Earache (Otalgia): Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate otalgia (earache):

  • Piercing
  • Burning
  • Tearing
  • Dull

In addition to otalgia, there may be other symptoms and complaints:

  • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Fever
  • General feeling of illness

Warning signs (red flags)

  • Fetal otorrhea (“foul-smelling ear discharge”) > 10 days → think of: Mastoiditis (acute inflammation in the mastoid process of the temporal bone with bone fusion); other symptoms include pressure pain over the mastoid and retroauricular swelling (“behind the ear”)Cave! Otitis media acuta (acute middle ear infection) that has not healed within 2-3 weeks is a warning sign of the presence of mastoiditis.