Choose a symptom and answer simple questions using our physician-reviewed symptom checker to find more information on your health issue.
Do you have a fever?
Choose an option below.
Are you experiencing pain deep in the ear and/or fluid draining from the ear?
You may have OTITIS MEDIA, an infection of the middle ear.
Do you have redness and swelling of the outer ear and the surrounding skin?
Your ear canal, outer ear, and the skin around your ear may be seriously infected.
Do you have headache-type pain and redness behind your ear or tenderness when you touch the bone behind your ear?
Your pain may be from MASTOIDITIS, an infection of the bone just behind the ear, or from an ENLARGED LYMPH NODE.
Do you have thick pus-filled (white) or bloody drainage from the ear canal that started after a sharp, sudden pain?
You may have a RUPTURED EARDRUM.
Is your ear swollen, and does it itch or hurt when you pull on your ear or earlobe?
Your pain may be caused by OTITIS EXTERNA, an infection of the ear canal that is also called SWIMMER’S EAR.
Does your jaw joint “crack” when you chew or open your mouth, or do you feel tenderness in your jaw when chewing?
The source of your pain may be TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ) SYNDROME, a disorder that affects the jaw joint.
Do you hear/feel fluid in your ear, and feel pressure or stuffiness that can’t be cleared with coughing, yawning, or swallowing, and do you have cold or flu symptoms?
Your ear discomfort may be caused by a BLOCKED EUSTACHIAN TUBE. Colds and the flu often lead to this condition.
Do you have tooth pain on the same side as the ear pain when you bite down?
A tooth problem can radiate/send pain to the ear on the same side.
Did your ear pain start during an airplane flight or right after you traveled on an airplane?
You may have BAROTRAUMA, also called AIRPLANE EAR, which is caused by changes in altitude and air pressure.
Can you see or feel a “pimple” in the ear canal?
A small INFECTION or LOCAL INFLAMMATION in the ear canal may be the cause.
Is the affected person a child who doesn’t have ear pain or redness but is having problems hearing?
This may be caused by a buildup of fluid (SEROUS OTITIS) or a buildup of wax in the ear canal (CERUMINOSIS or CERUMEN IMPACTION).
Is fullness of the ear present on one or both sides without any other symptoms? Does the person have a history of ear wax production?
This is likely a buildup of wax in the ear canal (CERUMINOSIS or CERUMEN IMPACTION).
Do you have swelling or thickening of one or more ears after wrestling or doing another contact sport or fighting event (e.g., boxing or mixed martial arts)?
This is known as CAULIFLOWER EAR and is a collection of fluid that occurs after direct trauma to the ear.
See your doctor. Many ear infections will safely clear up on their own, but others require antibiotics.
See your doctor right away.
See your doctor. Avoid infection by keeping your ear dry while it’s healing. Putting a warm heating pad on your ear may help relieve the pain.
See your doctor. Keep your ear dry while it’s healing. Putting a warm heating pad over your ear may help relieve the pain.
You can prevent swimmer’s ear by placing 3 to 5 drops of a half-alcohol, half-white vinegar solution in the ear before and after swimming or taking showers.
Try an anti-inflammatory medicine. Try massaging the sore muscles around your jaw. Moist heat or cold packs may also help relieve the pain.
If there’s no improvement in 1 or 2 weeks, see your dentist or doctor. If you’re experiencing severe pain or you can’t open your jaw, see your doctor right away.
Try an over-the-counter decongestant medicine for a few days. Putting a warm heating pad on your ear may help relieve the pain. Do not children 5 years and under cough or cold medicines.
If the pain is intense or doesn’t go away in 1 or 2 days, see your doctor.
Try a mild over-the-counter pain reliever, and see your dentist.
If your symptoms don’t improve in a few hours or if the pain is severe, see your doctor.
The infection/inflammation will probably go away by itself in 2 to 5 days. A mild pain reliever and warm compress may help relieve the pain.
See your doctor if the pain becomes severe or if redness and warmth spread into or around the ear or if you develop fever.
Talk to your doctor. He or she can tell you how to treat the wax or fluid buildup.
You can put 3-5 drops of warm water or 1 part warm water and 1 part white vinegar into your ear canal once per day to soften the wax. After 2-5 minutes, turn your head and lightly tug on your ear to discharge the drops. Do not insert cotton swabs into the ear canal.
Wearing appropriately sized ear protection during all practices, sparring, and bouts will prevent CAULIFLOWER EAR. If it develops, you can immediately have it drained and then compressed to reduce the chance that the fluid hardens and the changes become permanent.
For more information, please talk to your doctor. If you think your problem is serious, call your doctor right away.
DISCLAIMER
Symptom Checker content is provided for informational purposes only. This tool may leverage certain generative artificial intelligence tools to generate results, but you should not rely on this tool as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health or the information provided when you use this tool, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Do not disregard, avoid, or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your healthcare professional because of something you may have read using this tool or on the FamilyDoctor.org website. Use this content solely at your own risk. If you think you may have a medical emergency, dial 911.
