Earache
Earache
Overview
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Earache is a common problem, particularly in children. It can be worrying, but it’s usually only caused by a minor infection and will often get better in a few days without treatment.
Earache can be a sharp, dull or burning ear pain that comes and goes or is constant. One or both ears may be affected.
Earache self-help guide
Advice for people of all ages with the symptoms of earache or pain in the ear.
Complete our self-help guide to check your symptoms and find out what to do next.
Common Symptoms
Symptom information is not available for this condition yet.
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
When to See a Doctor
When to get medical advice
You do not always need to see a GP as earache will usually get better on its own within a few days.
Speak to your pharmacist for advice and treatment if you have earache. Your pharmacist may recommend that you speak to your GP practice if required.
Speak to your GP practice if:
You or your child have earache and:
- a high temperature (fever)
- vomiting
- a severe sore throat
- hearing loss
- swelling around the ear
- discharge from the ear
- there is something stuck in your or your child’s ear
- the earache doesn’t improve within a few days
- your child is under 2 and has earache in both ears
If your GP practice is closed, phone 111.
You or your child:
- have earache for more than 3 days
- keep getting earache
Causes
If your earache is caused by an ear infection, you may notice watery or pus-like fluid coming from the ear.
Outer ear infections (infections of the tube connecting the outer ear and eardrum) and middle ear infections (infections of the parts of the ear behind the eardrum) are very common causes of earache.
Many ear infections clear up on their own within a few days or weeks, but in some cases your doctor may prescribe eardrops or antibiotics.
Glue ear (also called otitis media with effusion, or OME) happens when fluid builds up deep inside the ear, and it commonly causes some temporary hearing loss. It tends to be painless, but sometimes the pressure from this fluid can bring on earache.
Glue ear will often clear up on its own, though this can take a few months. If it does not go away, a minor procedure to place small tubes called grommets in the ear may be recommended to help drain the fluid.
Earache can sometimes result from injury inside the ear, for example from scraping earwax out of the ear canal with a cotton bud, or pushing a cotton bud too far in, which can puncture the eardrum.
The ear canal is very sensitive and can be damaged easily. It should heal on its own without treatment, but a perforated eardrum can take up to 2 months to heal. If you have a perforated eardrum, eardrops should not be used.
A build-up of earwax or an object stuck inside the ear can sometimes cause earache.
If something in your ear or your child's ear seems to be causing pain, do not try to remove it yourself. You may push it in further and damage the eardrum.
If you have a build-up of earwax, your pharmacist can recommend eardrops to soften it so it comes out naturally. In some cases, your doctor will arrange to remove the wax, once it has been softened with eardrops, by flushing the ear with water. This is known as ear irrigation.
If there is an object in the ear, your doctor may need to refer you or your child to a specialist for removal.
If swallowing is painful and you have a sore throat, your earache could be a sign of a throat infection such as tonsillitis or quinsy. Quinsy is an abscess at the back of the throat, which can sometimes make swallowing very difficult.
Some cases of tonsillitis clear up in a few days without needing antibiotics. But if you have quinsy, you should see your doctor as soon as possible for treatment. Quinsy is a possibility if your sore throat is getting worse very quickly.
Earache is sometimes caused by a problem with the jaw joint, where the jaw meets the skull. This is known as temporomandibular joint pain and can result from problems such as arthritis or teeth grinding.
Jaw pain can often be eased with painkillers, warm or cold compresses, and by trying not to clench your jaw or grind your teeth.
A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form in the teeth or gums because of a bacterial infection. The main symptom is pain in the affected tooth, which can be intense and throbbing, though the pain can sometimes spread to the ear.
If you think you may have a dental abscess, make a dentist appointment as soon as possible. The abscess may need to be removed and the pus drained.
Treatment
Ask your pharmacist about painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, or eardrops, to ease the pain. Holding a warm flannel against the affected ear can also help.
Avoid eardrops or olive oil drops if the eardrum has burst.
If you or your child has an ear infection, keep objects such as cotton buds out of the ear, and try not to let the affected ear get wet.