Everyday symptoms
Ear Pain in Adults: Causes and Treatment
From infections to jaw tension, learn the common causes of adult ear pain, what helps at home and when to get it checked.
Common causes
- Blocked Eustachian tube after a cold, allergies or flying: fullness, popping, muffled hearing.
- Middle ear infection: deep ache, often after a cold, sometimes with fever.
- Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa): itching then pain in the ear canal, worse when the ear is touched or pulled.
- Earwax build-up: fullness and muffled hearing.
- Jaw joint (TMJ) problems: pain in front of the ear, worse with chewing, clenching or grinding.
- Teeth, sinuses and throat: pain can travel to the ear.
What helps at home
- Warm compresses and over-the-counter pain relief.
- For blockage: saline nasal rinses, steam, and gently swallowing or yawning to equalize pressure.
- Keep water out of the ear if you might have swimmer’s ear.
- Do not use cotton swabs or ear candles; they push wax deeper and can injure the ear.
Treatments we may suggest
Swimmer’s ear usually needs antibiotic ear drops. Middle ear infections sometimes need oral antibiotics, while many improve on their own. Jaw-related pain responds to soft foods, warm compresses, relaxation of the jaw and sometimes a night guard from your dentist. Wax can be softened with drops before removal.
How we can help
We can start by video to understand the pattern of pain and whether an ear exam is needed. When we need to look inside the ear, we see you in Woodbridge. If hearing changes or symptoms do not settle, we refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist.
Questions people ask
Do adults get ear infections?
Yes, though less often than children. Ear pain in adults is just as often from the jaw, teeth or a blocked Eustachian tube.
How do I know if it is swimmer’s ear?
Pain when you pull your earlobe or press the flap in front of the ear canal is a strong clue.
Is sudden hearing loss an emergency?
Yes. Sudden hearing loss in one ear should be seen within a day or two, because early treatment gives the best chance of recovery.
Talk it through with Lydia
Ear aching? Let us work out where the pain is really coming from. See a board-certified nurse practitioner virtually anywhere in Virginia, in our Woodbridge office, or straight to your front door in much of Northern Virginia.
Visits start at $85, and every membership comes with a 30-day trial.
Prefer to ask first? Text us at (571) 402-2102 or message us on WhatsApp.
