With a cold, many different symptoms appear. Often there is pain in the ear. With a cold, such sensations can be sharp, throbbing, growing, dull. The causes of pain and their treatment are described in the article.
The appearance of pain
The occurrence of pain in the ear with a cold is not uncommon. The middle ear and Eustachian tube are lined with a mucous membrane, which swells with inflammation. With a severe cold, mucus accumulates here, which clogs the Eustachian tube. As a result, the pressure on the eardrum is different from the outside and from the inside, and therefore pains appear. The goal of treatment is to normalize these indicators and eliminate discomfort.
It is not difficult to establish the beginning of complications: you need to press on the ear, and if pain is felt, this indicates a pathology. In this case, an appeal to the otolaryngologist is required, which will establish the type of ailment and the degree of damage. With otitis media, which proceeds in a neglected form, the appearance of:
- purulent discharge from the ear;
- elevated temperature;
- general fatigue.
To exacerbate the condition is capable of sudden hypothermia. Therefore, precautionary measures are required. This is due to the fact that serious conditions are associated with ear inflammations. Which lead to unbearable pain, chronic ailments, worsening of well-being.
Causes
Ear pain with colds is a common occurrence. In general, discomfort may occur from:
- prolonged exposure to cold;
- exposure to viral infection;
- inflammation in the middle ear;
- getting cold water in your ear;
- inflammation in the Eustachian tube;
- infectious lesion of the mastoid process;
- otitis media with tonsillitis, rhinitis;
- inflammation in the parotid lymph nodes;
- diseases of the salivary glands.
The listed reasons are the most common and answer the question of why there is an earache. Discomfort can occur in both children and adults. The condition can worsen with the influence of the following factors:
- seasonality;
- negative environmental conditions;
- stay in groups during epidemics;
- age features;
- artificial feeding.
According to reviews, pain in the ear with a cold appears in many. This condition is uncomfortable, so I want to eliminate it as soon as possible. But first, the doctor determines the cause, and then prescribes treatment.
Diseases
Pain and tinnitus with a cold appears with:
- Catarrhal or purulent otitis media. With such ailments, soreness appears sharply and is similar to a cross. Discomfort extends to the temples and upper jaw. Often the disease affects children and the elderly due to weakened immunity. A catarrhal form of the disease is accompanied by a decrease in hearing or a feeling of stuffiness in the ears. With the advanced stage, the disease is able to go into a purulent form. Also, with it, fever, fever, severe pain, discharge of pus appears.
- Sore throat. With this ailment, a throat lesion occurs. The disease can occur in various forms, and the reflected pain is sometimes so severe that it can be attributed to an independent disease.
- Inflammation in the nose. A cold often leads to sinusitis, in which there is tinnitus, discomfort, soreness, hearing loss and sound distortion. If the main ailment is infection of the sinuses, then you need to contact a specialist for diagnosis and further treatment.
There is pain in the ear after a cold. This is due to the fact that the disease is not completely cured. Also, discomfort appears with sinusitis, otitis media, pharyngitis and other ailments of ENT organs. There is pain in the ear with acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections. Whatever the reason, timely help is needed.
Symptoms
According to reviews, with a cold, rhinitis usually occurs, sore throat, headache, and then pain in the auditory organs occurs. Soreness can not occur immediately, but after a while, when the inflammation progresses. In these cases, the appearance of:
- hearing impairment;
- fever; fever;
- congestion, noise and itching in the ears;
- sleep disorders
- decreased appetite;
- nervousness and irritability;
- headaches and dizziness;
- the occurrence of mucopurulent discharge from the ears.
If there was pain in the ear after ARVI, then this means that the treatment was not completely completed. In this case, it is necessary to complete effective therapy to eliminate all the symptoms of a cold.
Particular attention should be paid to the allocation of fluid from the eardrum. This usually indicates its rupture, which appears from an infection in the organ. The liquid may have a different color - yellow, brown, white, gray. In this case, you should not delay the treatment and postpone the visit to the doctor. With the help of timely measures, it will be possible to prevent serious consequences.
Probable complications
Earache during colds should not be ignored. The absence of treatment often leads to the fact that acute otitis media will become chronic and will manifest itself with a viral illness or ARI. A serious complication that can lead to death is purulent inflammation of the brain. Of the other unpleasant consequences, the appearance of:
- inflamed lymph nodes;
- hearing loss;
- rupture of the eardrum;
- eustachyitis;
- mastoiditis;
- neuritis of the facial nerve.
The consequence of untreated otitis media in children may be a problem with speech. They usually occur when hearing loss or impairment occurs.
Diagnostics
A specialist needs several procedures to make a diagnosis. It will be possible to establish the ailment with the help of an otoscope - a special device that includes a flashlight that allows you to assess the condition of the eardrum and examine the ear canal.
MRI, CT, tympanometry, reflexometry, and tympanocentesis are also required. The diagnosis should be entrusted only to a competent doctor who is familiar with the clinical picture and history. Only then the doctor prescribes an effective treatment, which should eliminate the causes of the common cold, as well as all painful symptoms.
Treatment
If there is pain in the ear during acute respiratory viral infections in a child or adult, urgent measures are required to eliminate this symptom. This will prevent inflammation and complications. Treatment of earache with colds is performed with the help of special exercises: a deep breath and a sharp exhalation with a closed mouth are performed. To lower the pressure in the Eustachian tube, it is necessary to move the jaw as if chewing food or yawning.
Eliminate congestion in the ears is possible not by medication, but by inflation of balls. Such measures only weaken the manifestation of symptoms, but will not cure the disease in either a child or an adult. Only a doctor can choose effective treatment measures.
Use of medicines
If there is pain in the ear during a cold, then this may indicate the presence of inflammation, which is caused by infection. Effective drugs are selected based on the characteristics of the ailment. Medications come in the form of drops to eliminate pain and congestion, as well as tablets for systemic treatment. It can be sprays, solutions for washing and preparations for injection.
Doctors often prescribe drops from choline salicylate, funds from fluoroquinolones, glucocorticoids. To protect against the appearance of inflammation of the ear, it is necessary to rinse the nose with sea water and medications based on it. Sometimes doctors prescribe antibiotics if, in addition to the common cold, a bacterial infection is detected. The medicine with which the therapy will be performed can only be prescribed by a doctor.
Best drugs
Basic therapy should eliminate the causes of pain and relieve inflammation. If the cold is mild, you can use anti-inflammatory drops that relieve pain and swelling. The following medicines are used to eliminate inflammation:
- "Otipaks" - drops that are prescribed for middle and external otitis media. The drug has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, it has almost no restrictions. It can also be used for children. Drops are instilled 2 times a day for 5 drops.
- "Otinum" is a remedy that has an anti-inflammatory property. It is used to eliminate complications of acute respiratory infections and tonsillitis. Otinum is applied 3 times a day for 3 instillations, a course of 10 days.
- Sofradex is an antimicrobial drug sold in the form of drops and cream. It is used for infectious diseases. It can not be used during pregnancy and lactation, as well as with fungus and herpes.
- "Tsipromed" - a remedy with ciprofloxacin. Used for bacterial infections. The drug is not used for children under 1 year of age, during pregnancy and lactation. The dosage is 5 drops 3 times a day, for 7-10 days.
Although all of these remedies are effective, you can start using them after consulting your doctor. It is also necessary to read the instructions for use so as not to harm your health.
With drops, the doctor may prescribe analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs. Suitable "Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen", "Spazgan", "Analgin." Usually, an infection enters the ear canals from the nasopharynx, therefore, with drops for the ears, the doctor can prescribe means for the nose:
- "Sulfacyl sodium."
- "Oxymetazoline."
- "Galazolin."
These funds relieve swelling on the mucous membranes and reduce the load on the hearing organs. With a severe course of the disease, systemic antibiotics are used. “Tsifran” or “Flemoklav” is suitable, which relieve pain and remove pus, fight pathogenic microflora.
After normalization of the condition and the disappearance of acute symptoms, physiotherapy can be prescribed - electrophoresis, microwave therapy, heating. At the end of treatment, immune-restoration agents are used.
Folk remedies
Treatment for ear pain with a cold can be performed:
- boric acid in the form of an alcohol solution;
- thuja oil;
- tincture of calendula (diluted with water in an amount of 1: 1);
- camphor alcohol.
These funds are alternately instilled into the ears after 2 hours. Cotton swabs dipped in a medicinal product help. To warm and eliminate pain, compresses are used. They are placed on the ear area and held for several hours. The basis may be alcohol, oil, herbal decoction.
But even traditional medicine should be used after consulting a doctor. According to reviews, such funds do an excellent job with earaches in acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections. However, you should make sure that the patient is not allergic to the components of alternative medicine.
In children
Judging by the reviews of the parents, pain in the child’s ear after ARVI often appears. In the presence of imperfections in the organs of hearing, the ailment is more complicated and is detected more often. What to do in this case? It is important to see a doctor. After establishing the cause, he will determine what to do.
Usually, doctors prescribe drugs for children in the form of boric alcohol, oils, infusions. Compresses are also prescribed for a sore ear, they are available and help at any age. Ear pain is eliminated by drops. If there are complications, children are prescribed means of systemic action.
Prevention
As patients' reviews show, than treating an ailment, it is easier to prevent it. To do this, you must follow simple rules;
- Timely engage in the treatment of ENT organs, taking into account the advice of doctors.
- You should dress warmer, especially during strong winds and frost.
- You must adhere to a healthy lifestyle.
- With a cold, bed rest and the necessary treatment are required.
Subject to these recommendations, the hearing organs will be in perfect order, and overall well-being will improve markedly.
Forecast
Inflammatory ailments of the nasopharynx and middle ear are amenable to conservative treatment, provided that therapy begins with the first symptoms. Chronic diseases are difficult to cure.
According to reviews, if there is a prolonged runny nose in which pain in the ears is felt, then the adoption of active methods is required in order to eliminate the ailment in a short time. Only then can complications in the form of sinusitis, otitis media and other consequences be prevented. Do not resort to self-medication. The help of a doctor is needed, and then it will turn out to completely get rid of the ailment.