The pain of an earache may be sharp, dull, or throbbing. Muffled hearing and a feeling of pressure or blockage may also be present.
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.