Why does middle ear infection cause earache?

A cold or nasal infection can swell the tube that ventilates the middle ear. Air then cannot move normally, and fluid can collect behind the eardrum. The eardrum becomes stretched and inflamed, which may make pain sharp, throbbing, or worse when lying down.

Earache is a very common presentation of Middle Ear Infection. Ear pain can also be referred from the jaw, teeth, throat, or neck, and it can arise from the ear canal, so an examination helps distinguish these causes.

A clinician can look into the ear and decide whether observation, pain relief, or other treatment is suitable. Rest, fluids, and pain medicine taken according to the label or a clinician's instructions may ease discomfort. Keep any follow-up appointment, particularly when hearing feels muffled or pain keeps returning.

Do not insert cotton buds, oils, or objects into the ear. Avoid using ear drops unless a clinician has confirmed they are appropriate, as some products are not suitable when the eardrum may be damaged.

Seek urgent care for swelling behind the ear, ear pain with a stiff neck or severe headache, facial weakness, marked dizziness, confusion, or a person who is hard to wake. Prompt review is also sensible when pain follows an injury, when discharge is bloody, or when symptoms are getting worse rather than settling.

Ask whether fluid is visible behind the eardrum, whether hearing should be rechecked, how to use pain relief safely, and which changes would mean you should seek earlier review.