Top 5 Most Common Reasons of Earache

Earache usually occurs due to the blockage of the Eustachian tube that connects the ear and throat. This Eustachian tube depletes the fluid formed in the middle ear so when it’s blocked, build up of fluid occurs causing painful infections. Earache may be due to a mild condition like cold or shampoo getting stuck in your ear as you shower, or it may be due to a severe underlying cause and should be taken into consideration. The following are some of the most common causes of earache:

1. Cold

Earache is one of the familiar symptoms individuals experience with common cold. Other symptoms include yellow/green mucus, fever, and chest pain.

2. Otitis Media

Infections of the middle ear due to allergens or viral and bacterial infections are common in young children. The infection may subside or it may become chronic with constant pain, trouble hearing and fever.

3. Ruptured Eardrum

A ruptured eardrum may result from insertion of a foreign as a cotton swab, a loud noise like gunshots, trauma or otitis media. This causes severe ear pain, hearing loss, bleeding from the ear and dizziness.

4. Tooth Infection

Bacterial tooth infections in many cases reach the bones underneath the tooth causing severe tooth ache that spread through the nerve pathway to the nerves of the ears. Symptoms include infected tooth, gum swelling, bitter taste, bad breath and earache.

5. Sinusitis

Sinuses are openings found in the nasal bones, cheeks, behind the forehead and skull for the air to flow and mucus to drain. When sinuses are clogged, mucus starts to build up and so does infections. Due to the connection of the ear and sinuses in the head, blocking the sinus causes alteration of air pressure inside the ear which starts to cause earaches. Other signs include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffed nose, pain in the face and fatigue.