Ear Treatments
A pain deep in the ear, may mean an infection of the middle ear, or Otitis Media. See your doctor.

If there is a thick drainage from the ear canal, that started after the pain, the infection may have caused a Ruptured Eardrum. See your doctor.

If you have drainage from the ear canal and redness and swelling of the outer ear and the surrounding skin, your ear canal, outer ear and skin around your ear may be seriously infected. If this is the case, you should see your doctor very urgently.

A pain behind the ear, or tenderness when you touch the bone behind your ear, may be from an infected bone behind the ear. This could be mastoiditis, or from an enlarged lymph node. You should also see your doctor urgently.

If your ear hurts when you pull on the ear or earlobe, or have a fever, your pain is probably from an infection of the canal, Otitis Externa (swimmer's ear). See your doctor. You can prevent swimmer's ear by placing three to five drops of a half-alcohol, half-white-vinegar solution in the ear after swimming or taking showers.

If your jaw joint "cracks" when you open your mouth or you feel tenderness in front of your ear when you press the area, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome (jaw-joint problems) may be the source of your pain. Use an anti-inflammatory medicine. If there's no improvement in a week or two, see your dentist or doctor. If you're having severe pain or you can't open your jaw, call right away.

If you hear fluid in your ear, feel pressure or stuffiness that can't be cleared with coughing, yawning or swallowing, and have cold or flu symptoms, your ear discomfort may be due to a blocked eustacian tube. Colds and flu are common illnesses that lead to this condition. Try an over-the-counter decongestant medicine for a few days. If the pain is intense or doesn't resolve, see your doctor.

Tooth pain when you bite, on the same side as the ear pain, could be a dental problem. A tooth problem can radiate pain to the ear on the same side. Use some mild analgesics and see your dentist if the pain continues, or becomes severe.

If the pain started after an airplane ride, or with a slap or hit to the ear, you may have a ruptured eardrum, because of the change in pressure. Make an appointment with your doctor.

If you can you see or feel a "pimple" in the ear canal, a small infection in the ear canal may be the cause. This infection will usually subside by itself in two to five days. Use a mild analgesic and see your doctor if the pain becomes severe or if redness and warmth spread into the ear. Warm compresses sometimes will help.

A child who is having problems hearing, may have a buildup of fluid (Serous Otitis) or a buildup of wax in the ear canal (Ceruminosis). Yawning may "pop" the pressure differences in the ear. Call your doctor and get instruction on how to treat the wax problem or how to treat the fluid with over-the-counter medicines.

Earache Home Remedy
Essential oils for earache include Lavender Oil, Garlic Oil or Eucalyptus Oil. Simple earache will normally clear up within 24 hrs, but if it persists seek professional help. Do not delay treatment, especially in children. Eardrops should not be used if the ear pain is severe or if it is accompanied by a discharge from the ear. Please consult your doctor as the eardrum may be perforated.