The Cause of Earaches

Children often suffer from earaches, which are generally middle ear infections. Adults aren't exempt as they can get earaches as well, although adults don't normally get middle ear infections. According to the Mayo Clinic, one out of four children has had at least one ear infection by the time he is three years old.

Protective Devices in the Ear

• The inner ear is structured so that is it not susceptible to infection or injury but factors such as excess moisture can undo its ability to protect itself. The ear canal glands secrete cerumen, which is a waxy substance that protects your ear by creating a film on the skin of the canal that repels water. Cerumen is acidic, which makes the canal a non-hospitable environment for the bacteria. Cerumen collects debris and dead skin cells and shoves them out of the ear canal. This is the wax that you sometimes see at the opening of the ear canal. Cerumen also has proteins in it, which serve as an antibacterial agent. The ear canal is designed so that it slopes downward slightly from the middle ear to the outer eat, which helps water drain out of the ear. However, sometimes this protective features don't work as well as they should and an ear infection results, which causes an ear ache.

Otitis Media

• Otitis media is the medical term for a middle ear infection, which results in fluids accumulating in the middle ear. The pressure from these fluids can result in a rupture to the eardrum. The ear aches as a result of the pressure. If a baby has this condition, he won't be able to articulate what is wrong, but it will manifest in a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the child will be irritable and clear fluid may drain from his ears. The baby may swat at his ear.

Swimmer's Ear

• Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa or external otitis, is another cause of earaches. Bacteria create this infection. The bacteria gets into the thin layer of skin that lines the ear canal. When you have swimmer's ear, the defenses that are inside the ear canal have been overcome and it is easier for the bacteria to get into the inner skin and infect the inner ear skin. When the ear is wet, it is apt to become infected. The ears' protective features operate more efficiently when they are dry. Swimmer's ear can be very painful. The ear may turn red and there may be pus and fluid drainage from the ear. The ear will feel full and your hearing will be muffled. The pain gets worse if you press on the tragus, which is the little bump in the front of your ear. The pain will also increase if you move the pinna or auricle, which is the outer part of the ear. If immediately treated, this should prevent further infection and complications.

Ruptured Eardrum

• A ruptured eardrum is painful. A rupture occurs when the tissue that separates your middle ear from the ear canal is torn. A ruptured eardrum can result in hearing loss and it can make the middle ear susceptible to injuries and infections. If your eardrum is ruptured, you may experience sharp that pain that goes away quickly and bloody or pus-filled drainage from your ear. You may also feel dizzy and hear a ringing noise in your ear. A rupture will normally heal itself without medical treatment; however, some require surgical repair.

Airplane Ear

• Airplane ear can cause your ears to hurt. When there is too much air pressure in your middle ear, your eardrum can rupture. Scuba diving can have the same result. Airplane ear is called barotraumas. Acoustic trauma, such as a loud blast, can cause a tear in your eardrum.

Recommendation

• Don't neglect to treat an ear infection because the inner ear and middle ear are sensitive to disease. Furthermore, it's important to safeguard your hearing.