Earwax
Your ear makes and gets rid of wax all the time. When the process doesn’t work well, the gunk builds up and hardens so your ear canal gets blocked. Your doctor will call this impacted wax. Sometimes, it causes pain.
Air Pressure
Most of the time, your ear does a great job of keeping pressure equal on both sides of your eardrum. That little pop you feel when you swallow is part of the process. But quick changes, like when you’re on an airplane or in an elevator, can throw off the balance. Your ear might hurt, and you could have trouble hearing. This is typically a eustachian tube dysfunction which can be a chronic in some people.
Swimmer’s Ear
If your ear hurts when you pull on your earlobe or push on the tiny flap that closes it, you probably have this outer ear infection. You get it when water trapped in your ear canal begins to breed germs. Your ear might get red, swollen, or itch and leak pus. It isn’t contagious. To avoid it, keep your ears dry during and after swimming.
Middle Ear Infection
A cold, allergies, or a sinus infection can block the tubes in your middle ear. When fluid builds up and gets infected, your doctor will call it otitis media. This is the most common cause of ear pain.
Other Causes
You may feel pain in your ears even when the source is somewhere else in your body, like a toothache. That’s because the nerves in your face and neck pass very close to your inner ear.
In the event of a medical emergency, dial 911
