How to Soothe an Earache

If you have had an earache before, you will understand how uncomfortable and painful it can be and you should know how to soothe an earache. Causes of earaches include infections, blockages, wax buildups and altitude changes. Pain as a result of earaches can be mild to severe and a visit to your doctor is necessary if it persists. There are a lot of things to learn which will help soothe earache discomfort.

What May Cause Earaches?

1. Common Causes of Earache

The information below may give you an idea of the cause of your earache, but is by no means self-diagnostic. All the possible causes of earache are not covered here, but the most common causes are outlined.

Causes	Description
Glue ear	This is more common in children and occurs as a result of build-up of fluid deep inside the ear. Common effects include hearing loss and earache caused by the fluid pressure. Diagnosis is easily ascertained by your GP based on the symptoms observed and treatment may not be necessary as it usually clears up on its own.
Ear infection	Earache may be caused by an outer ear infection affecting the ear canal. This could lead to inflammation of the entire ear canal or a boil may be seen inside the ear. Pus-like fluid may come out of the ear and pus usually drains out of boils or can be drained out with a surgical needle by your GP. Ear infections usually heal without treatment, but antibiotics may be prescribed for a patient.
Injury to ears	The ear canal can be damaged easily due to its hyper-sensitivity. Damages can occur when cleaning the ear by scraping with a cotton bud or poking the cotton bud too far into the ear canal. This could lead to a perforated eardrum which takes between six to eight weeks to heal with the aid of eardrops. Normal injuries to the ear canal heal on their own without treatment.
Earwax	Earache may be due to an accumulation of earwax which forms a hard earplug inside the ear. Attempts should not be made to remove it manually (could damage eardrum) until it has been softened by eardrops prescribed by a pharmacist. Then an “ear irrigation” procedure can be done by your GP if necessary, which entails flushing the eardrum systematically with water.
Throat infection	Earache can occur as a result of throat infections such as tonsillitis or quinsy (an abscess located at the back of your throat). Tonsillitis might clear up on its own within a few days without treatment, but quinsy may need further treatment. If you have a sore throat or are finding it quite painful to swallow, then you may need to see your GP immediately.

2. Less Common Causes of Earache

Other less common conditions may cause earache. A visit to your GP or dentist is advisable if you suspect you have any of these.

Causes	Description
Jaw bone problem	Jaw bone problem caused by arthritis or teeth grinding may lead to a condition known as “temperomandibular joint pain.” It usually occurs where the jaw meets the skull and causes earache.
Dental abscess	Bacterial infection can result in collection of pus in your gum or tooth (dental abscess), resulting in intense pain or throbbing in a problem tooth, causing earache.
Impacted teeth	A back tooth (molar) or wisdom tooth that has not broken clear of your gum may cause earache. This can be visibly identified and further medical advice should be sought.
Facial nerve pain	Pressure on the main nerve inside the skull may lead to intense nerve pain known as trigeminal neuralgia, causing earache. The pain may last from seconds to a few minutes and is felt in the jaw, cheek or eye.
Eczema inside the ear	Seborrhoeic dermatitis, a form of eczema inside the ear canal may sometimes cause earache. It causes irritation and inflammation of the affected skin area resulting in red, scaly patches.