Earaches are very common in children, but adults can experience them as well. Anyone who ever suffered with an earache knows how quickly the pain can set in and how intense it can be. Ear pain, experienced in one or both ears, can be sharp, dull, or even burning. There are many possible causes of ear pain and consulting a doctor is recommended for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Infections
Infections of the middle ear, also called otitis media, and infections of the outer ear, otitis externa, are the most common causes of acute earaches, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Earaches due to otitis media are more common in children because their eustachian tubes, draining the ears, are shorter and more horizontal. Other infections responsible for earaches include sinus infections, tooth infections and infections of the mastoid process, a bone behind the ear. The infections can be acute or chronic, and may require medical treatment.
Barotrauma
Unusual changes in pressure, caused by exposure to high altitude, scuba diving or flying in an airplane, can cause ear pain and even injury to the ear drum. This is called barotrauma, and is due to the ear's inability to equalize the difference in pressure between the inner and outer ear. When the eustachian tube is blocked due to allergies or local inflammation, it does not allow air to move between the inner and outer ear, and is thus unable to keep the pressure similar on both sides of the ear drum.
Injury
The ear canal is made of hard bone and lined with very sensitive skin. Any object inserted into the ear canal can cause injury to the lining of the canal or the ear drum. Even slight trauma to the lining of the ear canal or ear drum is extremely painful. It is not uncommon for children to insert objects into their ears as part of their play, but adults may also injure their ear canal or drum when using cotton swabs or attempting ear candling. Accumulated hardened ear wax may also induce pain due to the pressure it exerts on the ear canal or drum.
Less Common
Other less common conditions that may cause earaches, according to The Merck Manuals, include temporomandibular joint dysfunction, also called TMJ, arthritis of the jaw, herpes zoster infection of the ear, "swimmer's ear," tumors and blockage of the ear canal by keratosis. Some may experience earaches following tonsillectomy or any surgery involving the ears or throat.
