left untreated.

Here are six possible ear pain causes worth knowing:

1. Ear Wax Blockage

Earwax protects our eardrum from bacteria, fungi and other unwanted small particles. But sometimes the wax gets pushed in and blocked, which results in reduced hearing ability and ear pain.

2. Swimmers’ ear

If you swim and spend a great amount of time in water, you might have experienced problems like blocked ear or ear discharge – these are actually some signs of Swimmers’ ear aka Otitis Exerna.

3. Middle Ear infection

A bacterial infection in the middle ear can be a reason for ear pain. It is more common among children than adults. Along with the ear pain, fever and difficulty in sleeping are some other symptoms of a middle ear infection.

4. Ear Barotrauma

Ear barotrauma is a condition caused due to the difference in pressure between the eardrum and outer ear. It is more likely to happen when we are in situations where the altitude suddenly changes such as flying, driving in high altitude roads, etc.

This is why it is recommended to use ear plugs while travelling by air. The plugs help to regulate the air pressure.

5. Eardrum Rupture

There is a thin tissue in ear that plays a major role in the hearing process. This thin membrane can get torn or punctured from an ear infection, injury, pressure changes, and the condition is called ruptured eardrum(Perforated Eardrum).

The initial sign of a ruptured eardrum is ear pain. It is a serious condition and you should see a doctor immediately because it can lead to hearing loss.

6. Foreign object in the ear

This is one of the most common reasons of ear ache in toddlers. Most people will know if there’s any foreign body in the ear. But sometimes it goes undetected – like small insects and particles – and cause infection and pain in the ear.

If you are having pain or any discomfort in ear, no matter severe or mild, you should check with a doctor and get a thorough checkup. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

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