Earaches are very common in young children. The child may tug or rub on the painful ear. Fever, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting may also occur with earaches. A frequent cause of earache in children is middle ear infection or otitis media. Adults also may develop this infection.
Bacteria first enter the nose or throat and then travel up the tubes of the ear.
The infection often begins as a cold, sinus infection, or throat infection. Pain results from a swollen, red eardrum and build-up of fluid in the airspace behind the eardrum. Swelling of the outer ear and the ear canal. It is more common in adults, people with diabetes, people who pick at their ears or insert objects such as pens or pencils into them, and people who swim. Swimmer's ear is a common type of otitis externa.