Contents
If a shooting sensation or pain appears in the ear, it is always unpleasant, uncomfortable and disrupts the usual rhythm of life. Such sensations can greatly disrupt plans, lead to serious malaise, and not everyone succeeds in identifying and eliminating the causes of discomfort on their own. Therefore, a visit to the doctor, examination and preparation of a treatment plan are required to eliminate pain and possible complications.
It is difficult to unambiguously and accurately describe the sensations when shooting in the ear of an adult. For some, the discomfort will be moderate, relatively tolerable, for others it will be painful, disrupting the usual rhythm of life, accompanied by many other uncomfortable sensations.
Such sensations are typical for various forms of acute otitis media, and if these symptoms are ignored, they can develop into a chronic form with complications, up to hearing loss. Under the term otitis media we mean inflammation in the ear – outer or middle, the cavity located behind the tympanic membrane. If inflammation is detected, the doctor will prescribe topical medications (drops, turundas with medicines) or oral medications to suppress inflammation. Sometimes additional physiotherapy may be required to help in the faster restoration of the normal functioning of the hearing organ. But if a person attempts to self-medicate, the problem can worsen, become more complicated and lead to serious disorders, up to complete hearing loss.
Why shoots in the ear of an adult
There are a lot of reasons why it can shoot in the ear. Among them there are the most probable ones that are associated with external influences or internal processes:
- sharp drops in external pressure, when climbing to a height, diving, when the pressure in the middle ear cavity does not have time to equalize with the external one;
- penetration of water into the cavity of the ear canal or deeper, into the middle ear itself, if there are defects in the tympanic septum;
- pathologies of the dentition, which can provoke problems of the middle ear;
- acute otitis media – external and middle (penetration into the middle ear of pathogenic bacteria with a provocation of inflammation, suppuration and edema);
- development of acute mastoiditis (inflammation of the bone behind the auricle, mastoid process of the skull);
- violation of the formation of earwax (excessive or insufficient amount), which disrupts the normal operation of the ear canal;
- foreign bodies of the ear canal, causing injury to the tissues and provoking inflammation and pain;
- ear canal injuries, including thermal and chemical effects;
- damage to the eardrum due to mechanical or acoustic trauma;
- inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, tonsils, adenoids;
- damage to the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis) with complications in the ears;
- problems with teeth, toothache that provokes irritation of the branches of the nerve, which imitates shooting sensations in the ear.
In the presence of any kind of shooting pain, if its causes are not obvious, you need to see a doctor to diagnose and choose a treatment.
What to do at home if it shoots in the ear of an adult
The first thing to do at home, if shooting pain occurs, is to determine the accompanying symptoms and the severity of the pain itself, its possible provocateurs. It is also important to assess the severity of the problem in order to determine how urgently you need to see a doctor. The order of action looks like this.
Assess existing symptoms
When shooting in the ear, it is important to assess your condition, as the manifestations differ significantly in different people and in different situations.
The first thing to do is to determine the nature of the lumbago and the severity of the pain. Usually, the lumbago occurs abruptly, suddenly, which scares a person.
No less important is the fact what caused the problem, after which it developed. If this is discomfort in the ears during an airplane flight, these are quite normal, acceptable sensations associated with pressure drops. But if backache occurs after going out or walking, you should worry. It is important to remember in detail what preceded the problem. If it is a cold or water from open reservoirs getting into the ear, inflammation may develop.
No less important are additional symptoms – fever, runny nose, cough, general malaise, nausea, dizziness.
It is also important to assess whether there is hearing loss or sleep disturbance, discharge from the ear canal.
Get an examination by a doctor
For any hearing problems and shooting pain, it is important to visit an ENT doctor. He will examine the ear with an otoscope, assess the condition of the external and internal structures, identify the presence of inflammation, accumulation of fluid, suppuration.
If necessary, the removal of sulfuric plugs will be performed, additional manipulations that will cure the processes that have developed in the ear.
Treatment under the supervision of a specialist
In a difficult situation, the patient can be treated in a hospital, in relatively favorable situations – on an outpatient basis, under the supervision of a doctor. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs (Nurofen, Nise, OKI-granules, Pentalgin), local therapy (Otofa, Anauran, Polydex, Otipax, Otinum) and physiotherapy may be prescribed.
Popular questions and answers
Questions regarding the treatment of ear pain, we discussed with general practitioner, endoscopist, head of the organizational and methodological office Lidia Golubenko.
What complications can there be if it shoots in the ear?
● hearing loss (called hearing loss) or complete deafness in one or both ears;
● perforation or complete destruction of the tympanic membrane, which negatively affects the work of the auditory analyzer;
● the spread of the inflammatory process to the bone structures of the ear, the penetration of the infection deep into the skull with the formation of brain abscesses.
Without proper treatment, chronic otitis media, irreversible damage to the inner ear with impaired coordination, balance, dizziness and other problems are possible.