Sinusitis refers to infection or inflammation of the sinuses, which are hollow spaces located behind your nose, between your eyes, and within your cheekbones and lower forehead.
Sinusitis may cause a variety of symptoms, such as:. Most cases of sinusitis are caused by a viral illness or allergy; only a small percentage of cases are due to a bacterial infection. Dental Problems.
Dental problems, such as a cracked tooth, decayed tooth, or tooth abscess , may refer pain to the ear.
Usually, the pain is worsened by hot or cold stimuli or biting or eating. Your temporomandibular joint TMJ connects your lower jaw to the temporal bone of your skull. The pain of TMJ disorder is often described as a constant and dull jaw joint pain that worsens with opening or closing the mouth. Headaches and tenderness around the ear canal are also common. Giant Cell Arteritis. Giant cell arteritis GCA refers to inflammation of the branches of the external carotid artery, a large artery located in your neck.
Vision changes and pain with chewing may also be present. If a middle ear infection remains untreated, the infection may spread to the mastoid bone—a spongy, air-filled bone that is part of your skull. A mastoid bone infection mastoiditis causes pain, redness, and swelling behind the ear. If mastoiditis is not recognized and treated promptly, it can lead to complications like a brain or skull bone abscess, meningitis , facial nerve paralysis, or hearing loss.
If you are experiencing ear pain that is worsening, severe, or persisting for two or more days, be sure seek medical attention. Other examples of situations that warrant a healthcare provider's attention include:. Diagnosing ear pain often only requires a medical history and physical examination by a primary care provider or an ear, nose, and throat ENT specialist. Imaging and blood tests are less commonly needed.
When you see your healthcare provider for ear pain, you can expect him to ask several questions related to the details of your pain:. During your physical exam, your healthcare provider will inspect the outer ear, ear canal, and tympanic membrane eardrum with an otoscope. Your healthcare provider will also inspect your nose, mouth, and sinuses.
He may also press on your TMJ, look at your back molars to check for signs of grinding or frequent clenching of the teeth, and examine your neck to look for enlarged lymph nodes or other masses. Keep in mind, as part of your exam, your ENT may perform a nonsurgical procedure called nasal endoscopy to better examine your nose and sinuses.
The endoscope—a thin tube with a camera and light—allows your healthcare provider to better examine your nose, sinuses, and the top of your throat where the opening of your eustachian tube lies. Imaging is sometimes needed to sort out an ear pain diagnosis. For example, an X-ray may be ordered to evaluate a dental problem or to examine the jaw in TMJ disorder.
A computed tomography CT scan may be necessary if mastoiditis is suspected, especially if a person is experiencing worrisome complications of mastoiditis, like cranial nerve deficits or signs of meningitis. A CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging MRI may also be ordered if your healthcare provider suspects a possible tumor, such as nasopharyngeal cancer or cholesteatoma, as the source of your ear pain.
An MRI to examine your brain may be used to evaluate for a diagnosis of Meniere's disease, as central nervous system conditions, like a brain tumor or multiple sclerosis , may mimic the symptoms of Meniere's disease. Blood tests may be used to help diagnose various ear pain conditions. For instance, if your healthcare provider suspects a severe infection, especially mastoiditis, he may order a white blood cell count and inflammatory marker tests, namely erythrocyte sedimentation rate ESR and C-reactive protein CRP.
Blood tests may also be used to rule out concerns like thyroid disease, diabetes, and syphilis, all of which may have symptoms similar to those of Meniere's. As there are many different causes of ear pain, there are similarly many possible treatments. The treatment of choice will specifically depend on the root cause of your ear pain.
Simple, at-home therapies can sometimes go a long way in easing your ear pain, especially if the pain is related to fluid build-up from a virus or allergies. For instance, in order to ease the congestion of sinusitis, otitis media, or eustachian tube blockage, your healthcare provider may recommend taking an over-the-counter decongestant or using a nasal spray.
Other self-care strategies that may be helpful include:. Self-care strategies also play an important role in managing TMJ syndrome. These strategies include:. Ear flushing is performed by a healthcare professional to remove impacted wax. The procedure is also used to remove debris, infected material, and dead skin cells in the treatment of otitis externa.
Several different medications may be used to treat your ear pain:. Ear Drops. Earwax-softening drops may be recommended by your healthcare provider if you have earwax buildup. Likewise, ear drops are the primary treatment for external otitis.
There are many different types of ear drops available, including antibiotics, acidifying solutions, and steroids. Many of these ear drops work in combination to reduce inflammation, treat the infection, and ease pain. Oral or Intravenous Antibiotics. Sometimes oral by mouth or intravenous by vein antibiotics are required to treat more serious causes of ear pain, such as:. Pain Relievers.
To soothe your ear pain, your healthcare provider may recommend over-the-counter Tylenol acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , such as Advil or Motrin ibuprofen. For the pain of TMJ syndrome, your healthcare provider may also prescribe a muscle relaxant or a tricyclic antidepressant.
A surgical procedure called a myringotomy is sometimes needed to treat chronic middle ear infections or persistent eustachian tube dysfunction. With a myringotomy, a small hole is made in your eardrum to ease pressure and let the fluid drain.
An ear tube may then be placed in the eardrum to allow airflow into the middle ear and to prevent fluid from re-accumulating. Surgery may also be indicated for other ear pain diagnoses like a tumor, severe mastoiditis, or abscess formation in perichondritis.
Here are a few strategies that may help prevent certain ear pain diagnoses:. To prevent earwax buildup:. Do not insert cotton swabs into the ear canal. If it develops, you can immediately have it drained and then compressed to reduce the chance that the fluid hardens and the changes become permanent. For more information, please talk to your doctor. If you think your problem is serious, call your doctor right away.
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The most susceptible are those with a family hi See a physician if you suspect you have an ear infection. Your doctor will help you address any infection you may have and allow your ear to heal. Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions. Questions may relate to diseases, illnesses, or conditions you may have or that may run in your family.
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