How to Relieve Ear Pain (2024)

Ear pain (otalgia) can feel like a dull, sharp, or burning sensation that comes on gradually or suddenly. It might be constant or come and go and can affect one or both ears.

Though more common in children, ear pain can occur in adults as well.Ear pain can be caused by an infection of the inner ear, middle ear, or outer ear, a blockage or buildup of wax, dental problems, or temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).

Home remedies like over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, ear drops, and a heating pad can often help to relieve ear pain. However, sometimes prescription medications and specialist treatments are needed.

This article discusses how to relieve ear pain. It explores the effectiveness of different home remedies, medications that can help, and specialist procedures used to treat ear pain.

Over-the-Counter Treatments

Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments are the recommended way to ease ear pain. This includes OTC pain relievers, ear drops, and cold and allergy medications.

Pain Relievers

OTC pain relievers like Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil (ibuprofen) are often the go-to treatment for ear pain. These medications can help to relieve minor discomfort and inflammation associated with ear aches.

Ear Drops

Ear drops are used to dry fluid accumulation associated with swimmer's ear or soften and remove ear wax.

OTC earwax drops typically containglycerin,mineral oil, or saline solutions. They may also contain other substances, such ascarbamide peroxide,baking soda, and acetic acid.

Ear drops for swimmer's ear commonly contain isopropyl alcohol, which combines with the water in the ear. The water-alcohol combination then evaporates, drying out the ear and relieving pain.

Decongestants

When ear pain is caused by congestion from a cold or allergies, decongestant medicines like Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) and Afrin (oxymetazoline) nasal spray can help.

Decongestants work to ease ear pain and pressure by reducing swelling in the mucous membranes. This helps to open up passages to the ear and relieve symptoms.

Antihistamines

When ear pain is due to allergies that affect the sinus cavity, an antihistamine may help.

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is useful for nighttime ear pain and can help you get a better night's sleep.

For daytime relief of seasonal and indoor allergies, longer-acting, non-drowsy antihistamines are a better choice. These include:

• Allegra (fexofenadine)
• Clarinex (desloratadine)
• Claritin (loratadine)
• Xyzal (levocetirizine)
• Zyrtec (cetirizine)
  

Home Remedies

Home remedies to relieve ear pain include drug-free techniques to ease congestion and pressure.

Change Sleeping Positions

Lying down can cause your sinuses to drain into your ear, causing pressure and pain. If you are having trouble sleeping due to ear pain, try propping your head up or sleeping in a recliner.

Sitting upright puts gravity to work for you. This helps excess mucus in the sinuses cavity flow down your nose or the back of your throat instead of your ears.

Cold Compress

A cold washcloth or ice pack can help bring temporary relief to an earache. Hold a cold compress to the outer ear for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce ear pain. Repeat as needed.

Distraction

Keeping your mind busy can help to distract you from ear pain—or other types of pain. A common tool used by people with chronic pain, research shows distraction can significantly reduce your perception of pain.

Playing games, watching television, listening to music, or going for a walk can help reduce the amount of attention paid to ear pain.

Exercises

When ear pain is caused by neck pain or TMJ, the following neck and jaw exercises can help:

• Lift your shoulders up and down as if you are shrugging your shoulders. Repeat 10 times.
• Gently open your mouth as wide as you can without pain. Hold for five slow breaths, then close your mouth and relax your jaw. Repeat 10 times.
• Slowly rotate your head in a circle. Repeat in the other direction.
• Tilt your head to one side and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Then tilt in the other direction. Repeat as needed.
  

Heating Pad

A warm compress can often help to relieve ear pain. Apply a warm washcloth or heating pad set on low for 15 to 20 minutes.

When ear pain is due to a buildup of earwax, a warm compress can help to melt the wax and allow it to drain. It may be helpful to cover the heating pad with a towel to prevent getting earwax on it.

Herbal Ear Drops

Traditional Chinese herbs are sometimes recommended to relieve ear pain. Herbal ear drops are made from Longdan-xiegan decoction or Shenling-baizhu powder and sold online and at health food stores.

Whether or not herbal or naturopathic ear drops are effective, however, is unclear. One study found herbal ear drops can enhance the effect of antibiotics but, on their own, may not offer much relief.

Humidifiers

When ear pain is due to congestion, running the humidifier can help. Humidifiers increase the moisture in the air, helping to combat dry air that can irritate the sinuses.

A humidifier also helps to keep you hydrated, thinning mucus and allowing it to drain. This helps to relieve ear pressure from a cold or sinus infection.

Olive Oil

Placing a few drops of olive oil in your ear is an oft-touted natural remedy for earaches.

High-quality extra virgin olive oil contains antimicrobial properties that theoretically could help to fight an ear infection. However, there isn't a lot of evidence to support this old wives' tale.

When an ear pain is due to an accumulation of ear wax, warm olive oil drops may help to soften earwax and make it easier for your healthcare provider to extract.

Pop Your Ears

When ear pain is caused by altitude changes, chewing gum, swallowing, or yawning can help your ears pop and relieve the pressure.

The popping sensation occurs when air moves from the upper part of your throat and nose through the eustachian tube into your middle ear.

Other techniques you can try to pop your ears include:

• Valsalva maneuver: Inhale. Pinch your nose closed. Keeping lips closed, try to blow out forcefully as if you are blowing up a balloon. Bear down as if you are having a bowel movement. This increases pressure in the sinuses and middle ears, helping them pop.
• Toynbee maneuver: Keep your mouth closed, pinch your nose shut, and swallow. This increases pressure in the nose, throat, and inner ears, helping ears pop.
  

Steam

Taking a hot bath or shower is often recommended to relieve ear pain. The steam from the shower or bath can help to relieve congestion and ease muscle tension—two common sources of ear pain.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a much-touted cure-all that may help to relieve ear pain. Tea tree oil has antimicrobial properties that could theoretically prevent infection.

However, do not use tea tree oil directly in your ear without first diluting it in olive oil. While research is inconclusive as to its effectiveness in treating ear pain, animal studies show it is safe to use in the ears when diluted.

Prescription Medications

Self-care and OTC medications are not always enough to treat ear pain. If the pain does not go away or gets worse, it's important to see your doctor—especially if you also have a fever, notice pus or fluid coming from the ear, or have hearing loss.

Your doctor may prescribe medications to help treat your earache, including:

Antibiotics

Most ear infections clear on their own and do not require antibiotics. In fact, the recommendations for treating ear infections advise healthcare providers to take a wait-and-see approach before prescribing antibiotics.

However, infections that last longer than three days typically require oral antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or penicillin.

Ear Drops

Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotic ear drops that are placed directly into the ear to clear the infection.

Specialist-Driven Procedures

If you have ongoing ear pain or an ear condition that requires specialized treatment, your healthcare provider might want to refer you to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

An ENT can run additional tests and recommend a procedure to relieve your ear pain. For example, if your ear pain is caused by a wax blockage, the ENT may perform a procedure to remove wax buildup from the ears for relief.

Another specialty—chiropractic—may also be recommended to relieve ear pain.

Ear Flushing

Ear flushing (ear irrigation) is a medical procedure that removes impacted earwax, debris, dead skin cells, and infected tissue from the ear canal.

The doctor uses a tool called an otoscope to get a clear image of the middle ear to see if irrigation is necessary. If it is, a syringe-like tool is used to insert water or a saline mixture into the ear to flush out any excess earwax.

Microsuction

Microsuctioning (vacuuming ear wax) is a procedure in which a doctor uses a tiny vacuum to gently dislodge and remove impacted earwax. The quick and efficient method is often used when ear flushing or irrigation has not helped.

After the doctor has examined the ear using an otoscope or binaural microscope, they will carefully remove the wax using suction. The process takes only a few minutes, and there should be very little (if any) discomfort felt during the procedure.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractic treatment is sometimes recommended for treating ear pain and preventing recurring infections. In theory, cervical spinal manipulations treat ear pain by promoting ear drainage and easing muscle tension.

However, there is limited evidence proving that chiropractic adjustments can relieve ear pain.

Summary

Ear pain can often be treated at home using OTC pain relievers, decongestants, antihistamines, and ear drops. Home remedies like cold or warm compresses, humidifiers, essential oils, and stretching exercises can help to bring relief.

If your ear pain persists after home care, see your healthcare provider. Prescription ear drops, oral antibiotics, or specialized treatments may be needed to ease your symptoms.