Often regarded as a temporary endurance of pain and irritation that has little impact on overall hearing, earaches can occasionally prove to be more severe than anticipated if not treated properly. Perhaps it’s the “ache” element of the term, which immediately draws comparison to a headache, a common health ailment that comes and goes without leaving any acute symptoms behind. While both experiences are similar in relation to discomfort, earaches can spawn other triggers such as infections, fluid leakage and in some devastating cases, hearing loss. This is why it’s important to always take these durations of ear pain seriously, no matter how insignificant you might allude them to be. Here is a quick overview on how earaches can progress into more critical situations, as well as the most effective ways to prevent them from causing further damage.
How they develop
There are several common ways that earaches can begin to develop. From earwax buildup, sinus infections to arthritis of the jaw, painful symptoms within your ears can be triggered through auditory illnesses or even other immune issues that don’t pertain to your ears. One of the most grave forms of earaches is caused by otitis media, which is when an infection builds in the ear, producing inflammation within the middle region of the canal. While otitis media is found to be less common in adults, cases are still reported every year, and avoiding treatment for the condition for any length of time will likely result in severe ear pain, rapid drainage of fluid and even diminished hearing.
A contamination of the Eustachian tubes is another common way to develop an ear infection. The Eustachian tubes are located directly behind the nasal passages, appearing as two cylinder-shaped channels that run from each middle ear to the roof of the back of the throat. Anytime that these tubes endure swelling or inflammation, you can greatly increase your risk of respiratory blockage, which could also prompt fluid from the ears to build up and eventually result in infection.
Hearing loss symptoms
Just because most cases of earaches will not produce long-withstanding health issues, doesn’t mean that potentially hearing-decreasing side effects are not possible. Temporary hearing loss is a regular symptom experienced with those who are going through excess fluid building up in the ears, which could cause a reduction of up to 24 decibels for a short duration. While temporary auditory impairment can be cured through proper treatment and medication, conductive hearing loss is a side effect of backed-up ear fluid that can damage hearing ability permanently. Conductive hearing loss is when transmission of sound to the inner ear is blocked, and drainage will need to be received immediately if hearing reduction is rapid. Sensorineural hearing loss can be expected for those who continue to deny efficient treatment, and will increase the chances of hearing loss occurring by infecting the vestibulocochlear nerve, which helps transmits sound waves to the brain.
Preventing earaches
All of these potential symptoms are why seeking treatment right after noticing apparent discomfort is crucial. If your earache is still in its developmental stages, try using ear drops consisting of 3 percent commercial grade hydrogen peroxide to help prevent inflammation or infection from taking place. Other common ache-relieving practices include lying on your side and placing a warm towel or pad under your ear to ease some pressure and tension. Chewing gum and resting in an upright position are also known to provide relief. If symptoms of pain or fluid buildup continue to progress despite attempts with at-home treatments, it’s time to go see an audiologist or hearing health care professional as quickly as possible to avoid harmful symptoms from impacting your hearing in the future.
