Earache and pain is common, especially in young children. It can be painful but is not usually a sign of anything serious.
How long earache lasts depends on what is causing it. Most earaches in children is caused by an ear infection, which usually start to improve after a few days.
Earache and pain can be caused by many things, but sometimes it’s not known by what.
The most common causes are:
- Ear pain with toothache – please DO NOT contact your surgery if you have toothache with your earache. Please contact your dentist or call the Dental Helpline on 01633 744387 or 111 for advice.
- Ear pain with a change in hearing – can be caused by glue ear, earwax build up, an object stuck in the ear or a perforated ear drum (particularly after a loud noise or accident). If you have a foreign object in your ear, please attend the minor injury unit for removal, do not attempt removal at home.
- Ear pain with pain when swallowing – sore throat or tonsillitis. Please attend your pharmacy to have a throat swab via the “sore throat test and treat” service.
- Ear pain with a fever – flu, cold or ear infection
A young child might have earache if they:
- Rub or pull their ear
- Do not react to some sounds
- Have a temperature of 30C or above
- Are irritable or restless
- Are off their food
- Keep losing their balance
Earache or pain can affect 1 or both ears.
How to treat earache
DO:
- Use painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (always check the leaflet or speak to a pharmacist before taking pain killers)
- Place a warm or cold flannel on the ear
DON’T:
- Put anything inside the ear, such as cotton buds
- Do not try to remove earwax
- Do not let water get inside your ears
A pharmacist can help with earaches.
A pharmacist can tell you:
- What you can do to treat your earache yourself
- If you can buy anything to help (for example eardrops) – they may be able to supply some treatments to you free of charge
- If you need to see a GP
Book a routine appointment to see your GP if you or your child:
- Have had earache for more than 3 days
- Keep getting earache
Contact 111 for advice or ask for an urgent appointment if you or your child have earache and:
- Become generally unwell
- Have a very high temperature or feel hot and shivery
- Have swelling around the ear
- Have fluid coming from the ear
- Have hearing loss or a change in hearing
- Your child is under 2 and has earache in both ears
If you have a foreign body in your ear, do not attempt removal at home. Please attend one of the minor injury units, who will be able to safely remove the foreign object for you.
