Ear pain-Otalgia

Otalgia – also called as earache or ear pain is an unpleasant experience in the ear. Can be primary – pain coming directly from the ear. Most commonly due to infection. Secondary- referred pain from somewhere outside the ear. Ear has a complex nerve supply and shares neural network with other organs ie there are several potential causes of referred ear pain.

Primary otalgia - Infections for e.g○ otitis media○ acute otitis externa○ furunculosis○ cellulitis○ Herpes zoster oticus , Ramsay Hunt Syndrome○ malignant otitis externa○ mastoiditis○ petrous apicitis Trauma ( e.g haematoma of pinna ) TM perforation Foreign body Impacted wax Eustachian tube dysfunction○ OM with effusion○ chronic OM Cancer○ primary neoplasms of ear are rare and can usually be seen when they happen in auricular and peri-auricular regions○ cancer of the temporal bone and external auditory canal are even more rare○ squamous cell carcinoma○ basal cell carcinoma○ melanoma○ cholesteatoma Inflammatory causes○ chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis○ Wegener’s granulomatosis○ Bullous myringitis

Secondary

Sinus infections

Oral causes - Dental impaction Dental infection / abscess SCC of tongue

Pharynx - Tonsillitis Epiglottitis Post-tonsillectomy.

Salivary glands- parotid - Infection Stone Trauma Tumour

TMJ disorders

Neck problems - Goitre Lymph node enlargement Musculoskeletal causes Cervical neck...