Common Reasons for Ear Pain?

Are you struggling with ear pain? We understand how painful that can be. When you’re experiencing pressure in your head from ear pain, it can be challenging to complete even the most basic of tasks.

You may find yourself googling “why does my ear hurt?” to find answers. There are many reasons you may be experiencing ear pain, and the team at El Dorado Hearing is here to help you determine the cause for yours. Here are some of the most common reasons for ear pain.

Congestion

Depending on the season, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies. Allergies cause the body to release histamines which can inflame the mucus membranes in your nose and ears. When this happens, you may encounter blockages in the ears and nose that make it difficult to hear and can cause ear pain from the fluid that cannot drain properly.

As a result, you’re likely experiencing sinus congestion and inflammation, causing your earaches. Taking over-the-counter allergy medications can help prevent the issue from happening or provide the relief you need if it does.

Impacted Earwax

How often do you get your ears professionally cleaned? Most people rely on cotton swabs to clean earwax from their ear canal, but this can cause an earwax blockage! A cotton swab tends to push the earwax deeper into the ear canal, causing it to become impacted.

Instead, individuals should get professional earwax removal where the proper irrigation tools will be used to remove excess earwax.

Tooth Abscess

This one sometimes comes as a surprise, but a tooth abscess can result in ear pain. If a bacterial infection in the mouth’s gums goes untreated, it can worsen and become extremely painful. The discomfort and swelling of the gums can result in pain. Treating the abscess and ridding your mouth of infection will often relieve the earache.

TMJ Disorder

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a hinge for the upper and lower jaws. If this joint gets injured or infected through grinding your teeth, arthritis, clenching of the jaw, and more, you may begin to experience discomfort as your jaw opens and closes while talking or chewing. This discomfort is referred to as TMJ disorder and can cause ear pain.

If you think you may have TMJ, it is recommended that you sleep with a mouthguard to prevent yourself from subconsciously clenching your jaw while sleeping and causing more tension and ear pain.

Swimmer’s Ear

One of the most common types of outer ear infections is the swimmer’s ear which is caused when moisture gets trapped within the ear. When this happens, bacteria and fungus penetrate the ear canal and can cause redness, itchiness, inflammation, and overall discomfort.

For treatment, your doctor will recommend ear drops or anti-fungal medicines. To avoid contracting swimmer’s ear, avoid swimming in water that may contain high levels of bacteria, frequently wearing headphones, using your fingers to clean your ears, or in humid locations that may trap moisture within your ear.

Air Pressure

Have you ever noticed that your ears pop when flying on an airplane or hiking up a tall mountain? Changes in air pressure can cause an imbalance of pressure on either side of the eardrum, which can cause an earache. If you know you’re going to be in a situation where you’ll face fluctuating air pressure, try chewing gum, yawning, swallowing, or pinching your nostrils and exhaling through your nose to combat the pressure change.

Ear Infection

Another form of ear infection occurs when a virus or bacteria gets trapped in the middle ear, often resulting from a cold, flu, or allergies. Middle ear infections often result in ear pain and difficulty hearing, fever, and drainage or discharge from the ear.

Call El Dorado Hearing for Assistance

If you’re experiencing ear pain, we recommend scheduling an appointment with El Dorado Hearing, who can help pinpoint if your ear pain results from an earache or ear infection. Don’t let your ear pain ruin even one more day. Contact El Dorado Hearing to learn more about our hearing services, or take our online hearing quiz to get started today.