Ear Pain When Swallowing

Ear pain or earache is a common medical problem that affects people of all ages. In medical terms, ear pain is referred to as otalgia. It can be caused due to outer or middle ear related problems such as diseases, blockage, nerve disorders, injuries and ear infections. Apart from these, there are several cases of ear pain or discomfort that are directed from other body parts. Ear pain resulting from other medical reasons is collectively known as 'referred ear pain'. Also, ear pain may be observed during certain conditions. For example, many people report severe ear pain when swallowing, while some experience sharp ear pain during air travel. Each of these conditions is related to specific health problems, which can be identified only with proper diagnostic methods. Know more on ear problems.

Ear Pain When Swallowing: Causes

Ear pain when swallowing is usually associated with other symptoms like pressure in the ear while coughing and yawning. Perception of ear pain when swallowing can be correlated to irritation of the nerves, which are involved during swallowing and at the same time, connected to the ear directly or distantly. Following is a list of the common causes for ear pain when swallowing:

Blocked Eustachian Tube
Eustachian tube is a small canal that connects the middle ear with the upper throat and back of nose. It functions as an equalizer to regulate the air pressure inside the middle ear and outside environment. This tube opens while swallowing and yawning. Thus, blockage or dysfunctioning of the eustachian tube can lead to inner ear pain when swallowing. Read more on how does the human ear work.

Mumps
Mumps is a less common but highly contagious disease, which is caused due to viral infections. Even though ear pain when swallowing is not directly related to mumps, pain while swallowing and earache are commonly manifested symptoms of this viral disease. A patient may go through sharp ear pain when chewing rather than during swallowing foods and drinks. Read more on mumps symptoms.

Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis refers to infection in the tonsils that are situated at the back of the throat. Common symptoms of tonsillitis are mild to severe throat pain and difficulty in swallowing. If tonsillitis is caused by bacterial infection, then ear pain complication is usually observed. Thus, in such a case, a tonsillitis patient may experience ear pain when swallowing along with general symptoms of sore throat.

Peritonsillar Abscess (Quincy)
Peritonsillar abscess, a major complication of tonsillitis, is another cause for both sore throat and ear pain when swallowing. Individuals suffering from this condition manifest inability to open their mouth along with other symptoms like fever and malaise.

Sore Throat
Throat pain or sore throat is often associated with ear pain, as the cranial nerves (IX and X) connect both the ear organ and the pharynx portion. To be more precise, middle ear and throat are anatomically connected. This is the main reason as to why some people experience sharp ear pain when swallowing (due to sore throat or strep throat). Those having contact ulcers may also feel ear pain during swallowing foods and drinks.

Thermal Laryngitis
Thermal laryngitis is caused due to heat injury to the larynx. It affects the laryngeal mucosa, resulting in sore throat, pain in swallowing, hoarse voice, ear pain and at times, breathing problems. Hence, ear pain when swallowing directly results from thermal laryngitis.

Sinusitis
One of the noticeable symptoms for sinusitis is ear pain and/or stuffiness in the ears. Very rarely, ear pain when swallowing is related to sinusitis. In such a case, the pathogens responsible for causing sinus infections progress further to the throat causing throat infection. Because of this, the usual sinusitis symptoms may also be accompanied with ear pain at the time of swallowing.

Ear Pain When Swallowing: Diagnosis and Treatment

Like any other health conditions, timely diagnosis and treatment of ear pain is the thumb rule to prevent further complications. The same applies to ear pain when swallowing; a qualified physician can only identify the exact reason behind this ear discomfort. In majority of the cases, ear pain cause can be traced to the medical history of the patient after proper physical examination.

Based on the diagnostic result of ear pain when swallowing, the physician will prescribe appropriate medications for the treatment of this condition. For example, if strep throat is the main ear pain cause, antibiotics are recommended for treatment of the throat infection. Many a times, positive responses are observed with natural ear pain remedy. Some of the effective home remedies for ear pain relief are warm compresses and applying warm garlic oil, olive oil or vegetable oil to the affected ear. Nevertheless, if fluid or pus drainage from ear occurs, one should avoid adding oil and eardrops, as it can worsen the ear problem. Also, while lying down or sleeping, make sure that the painful ear side is not facing down. Read more on:

• Ear Pain - Home Remedies
• Ear Pain Relief

In case, ear pain when swallowing is severe and does not subside within two to three days after practicing home remedies for earache, then it is always recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Hope you have given an attentive ear to what I have explained.