Ear ache and ear infection

Ear ache is most commonly described as a sharp or dull pain or burning sensation. This feeling may begin gradually or suddenly, and it can be very severe.

The pain is generally the result of an Ear infection.

Ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the middle ear, the secretion of the ear ust behind the eardrum. It is painful due to inflammation and fluid build up inside the ear.

• Main symptom: Ear pain - feeling of pressure in the ear. 

Associated with

• Itching inside the ear
• Mild discomfort on pulling the ears
• Ringing in ears
• Fluid drainage from ear
• Difficulty responding to sounds
• Redness and swelling around the outer ear

In children

• Fever
•  Loss of appetite

In Ayurveda, Ear pain and Ear infection is considered as Karna shoola and Karna gata dushta vrana respectively. According to Ayurveda, there are three elements present in our body : vata, pitta and kapha which should be in balance.

In karna shoola and Karna gata dushta vrana imbalanced pitta and kapha causes obstruction and infection in the ear. This makes improper circulation of vata with pain in the ear.

• General causes of earache - Ear infections
• General causes of ear infection - Bacterial and Viral infection

Other causes

• Earwax buildup
• A foreign object in the ear
• Strep throat
• Sinus infection
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome
• Perforated eardrum
• Arthritis affecting the jaw
• Infected tooth
• Impacted tooth
• Eczema in the ear canal
• Trigeminal neuralgia (chronic facial nerve pain)
• Change in pressure, such as when flying on a plane
• Shampoo or water trapped in the ear
• Use of cotton swabs in the ear

Treatment protocol aims at:

1. Relief from pain 
2. Treat infection and inflammation associated with ear pain.

Most infections clear up on their own within one to two weeks without any treatment.  

If the problem persists then consider the following treatment protocol.

The middle ear is the small, air-filled cavity just behind the paper-thin eardrum. There is a  passageway between the middle ear and the back of the throat. This passageway is called the Eustachian tube.The Eustachian tube also drains fluid out of the middle ear. When this tube becomes blocked, and  becomes infected with a virus or bacteria, it causes a middle ear infection that can lead to pain and fever.

• Kaishora guggulu, Sarivadi vati, Vacha, Triphala guggulu, Gandhak Rasayana helps to check the infection and heal the inflammation in the ear.
•  Yashtimadhu helps to heal and repair the tissue.

(The above mentioned Ayurvedic drugs are Herbs and Herbomineral preparations)

Too much earwax builds up blocks the ear. A blocked ear may cause earache and can also affect hearing. It can be managed by Removal of earwax.

According to associated causes like strep throat, Sinusitis, TMJ, Eczema..etc respective treatment protocols can be followed.

Other therapies - Karna dhoopana - Fumigation of ear using drugs of herbal, herbo-mineral or animal origin, Karna poorana - Holding medicated liquid in the ear.

Kaishora guggulu, Sarivadi vati, Vacha, Triphala guggulu, Gandhak Rasayana, Yashtimadhu