Riki Deka, 19, a seasoned swimmer from Guwahati, had been swimming since he was a child. However, when water entered his ear during a recent swim, he assumed it would drain out naturally within a few hours, as it had done in the past. Despite waiting for two days, the persistent pain in his right ear did not subside. Soon he sought help from an ENT doctor.
“The doctor had told me that there was an infection in my ear as water went inside it,” says Deka. He was given ear drops and a course of antibiotics. Moreover, he was instructed to keep his ear dry and avoid exposing it to water until recovery.
Earaches can cause excruciating pain that makes it difficult to perform everyday tasks . It is a common health concern that can affect people of all ages, from young children to the elderly. They can be brought on by several factors, such as allergies, infections, and shifts in air pressure.
Symptoms
According to Dr Devkumar Rengaraja, consultant ENT and skull base surgeon, Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, the symptoms of earache could be:
- Pain in the ear: This can be a dull, sharp, or burning sensation.
- Difficulty hearing: One might feel like one’s ear is clogged or muffled, and one’s hearing may be reduced.
- Swelling: One’s ear might be swollen and tender to the touch.
- Fever: If the earache is caused by an infection, one might have a fever.
- Discharge: There might be pus, blood, or clear fluid coming from one’s ear.
- Headache: One might experience a headache that is related to the earache.
- Vertigo: One might feel dizzy or imbalanced, particularly if the earache is caused by an inner ear infection.
Causes
Dr Sangeeta Varty, consultant ENT, PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, says a few causes of earache can be related to the ear itself or referred pain in the ear.
Causes can be:
- Bacterial or viral ear infection
- Build-up of earwax
- Fungal infection in the outer ear
- Traumatised ear with some sharp object
- Loud sound
“When it is referred pain, it means the pain is caused from other parts of the body,” says Dr Varty. A few causes of it can be:
- Tonsilitis
- Adenoiditis
- Laryngitis
- Dental problems
Treatment
The treatment depends on the underlying cause of the pain and its severity. “If it is an acute pain, then it can be treated with antibiotics or ear drops or sometimes both,” explains Dr Varty. If it is chronic pain and medicines do not work, then surgery is advised.
“One should consult an ENT doctor at the earliest if they are experiencing ear pain,” Dr Rengaraja stresses. One should refrain from using home remedies or over-the-counter medicines as they can complicate or worsen the condition of one’s ear, he adds.
Prevention of earache
A few ways to prevent earache advised by Dr Rengaraja are:
- Do not use earbuds or clean the ears by yourself
- Avoid digging or tugging the ear
- Take measures to keep the ear dry
