Earaches can range from mildly annoying to incredibly painful. Luckily, most of them aren’t caused by anything serious, and you can usually treat them at home. In this article, we’ll talk you through the best ways to get relief—and help you decide whether it’s time to get help from your doctor.

1

Use home remedies to manage mild symptoms.

  1. Most earaches go away with home treatment in a couple days. If you have mild ear pain, the mostly likely cause is a viral or bacterial infection. In many cases, these kinds of earaches heal on their own, with no need for medical treatment. Wait 1-2 days to see if you start to feel better. While you’re waiting, focus on treating the symptoms with remedies like hot or cold compresses and OTC pain medications.[1]
    • If you have a baby under 6 months of age and you suspect they have an earache, call your pediatrician right away. Ear infections can be more serious in young babies.[2]
    • Some types of ear infection, such as swimmer’s ear or a severe middle or inner ear infection, might require treatment with antibiotics to clear up. If you have severe ear pain, or if it lasts longer than 2 days, get your ear evaluated by a doctor to determine the right treatment.
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2

Soothe pain with a hot or cold compress.

  1. Choose whichever temperature feels best to you. Both cold and heat can be soothing for this kind of pain, so it’s a matter of personal preference which one you use. Wrap an ice pack or a hot compress (such as a hot water bottle or heating pad) in a thin towel or cloth and gently hold it against your ear. Don’t put it directly against your skin, since it could cause burns or frostbite.[3]
    • If you use an electric heating pad, set it on low. Don’t use a heating pad on a child’s ear.[4]
    • With a warm compress, you might feel earwax trickle out of your ear. It’s normal for the wax to melt when you expose it to heat.
    • Don’t use ice or heat on your skin for longer than 20 minutes at a time.[5]
6

Avoid ear drops unless your doctor recommends them.

  1. Putting liquid in your ears could make things worse. You can buy over-the-counter numbing drops, but some people find them more painful than soothing.[11] Additionally, any kind of drops can cause more damage if your eardrum is ruptured or torn.[12] Ask your doctor for advice before putting anything in your ears or your child’s.
    • Steer clear of home remedies, like putting garlic or olive oil in your ear. These treatments probably won’t help with an ear infection, and they could make any damage to your eardrum worse.
8

See your doctor if you’re not better in 2-3 days.

  1. Your doctor can figure out what’s causing the pain and treat it. Ear pain that doesn’t go away in a couple of days might signal a serious infection or some other issue. Your doctor will examine your ear and ask you questions about your symptoms to determine what’s wrong.[15]
    • Ear infections are the most common cause of earaches, but there can be other causes as well. For instance, your pain might be due to an injury in your ear canal, swimmer’s ear, an earwax blockage, or referred pain from a problem in your jaw or throat.[16]
    • Depending on what’s causing your earache, your doctor might prescribe oral antibiotics, eardrops, or some other type of medication.
    • If you think your baby or child has an earache, call their doctor for advice right away. Depending on your child’s age and their symptoms, they might advise you to try home treatments or ask you to come in for a checkup.[17]
9

Get medical attention for severe symptoms.

  1. Watch for severe pain, swelling, or fluid drainage. Earaches are usually not caused by anything serious, but they can sometimes be a symptom of a more severe infection or injury to the ear. Call your doctor right away if you or your child have any worrisome or severe symptoms along with ear pain. You should also get medical help for an earache with a high fever, a stiff neck, or hearing loss, or if you see anything stuck in the ear.[18]
    • If you are caring for someone with an earache and they are very weak or unable to move, call emergency services or take them to the emergency room immediately.[19] They may have a more serious underlying condition, such as meningitis due to a pneumococcal infection.[20]
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10

Take antibiotics if your doctor prescribes them.

  1. Always finish the full course of antibiotics. If your doctor diagnoses you with an ear infection, they may prescribe oral antibiotics or antibiotic ear drops. Take the medication exactly as directed, and don’t stop before finishing the full course, even if you feel better.[21]
    • If you experience side effects, call your doctor and ask them what to do. They may be able to prescribe a different medication.
    • If you stop taking the medication too soon, your ear infection could come back or get worse.
    • Don’t take antibiotics to treat an earache unless your doctor prescribes them.

Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    Pus is oozing out from ear lobe. What should I do?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer

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    Pus is a sign of an infection. Please talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
  • Question
    My brother sleeps with a fan on and the cold goes right to my left ear. Could that be the cause of my earaches every morning?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    If your earache is in the left ear, the fan possibly could be the cause. Wind can be irritating to the ear canal and if it is persistent, you may have inflammation. If you have tried moving the fan or covering the ear without the pain subsiding, then you should see your doctor to determine what is causing the pain. Some people grind their teeth at night, causing an earache.
  • Question
    Can a fever cause ear pain?
    Mitzi Scotten, MD
    Mitzi Scotten, MD
    Board Certified Pediatrician
    Dr. Scotten is a board certified Pediatrician in Arizona. She received her MD from the University of Kansas in 1993 and completed her Pediatric residency at Kosair Children’s Hospital. Dr. Scotten was the director of the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis clinic at the University of Kansas, was voted as a Kansas City Star “Top Doc” for 5 years, and has been selected to the National Board of Medical Examiners.
    Mitzi Scotten, MD
    Board Certified Pediatrician
    Expert Answer

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    A fever alone does not cause ear pain. Ear pain comes from swelling or pressure somewhere in the ear and many times this is because of an infection. Infections can cause fever and so the association of fever and ear pain generally go together.
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Warnings

  • Do not use eardrops if you have damaged eardrums, ear tubes, an outer ear infection, or ear drainage (such as pus or liquid).[23]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Never attempt to clear your ears with ear candling, a practice that involves placing a lit candle in the ear canal in an effort to “draw out” wax and impurities. Ear candling is very unsafe and will not help your ear feel better.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Medically reviewed by:
Registered Nurse
This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. This article has been viewed 2,443,983 times.
4 votes - 50%
Co-authors: 59
Updated: December 18, 2022
Views: 2,443,983
Categories: Ear Health

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Article SummaryX

To get rid of an ear ache, hold a heating pad or warm washcloth against your ear, which will help soothe the pain. You can also apply a few drops of warm olive oil or baby oil to your ear to alleviate your ear ache. If you feel like your ear ache is being caused by pressure in your ear, try chewing some gum or yawning, which will make your ears pop. If natural remedies aren't helping, take an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. To learn more from our Register Nurse co-author, like when to check if you need antibiotics, keep reading the article!

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