Pain behind the ear is a vague and sharp feeling of pressure that can be caused by various factors.... The structure of the ear shares several common nerve sources with the head and neck.. Therefore, factors such as tooth infection, inflammation of the jaw joint or pressure on the ear nerves cause pain behind the ear.. After observing unusual symptoms that have appeared exclusively behind the ear, be sure to visit an otolaryngologist so that the doctor can make a correct diagnosis by examining the mouth, neck and nerves, face, skin around the jaw, neck and nerves. give..

All people have encountered various types of headaches during their life, but headache behind the ear is different from other types.... To know the cause of pain behind the ear and learn about its treatment methods, stay with us in this article from GCORP LLC magazine.

Symptoms of pain behind the ear

Symptoms of this condition are usually related to the damaged tissue (such as bone, muscle, nerve or joint related to the ear). For example, middle ear infection causes pressure pain behind the ear. On the other hand, bone infection behind the ear may cause throbbing pain, swelling and redness in this area..

Other symptoms that can be associated with this condition include:

• Jaw sensitivity
• Excitability
• Disturbance in sleeping and eating
• Ear secretions
• Eye pain
• Emergence of rashes and skin changes
• Burning or throbbing headache
• toothache
• Tinnitus
• Hearing problems

Read more: Adult Earache Urgent Treatment

If pain in this area is accompanied by any of the following serious symptoms, see an ear, nose and throat specialist immediately for emergency medical treatment:

• Sensitivity to light
• Neck stiffness
• High fever
• Heavy discharge from the ear
• Feeling a lump in the neck
• Unwanted weight loss
• Feeling of heat, redness and swelling behind the ear

What is the symptom of pain behind the ear?

Experts believe that the cause of pain behind the ear in most cases can be caused by the following:

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1- Occipital neuralgia

This condition is a type of headache with pain behind the ear that is caused by damage to the neck nerves.. Prolonged bending of the neck plays an important role in stimulating the neck nerves and the occurrence of occipital neuralgia.. Other effective factors include neck and shoulder arthritis.. This condition usually causes throbbing pain in the neck, back, one side of the head and behind the ear.

Learn more: Removing water from the ear after swimming

2- Mastoiditis

Mastoiditis, which is mostly seen in children, is caused by inflammation or infection of the bone behind the ear called mastoid. In most cases, this condition occurs due to an untreated middle ear infection, and if not referred to a specialist, it causes severe headache, fever, and hearing loss. Other symptoms of this disease include redness, swelling, and discharge from the ear.

3- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

If this joint, which plays an important role in the opening and closing of the jaw, is damaged, the movement of the mouth becomes difficult and causes wear. In fact, this disorder causes the jaws to lock.. For this reason, when the person moves the mouth, it makes a clicking sound, which is accompanied by severe pain in the jaw and a shooting sensation behind the ear.

Read more:What is the symptom of ear itching?

4- Ramsey Hunt syndrome

The reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (the causative agent of chicken pox) plays an important role in the occurrence of this syndrome. Painful rashes with blisters are one of the main symptoms of Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, which occurs in the ear canal or its outer part, and is referred to as vomiting.

Learn more: Broken Ear

5- oral and dental problems

Another factor that can cause pain behind the ear is dental problems. These problems usually include an impacted tooth, tooth abscess, dental nerve inflammation, gum infection or tooth erosion... Studies have shown that oral and dental problems are the most common cause of pain behind the ear, and most people suffer from this problem due to one of the diseases related to the teeth that has not been properly treated.

Learn more: What is the medicine for earache?... The best medicine to treat this disease

Learn more:What is the cause of earache in children?.. The fastest home remedies

What is the sign of severe pain behind the left ear?

Inflammation of the inner ear can cause severe pain behind the left ear. This inflammation may be caused by viral or bacterial infections, allergies, and excessive discharge from the ear. Also, inflammation of the mastoid bone, which is located exactly behind the ear, is another contributing factor to severe pain behind the ear.

Other causes of pain behind the left ear are:

• Physical pressure on the neck and around the head
• Pressure on the nerve of the left ear
• Cardiac angina (decreased blood flow in the heart muscles)
• Inflammation of neck muscles

Pain behind the ear during pregnancy

Pain behind the ear can be caused by inflammation and ear infection. One of the common causes of this disease in pregnancy is hormonal changes that usually lead to ear inflammation or other problems related to the ear. Also, most pregnant women bear more pressure in the neck area and around the ear due to the heavy weight of the baby, which can irritate the nerve in this area and cause pain behind the ear. and childbirth Consult to find out the exact cause... If the cause of the pain behind the ear is due to a serious disease, the obstetrician and gynecologist will refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist.. For more guidance, you can refer to the online consultation of an otolaryngologist.

Read more:What are the symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss?

How to diagnose pain behind the ear

Most people go to the general doctor with a feeling of pain and burning behind the ear.. After diagnosing ear inflammation or infection, the doctor will refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist for more specialized treatment..

For example, for occipital neuralgia, the doctor prescribes nerve-blocking anesthetic drugs, which is confirmed if the pain stops.... Otherwise, you will be referred to a maxillofacial surgeon to check the temporomandibular disorder so that the doctor can confirm the existence of this disorder by taking a photo.

If these 2 causes are ruled out, you should do the following tests to accurately diagnose the cause of the pain under the supervision of a neurologist:

• X-ray photography
• CT scan
• MRI scan

Since oral and dental problems are one of the most common causes of pain behind the ear, a dental examination can also help to diagnose the cause of this disease.

Read more:Child's ear pain; Causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods

How is the treatment of pain behind the right and left ear?

To improve this situation, medicinal and home remedies can be used.

Pharmaceutical treatment of pain behind the ear

The specialist doctor prescribes the following medicines based on the cause of the disease, the severity of the symptoms and the condition of the patient:

• Analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, local nerve blockers, muscle relaxants, corticosteroids, physical therapy and exercise for occipital neuralgia disease
Prescribing antibiotics, washing the middle ear, or mastoidectomy to treat bone pain behind the right and left ears (mastoiditis)
• Analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, dental guards, physical therapy, joint fluid removal, corticosteroid injections, arthroscopic and open joint surgery for TMJ disorder
• Antiviral drugs and steroids for the treatment of Ramsey-Hunt syndrome

Read more:What is the cause of eardrum rupture?

home treatment for pain behind the ear

To relieve the pain behind the ear, you can use home remedies:

• Enough rest and sleep
• Avoid stress and anxiety
• Meditation, yoga and deep breathing for more relaxation
• Heat therapy to relieve muscle spasm using hot compresses
• Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen

For a faster recovery of pain behind the ear, use a home treatment solution along with medical treatment methods under the supervision of an otolaryngologist.

Guide to see a doctor

Pain behind the ear, which is often described as a headache behind the ear, is caused by various factors that can be treated by visiting an otolaryngologist.. To get to know the best specialist doctors, including an experienced otolaryngologist, you can visit the GCORP LLC website and make an appointment for face-to-face consultation or online consultation by phone, SMS and video through the appointment system of this collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: healthline | very good health