It is a generally believed that earaches are common for children only, but the fact is, it is also a problem in adults. Sharp ear pain generally occurs only in one ear but can be in both ears.
Most of the times, even sharp pain in ear also gets cleared without the need of any treatment, such pains are caused due to simple reasons such as water being trapped in the ear during bath or maybe in rains or activities like swimming etc.In such cases, sharp pain in ear come and goes they are not continuous. To get a relief from such pains, try to create a vacuum by moving your finger around gently and then try suction of water from the ear.
There are several types of ear aches, the pain can be in either of the ears or both, sharp pain behind ear, sometimes the sharp pain in ear comes and goes etc. The types of paints depend on the reasons behind the pain.
Sometimes, the ear pain is not due to a fault in ears. Sharp pain behind ear can be caused even due to decaying of the tooth, this is because inside of each tooth there is a hollow chamber that contains a substance known as dental if the bacteria enters this dental pulp the patient may experience a sharp ear pain. The best solution to this situation is a root canal, but if in case, a patient undergoes an unsuccessful root canal this may also cause a sharp pain in ear. The restoration used during the root canal, in the case is leaked may result in re-infection of the root canal. This is caused if the patient fails to maintain good oral hygiene.
Another rare fact is the TMJ disorder. TMJ refers to a temporomandibular joint, it is the junction between the upper and the lower jaws. It is one of the most complicated joints in our body. General symptoms of TMJ include sharp pain in ear, jaws and neck area.In some cases, the joint can lock up so you can’t open or close your mouth. This situation can be fleeting or require medical support.
Mastoiditis is another cause of sharp ear pain. Mastoiditis is decaying of the mastoid bone, it is the bone located behind the ear. This can cause infection to the middle ear, which is non-curable. The middle ear is the part of the ear and the ear drum, it is the main part of the ear which is responsible for transmitting sound from outside of the ear to inside. Signs of mastoiditis include redness, swelling, and discharge from the ear. It can lead to a headache, fever, and loss of hearing in that ear.
Some other causes of ear pain include:
- Building up of excessive earwax
- Presence of foreign object in ear
- Sinus infection
- Improper use of cotton buds in ear
- Fever and cold
All the ear aches do not require antibiotic treatments, even if the infection is caused by bacteria it can go away by itself. Some of the remedies to reduce sharp pain in ear for adults include resting in an upright position which helps in reducing the pressure on the middle ear. Clean the ear with the help of cold wash cloth, avoid getting the ear wet to reduce pain. Also, use of OTC (over-the-counter) pain relief ear drops is beneficial. If you have a sharp pain in right ear or left ear simpler solution is to chew gum on that side to release pressure and reduce pain.Eating something may also help in reducing sharp ear pains. Basically, exercising of ear muscles and thus relaxing stress of them is the ultimate goal.
If the ear pain is beyond the simple reach approach doctor, the doctor initially gives plain medicines which are generally pain killers. But if not he will switch to antibiotics, follow all the instruction for prevention such as avoid getting your ear wet etc. The most important thing take all the doses as directed by the doctor even if you start feeling better, do not skip any doses. If you don’t complete the dosage, there might be chances of re-infection which would reduce the effects of treatments.
In case of infections, the situation is complex. The doctors then approach a process called myringotomy. It is a process of draining out the fluid from the ear and thus reduce sharp pain in ear. In this process, a small hole is created in the ear drum so fluids such as water, blood or pus can drain out. In many cases, a tube will be put in the ear to drain the fluid so that it does not remain backed up again. The tube usually falls on its own in 6 to 18 months. This tube helps in keeping the air flow to keep the middle ear dry, also it helps to reduce pain, improve hearing and reduce the number of infections.
Some preventive measure to avoid sharp ear pain:
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Clean the ears after bath
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Proper use of ear buds
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Avoid sound of high frequency
Avoid exposure to cold winds
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