referred ear pain
Referred ear pain is pain that is felt in or around the ear but originates from somewhere else. This is also called secondary ear pain. Many different nerves provide sensation to the various parts of the ear.
These nerves also supply other parts of the body, from the mouth to the chest and abdomen. Irritation of these nerves in another part of the body has the potential to produce pain in the ear.
Possible causes for referred ear pain
TMJ (temporal mandibular joint) syndrome: Inflammation or abnormal movements of the joint between the jaw and skull. May be caused by teeth grinding. Clicking noises and pain when pushing on the joint may be present.
Myofascial pain syndrome: Pain in the muscles involved in chewing. There may be certain parts of the muscle or tendons (connective tissue connecting the muscles to bones) that are especially painful when pressed on.
Trigeminal neuralgia: Attacks of shooting pain down the face that may be triggered by touching the face or temperature changes. Also described as tingling/sharp/burning sensation.
Dental pain: From cavities, a tooth abscess, erupting wisdom teeth or pressure caused by braces.
Mouth ulcers
Tonsillitis or Pharyngitis: Infection/inflammation of the tonsils or throat. Ear pain can be present even without a sore throat.
Post-tonsillectomy: Pain following removal of the tonsils.
Sinusitis (Not a common cause of ear pain).
Parotitis or Thyroiditis: Inflammation of the parotid or thyroid gland can cause ear pain.
Carcinoma: Base of tongue, soft palate, pharyngeal wall or tonsils. Risk factors include smoking, alcohol use, age older than 50 years, difficulty swallowing, hoarse voice, weight loss.
GERD (acid reflux): Usually causes pain in both ears due to irritation of the throat lining and the opening of the Eustachian tube.
Myocardial ischemia: Inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle.
Cervical spine trauma, arthritis (joint inflammation and pain usually worse when moving the neck), or a tumour.
Temporal arteritis: An autoimmune disorder leading to inflammation of the temporal artery, a large artery in the head. This condition tends to occur in adults older than 50.
What to do if you suffer from ear pain
Visit your Ear Nurse to rule out obvious causes like earwax or ear infection
See your Dentist if you have any dental pain
See your GP for a full check up
Also keep a diary to note what makes the pain better or worse as this may be helpful for when you see your doctor or dentist