Symptom: Earache
Earache: Pain in the ear called "otalgia"
Introduction: Aching or pain in the ear is called otalgia (see also detailed disease information for earache). Ear pain is usually caused by an infection of the ear area, including outer ear infections, mastoiditis, or middle ear infections. However, pain in the ear can also arise from infections or conditions in nearby regions that affect the ear nerves. This is called "referred pain" and may arise from dental conditions, jaw disorders, or afflictions of the upper digestive tract and throat area. There are a variety of possible causes of ear pain and any ear pain symptoms needs prompt professional medical advice.
Detailed cause information for symptom: Earache:
Medical articles on symptoms: These general medical articles may be of interest:
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- Medical mistakes and their rates, causes and prevention
- Deaths and sudden death
Earache type of: Pain (604), Ear symptoms (75)
Symptoms: symptom center, symptom groups, symptom descriptions
Possible causes of symptom: Earache: The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Earache as a symptom. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.
- Ear trauma
- Ear slap - causing ear trauma
- Ear trauma from loud sound or blast
- Excessive ear picking - causing ear trauma
- Ear conditions
- Earache
- Ear infection
- Middle ear infection
- Otitis media
- Otitis externa
- Swimmer's ear
- Acute serous otitis media
- Ear foreign body
- Ear wax
- Eustachitis
- Eustachian catarrh
- Mastoiditis
- Impacted cerumen
- Ear infections
- Middle ear tumor
- Tympanic membrane perforation
- Foreign body in ear
- Boil in the ear canal
- Cold sore in the ear canal
- Perichondritis
- Rodent ulcer
- Ear cancer
- Possible causes of external ear pain:
- Ear trauma
- Otitis externa
- Inclusion dermoid
- Subperichondral hematoma
- Ear boil
- Ear furuncle
- Earlobe disorder
- Skin cancer
- Earlobe skin cancer
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Possible underlying causes of referred ear pain:
- Throat infection (see Sore throat)
- Recent dental work
- Periodontal abscess
- Tooth infection (type of Dental conditions)
- Dental disorders
- Impacted third molars
- TMJ disorder
- Jaw arthritis
- Tonsillitis
- Pharyngitis
- Oral tumors
- Tongue tumor
- Larynx tumors
- Spinal tumors
- Tongue disorder
- Tongue cancer
- Tonsil cancer
- Foreign body
- Referred nerve pain causing ear pain:
- Ramsay-hunt syndrome
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (type of Neuralgia)
- Barotrauma
- Air travel - causing barotrauma
- Scuba diving - causing barotrauma
- Herpes zoster
- Herpes zoster oticus
- See also causes of earache
Medications or substances causing Earache: The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Earache as a symptom. This list is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
- Mesalamine
- Sulfasalazine
- See also drugs causing earache
Conditions listing symptoms: Earache: The following list of conditions have 'Earache' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
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Conditions listing complications: Earache: The following list of conditions have 'Earache' or similar listed as a complication in our database. The distinction between a symptom and complication is not always clear, and conditions mentioning this symptom as a complication may also be relevant. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
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Related medical articles for Earache:
Last revised: Nov 21, 2003
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