Ear Pain Symptoms

Otalgia, or pain in the ear, is caused by infections in the ear, dental conditions and jaw disorders. According to CureResearch.com, the conditions and disorders are known as "referred regions" because the source of the pain is not in the ear, but the regions around the ear that affect the ear's nerves. However, the conditions and disorders are not ear infections or ear inflammation.

Outer

• Outer ear pain can be caused by infection or inflammation. Commonly called "Swimmer's Ear," pain usually develops when an individual has a build-up of water or debris like dirt or sand. However, it doesn't just happen to swimmers, but anyone who scratches or cleans the ear canal with a bobby pin or a cotton swab, has headphones inserted into the ear, or does not remove excess water in the ear after a bath or shower. Mild or sharp pain can occur in conjunction with throat pain or facial paralysis. The ear pain can worsen when a person presses on or wiggles the ear or chews.

Middle

• When there is pain in the middle ear or the space behind the eardrum, an ear infection can be the cause. Pain in the inner ear usually occurs when a person has an allergy attack, upper respiratory or throat infection. The connection between the throat and middle ear swells and prevents air from traveling to the middle ear. Once fluid is trapped in the ear, bacteria and viruses can grow, causing ear pain. The ear pain can be mild or extremely painful. Additional symptoms include loss of appetite vomiting, thick yellow drainage from the ear, trouble hearing and irritability.

Inner

• Inner ear pain is caused when that part of the inner ear, the labyrinth, is inflamed or swollen. Since the labyrinth controls balance, inflammation can cause vertigo, and you feel like your head is spinning or you are about to fall. Additional symptoms are ringing in the ears, itching, fluid leaks from the ear and hearing loss.

Dental

• Pain around the ear area can be mistaken for ear problems. For instance, a teething baby can have inflammation in their gums. The inflammation can spread to the lymph nodes or the neck. The teething baby may pull on his ears which is a sign of ear pain. However, an adult can have a dental problem, such as a tooth abscess, tooth infection or an impacted tooth. Thus, the pain can feel like it's in the ear, but it's located elsewhere.

Jaw

• Ear pain without other symptoms associated with ear infections or other ear problems can actually be pain in the jaw. The pain is usually below or in front of the ear. An individual may treat an ear infection instead of the real problem. If you have ear pain in conjunction with dizziness, headache, popping or crunching sounds, you could have Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). This disorder happens because of overuse, spasms or imbalance of the jaw muscles.