To learn the cause of ear pain requires evaluating the symptoms in relation to age and general health. In children, ear pain is often from fluid in the middle ear, and includes symptoms of fever, fussiness and increased crying. In adults, ear pain is more often from referred pain instead of an ear infection, as noted by MedlinePlus.
Swimmer's Ear
Swimmer's ear, medically known as otitis externa, is infection in the ear canal that is most common with swimmers, according to KidsHealth from Nemours. The ear canal is the opening that carries sound to the eardrum, and any break in the skin allows bacteria or fungi to cause an infection. While swimming is the most noted cause, dry skin and foreign objects inserted into the ear can break the skin provide a place for the infection to develop.
Symptoms of swimmer's ear include ear pain that worsens when chewing or touching the ear. KidsHealth reports that discharge from the ear is possible, and lymph nodes in the area may become enlarged and painful. Treatment includes antibiotic ear drops for the infection and a steroid to reduce inflammation.
Neck Abscess
Three types of neck abscesses in children include retropharyngeal, which forms in the back of the throat; peritonsillar abscess, which forms in the tissue near the tonsils; and Ludwig's angina, which forms under the floor of the mouth, reports Rush University Medical Center. As a neck abscess forms and worsens, it can put pressure on the surrounding tissue.
Symptoms of a neck abscess include ear pain, body aches, difficulty swallowing, fever and neck pain, according to RUMC. Diagnostic procedures may require a throat culture and blood tests to confirm the presence of infection, and a CT scan may be necessary to observe the presence of an abscess.
Ear Barotrauma
Ear barotrauma, also known as ear popping or pressure-related ear pain, occurs when the pressure outside the eardrum differs from the pressure inside the eardrum. It is common to experience ear barotrauma on occasions of altitude change, such as scuba diving, flying or driving through the mountains. The natural tendency is to swallow or yawn to open the airway through the Eustachian tube to equalize the pressure. If there is blockage in the Eustachian tube, barotrauma occurs, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Symptoms of ear barotrauma include ear pain, dizziness and slight hearing loss. Options in addition to swallowing or yawning to open the Eustachian tube, as reported by UMMC, range from chewing gum and sucking on candy, to decongestants, to surgery to place tubes in the eardrums.
