If the cause of earache is an ear infection, there may be a watery or pus-like fluid coming out of the ear. Outer ear infections (infections of the tube connecting the outer ear and eardrum) and middle ear infections (infections of the parts of the ear behind the eardrum) are very common causes of earache.
What are most earaches caused by?
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. If your doctor thinks the cause is a bacteria, she may prescribe antibiotics.
How do you get an earache to go away?
Home Care to Relieve Ear Pain
- A cool or warm compress. Soak a washcloth in either cool or warm water, wring it out, and then put it over the ear that's bothering you. ...
- A heating pad: Lay your painful ear on a warm, not hot, heating pad.
- Over-the-counter ear drops with pain relievers.
