Outer Ear Pain

Outer ear pain can be caused by several factors, ranging from minor trauma to ear infections. The pain caused by these conditions can be mild or severe. Pain of the outer ear is often worsened on touching the pinna or when the ear is pulled. It can be treated only after determining the underlying causes.

What Can Cause Pain in the Outer Ear?

Basically, pain in the outer ear can be caused by three conditions, trauma to the ear, otitis externa or infection of the outer ear and a blocked ear canal. These ear problems are explained briefly in the following paragraphs of this article.

Trauma to the Ear
Trauma to the external ear is one of the most common factors that can cause pain in the outer ear. Ear trauma can include bruising or cuts and even fractures. The habit of inserting hairpin and other objects like cotton swab for earwax removal or scratching the ear can also cause skin abrasion. This can cause abscess formation and infection. Even mandibular fracture or fracture of the lower jaw can cause significant pain in the outer ear.

Otitis Externa
Otitis externa refers to infection of the external or outer ear, and is also known by the name of swimmer's ear. It is caused by the infection of the layer of the skin that lines the ear canal. The infection is usually caused by bacteria and fungus. The main predisposing factor for external ear infection is excess moisture in the ear. Usually, earwax or cerumen protects the ear from excess moisture by creating a thin water repelling film on the skin of the ear canal. Cerumen is acidic and so, inhibits the growth of bacteria in the ear, besides trapping dirt, debris and dead skin cells and removing these from the ear. Excess moisture in ear disrupts these functions, which can lead to infections.

The ear can get exposed to excessive moisture due to swimming for a long time, especially in water with high bacteria levels. This is the reason why people can get ear pain after swimming for a prolonged time period. It is also a common cause of ear pain in children, as their ear canal are small and so, it can trap water or moisture easily. Adults who do not swim too can get otitis externa, if they scratch the ear vigorously with cotton swab and sharp objects like, hair pins or clips.

Blockage of the Ear Canal
A blocked ear canal too can produce pain in the external ear. A blocked ear canal is usually caused by cerumen impaction or build up of cerumen in the ear canal. However, the ear canal of children can get blocked due to the insertion of any foreign object in the outer ear canal as well. For earwax removal, the ear can be flushed with water. For removing foreign objects from the ear, it is advisable to seek the help of a physician.

Relief from Ear Pain

The treatment depends on the underlying causes, which can be determined by evaluating the symptoms. Ear pain can be accompanied by symptoms like, itching, redness, swelling or inflammation and discharge of white or yellow pus from the ear. Discharge is usually present in the case of ear infection. Cerumen impaction can cause itching and partial hearing loss, along with pain. Along with looking for the presence of such symptoms, physicians also examine the ear canal with a lighted instrument, known as otoscope to find out the exact cause.

If discharge, pus and earwax or any other kind of debris is present in the outer ear, the physician first cleans the ear with a suction device or curette. If outer ear infection is the cause of ear pain, then medications like, antibiotic ear drop can be prescribed by the physicians. But, in the case of fungal infection, antifungal medications are required to treat ear infection. If inflammation is present, then physicians may prescribe steroids after evaluating the condition. If ear pain is found to be caused by the build up of earwax, then mineral oil can be used for loosening the hardened earwax. However, mineral oil should never be used if one has perforated eardrums. Application of heat is an effective remedy. You can use a heating pad to apply heat to your ear and get relief from the pain. However, pain killers would be required, if the pain is quite severe and intense.

If you experience severe or sharp pain, it is better to visit your physician. Ear pain can be prevented with the help of a few precautionary measures such as, drying the ear after swimming or taking baths and avoiding swimming in unclean water. One should also avoid inserting any sharp objects like, hair pins, clips or cotton swabs in the ear in an attempt to remove hardened earwax.