Shoots in the ear: what to do at home?

Earache, along with toothache, is considered one of the most intense and unpleasant. The fact is that in the aural passage is located a large number of nerve endings. If inflammation has begun in the ear, it can give off with a nagging and painful, irritating pain. But often the earache has a sharp, shooting character. Today we will talk about such pain - how and why it arises, how to determine that a child suffers from ear pain, and how to give first aid at home.

Why shoots in the ear

Pain in the ear can occur for various reasons - from simple water into the ear, ending with severe inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

1. Otitis. The most common cause of pain in the ear can be otitis media, both external and moderate. Inflammation of the ear canal can develop as a result of ingestion of moisture, as a complication after a cold, allergies and other inflammatory processes.As a rule, otitis is accompanied by fever, lumbago, itching and burning.
2. Eczema. Often, shooting in the ears are not associated with ENT diseases. If it shoots in the ear, pay attention to the skin of the auricle. Eczema is characterized by damage to the skin, itching, severe desquamation, fever. And the shots themselves are provoked by inflammatory processes.
3. Boils. Since the ear canal is small and the skin there is very tender, a furuncle can form inside. In this case, the pain during palpation increases, swelling and redness are visible to the naked eye, the ear shoots very often.
4. Mastoiditis and Labyrinth. This is an inflammation of the organs of the middle ear, mastoid or membranous labyrinth, respectively.
5. Water in the ear. This happens very often, especially in young children. If water remains in the ears after bathing or diving, after some time the eardrum begins to react to moisture through the backache. Such a state even has its name “swimmer's ear”, since pathology often occurs in athletes.
6. External diseases. Backache in the ears may not be associated with diseases of the ENT organs.For example, in case of neuritis of the facial nerve, acute paroxysmal pain and shooting-ups occur, which are aggravated by chewing, brushing your teeth, when you touch them with your finger. Shoot in the ear can with caries chewing teeth, since the focus of inflammation is very close. Sore throat and inflammation of the gums after tooth extraction can also cause lumbago in the ears.
7. Low pressure. High in the mountains or in an airplane, many people are laying ears, and in some cases shooting. This is due to low atmospheric pressure. In this case, you just need to chew something (you can take chewing gum with you), yawn, use vasoconstrictor drops for the nose.

Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis, and this is not always an otolaryngologist. Adults are pretty easy to talk about their feelings and symptoms. But what to do if you suspect a child’s backache?

How to recognize what a child shoots in the ear

As a rule, a child with crawling in the ears often cries, and abruptly and intensely, it does not sleep well and eats, is capricious. After half a year, the baby intuitively brings the palm to the sore ear - mother usually understands that discomfort is connected with this. With more severe inflammations, the baby's temperature rises, and hearing loss may even be observed. Try to gently push the groove behind the ear of your baby. If the baby screamed or cried, it means that it hurts - without a doubt, it is the ear that bothers the crumbs.

Older children may have a pressing or throbbing pain. If you notice the above symptoms of a child, show it to your doctor. To confirm the inflammation in the ear can only otolaryngologist. Fortunately, in big cities there are non-stop ENT clinics that work around the clock. Because everyone understands that to endure the pain in the shooting ear is impossible. But what if you can get to the doctor only tomorrow? How to relieve your condition?

What to do if shoots in the ears

If your ear hurts, and you can only go to the doctor the next day, you need to take steps to help you get rid of the pain for at least some time.

1. First you need to clear the ear of possible pus or sulfur. To do this, put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear - it perfectly eats away and softens sulfur, disinfects the skin surface.
2. Next, you need to drip into the ear of any alcoholic infusion. This may be pure alcohol, tincture of calendula or propolis. Boric alcohol very well suppresses inflammation. If there is nothing like this in the first-aid kit, simple vodka will fit. Children should not drip the liquid directly into the ear, you need to make a small turundum of cotton wool, drop alcohol on it and place the flagellum in the ear. Leave the fleece for 3-4 hours or until it falls out. Alcohol not only warms up the ear canal perfectly, but also disinfects the skin, eliminating all germs and bacteria. Remember, all liquid formulations need to be heated before instillation by placing in hot water or just holding some time in your hands.
3. If there are drugs in the house to get rid of the pain in the ears - fine. Effective can be Otipaks, Otinum, Anauran, Otofa, etc.
4. Camphor oil has an excellent warming effect. It is necessary to warm it up in a water bath to disinfect. And only after that you can drop two drops of pure oil into each ear and close the passage with a cotton swab.
5. If the inflammation is quite serious, you should instill alcohol infusion every hour, as the alcohol evaporates quickly. Otherwise, the pain will return.
6. In no case can not warm the ear with a heating pad or apply warm salt. If the otitis of the purulent nature, such a warming only strengthen the inflammation.
7. Along with this, you need to use vasoconstrictor drops for the nose. They will help to remove the swelling of the Eustachian tube, which connects the nasal and ear passages. This is done to prevent the spread of inflammation.
8. If there is a temperature, be sure to take a febrifuge - Ibufen, Paracetamol, Nurofen, etc. This will not only reduce body temperature, but also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
9. With severe edema in the ear canals, antihistamines can be taken, which will also suppress any manifestations of allergy.

If after all these activities the pain does not go away, but only intensifies, most likely you have purulent otitis. In this case, you need to wash your ear with a solution of baking soda. It is undesirable to do this at home without proper training and experience, otherwise the pus can move deeper. Be sure to consult your doctor for the correct diagnosis and adequate treatment. Remember, all of the above measures are only for temporary relief, after which you must go for a consultation with a doctor, even if you feel better. Along with local treatments, the doctor usually prescribes antibiotics in order to suppress inflammation more quickly and effectively. Self-healing in this case is very dangerous, as shooting in the ear can lead to serious complications, including hearing loss and meningitis.

How to protect yourself from painful lumbago

In any case, prevention is important. If you are often tormented by pain and shooting in the ears, you need to more carefully monitor your health.

1. Dress according to the weather, especially in cold and windy weather. Even long hair will not save you in the winter - be sure to wear a hat!
2. In most cases, the cause of pain in the ears are drafts - beware of them.
3. If water gets into the ear, it is necessary to get rid of it within 24 hours, otherwise after a while it may cause the beginning of the inflammatory process. Try to jump on one leg, slowly turn your head to the side while lying down. If this does not help, be sure to visit a doctor to get rid of the water.
4. Before swimming, wear earplugs and a swim cap to protect yourself from water entering your ears. Do not swim in stagnant waters - they have a lot of infections and bacteria, which become a trigger for the inflammatory process.
5. Regularly clean your ears from sulfur, prevent tooth decay and chronic diseases of the throat and mouth, do not allow strong tension when blowing your nose.

In order that inflammation does not conquer you so easily each time, and the body could withstand hypothermia and infections, it needs to be hardened. To do this, you need to eat right, have more time to stay in the open air, raise the immunity of vegetables and fruits, take a contrast shower, etc.

Ears are the second most important organ of perception of information.It is through hearing that we meet with pleasant melodies, we hear the voice of a loved one, we enjoy the laughter of a child and the singing of birds. Shooting in the ear is not only very painful, but also really dangerous. If the ear is not treated, hearing can disappear completely or partially. Do not allow complications, consult a doctor in time!

Video: what to do when “shoots” in the ear