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Ear pain is often compared to toothache. It is very difficult to bear it. This is due to the fact that there are many nerve endings in the organ of hearing. Painful sensations may indicate the development of the disease. Shooting in the ear causes severe discomfort and reduces the quality of life. Such pain may indicate damage to structures in the ear, such as the eardrum. It can shoot in the ear with inflammation of the ear process.
Shooting cannot be ignored. You need to go to the doctor and find out the causes of the violation. Sometimes they are very serious.
Causes of shooting pain in the ear
Causes that can lead to shooting pains in the ear:
Pressure drops.
Water in the ear.
Diseases of the teeth.
Otitis.
Streptococcal ear infection.
Mastoiditis.
Prolonged exposure to the wind with the formation of a “painful bruise”.
Earwax deficiency.
Foreign body in the ear.
Ear burn or frostbite.
Violation of the integrity of the eardrum.
Angina or sinusitis.
Penetration into the ear of an insect. This leads to the formation of edema and intense pain.
Ear injury. If it is severely damaged, blood may flow from the ears.
Pain is not always a sign of any disease of the hearing organs. Sometimes it occurs against the background of inflammation of the tooth. When pressing on it, the pain radiates to various areas: to the neck, to the temple, to the ear.
Sometimes ear pain is accompanied by itching. The person begins to comb it with the help of various objects. This leads to increased inflammation. If the cause of the pain was an infection, then under such conditions it can penetrate into the deep structures of the ear.
Main symptoms
Shootings in the ear may be aggravated by eating. If the pain becomes intense while swallowing food, then this is an alarming sign.
Shooting pain in the ear is often combined with symptoms such as:
Congestion.
Hearing loss.
Ear pressure.
Dizziness.
Ringing in the ears and other extraneous noises.
Shots in the temple.
Shooting pain in the ear can not be called the same type. In different situations, it has different characteristics.
According to these features, the doctor can make the correct diagnosis:
The nature of the pain. Most often, shooting in the ear begins unexpectedly for a person.
Circumstances in which pain occurs. If this happens during the flight, then this phenomenon can be considered a variant of the norm. However, under normal conditions, you should not shoot in the ear.
Past illnesses. If a person has just had the flu or another infectious disease, then ear pain may indicate the development of a complication.
Associated symptoms. This includes high body temperature.
Hearing loss.
Sleep deterioration.
The appearance of purulent discharge from the ear.
How to recognize that a child shoots in the ear?
If the child is too small, he cannot tell adults that his ear hurts. The baby will just cry a lot. Therefore, parents should know how to recognize that a child is shooting in the ear.
Children with ear pain cry all the time. They refuse to eat, they cannot sleep, they are naughty all the time. If the child is older than 6 months, then he will bring his palm to his ear. With severe inflammation, body temperature rises, hearing worsens. You can gently press on the recess, which is located behind the lobe. If this leads to increased crying, then the child’s ears hurt.
When the child already knows how to speak, he will point out to his parents the place that disturbs him. Ear pain requires immediate medical attention. Treatment cannot be delayed.
When should you see a doctor if you have ear pain?
If, in addition to earache, inflammation symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or toothache appear, you should consult a doctor. Especially dangerous are such signs as: hearing loss, fever, shooting in the temple, increased pain during meals, the appearance of pus or blood from the ear canal. All of these symptoms can indicate a serious illness.
Diagnostics
It is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own. This should be done by an otolaryngologist.
After collecting an anamnesis, the doctor will perform the following activities:
Examination of the patient.
Carrying out otoscopy with examination of the relief of the mucous membrane of the ear and its membrane. If it is retracted, a person is diagnosed with otitis media.
Skull x-ray. It is prescribed for suspected damage to bone structures.
Hearing acuity assessment. Perform a study using a tuning fork or audiometer.
Shooting in the ear, what to do?
Methods of treatment depend on the severity of the disease. If the pain is not too intense, and the inflammation is weak, then therapy can be carried out at home. When pus appears from the ear, with sharp pains and other serious symptoms, medical correction is required.
First aid. If the pain is severe, and it is not possible to visit a doctor immediately, you can take Paracetamol to reduce body temperature, relieve inflammation and temporarily reduce the intensity of pain. However, they do not affect the cause of the pathology.
Antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections. They are prescribed by the doctor after the examination, if he considers that they are needed.
Vasoconstrictors. The ear canal is connected to the nose, so vasoconstrictor nasal drops are often prescribed for pain in the ear. This reduces the amount of mucus and keeps the Eustachian tube from becoming clogged.
Ear drops. Any ear drops that contain an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory component are suitable.
Video: Elena Malysheva will tell you what to do when she “shoots” in the ear?