Temporal pain and pain in the ear
Pain in the temporal region, which corresponds to a lateral headache, can be triggered simply by wearing glasses. In this case the glasses press on a nerve running along the temple, which causes pain. This pressure pain can radiate into the ear region.
Pain in the ear can also occur in cases of temporal arteritis, where strong, throbbing temple headaches are typical. This is a rheumatic vascular disease in which an inflammation occurs in the blood vessel, resulting in vasoconstriction. Especially under physical strain, there is an undersupply and pain in the temporal region, which can radiate into the ears.
Sore throat and pain in the ear
Acute thyroiditis, which is usually caused by bacteria, causes pain from the neck to the ears. When the thyroid gland is touched, the pain increases and reddening of the overlying skin can be observed. It can also be accompanied by fever, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness.
A lateral strangulation (pharyngitis) can also cause pain in the ears. Side strands are the lymphatic channels in the back wall of the throat, which are usually inflamed by viruses in the case of side strand gangina. The side strands begin at the tuba (connection between throat and ear) and can thus also cause ear pain in the event of a viral infection.
The lateral strand gangina usually heals on its own after a few days. Another cause of ear pain can be tonsillitis (angina tonsillaris). This is an inflammation of the palatine tonsils, which causes pain in the throat and when swallowing, which can be felt as far as the ears and jaw angles.
Inflammation of the tonsils can also lead to inflammation of the middle ear, as the pathogens can enter the ear through the tuba connecting the throat and the middle ear. This is where the typical ear pain occurs, which is usually described as very severe. A sinusitis can also spread into the ear and cause pain there.
Most importantly, however, pressure and pain on the cheeks and forehead – the nose feels congested. Another infectious disease that can cause earache is Pfeiffer’s glandular fever (mononucleosis infectiosa). The disease is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Since the mouth and throat are also affected, an infection can spread to the ears and cause pain there. Cancers of the mouth and throat (oropharyngeal carcinoma) can cause ear pain for two reasons: If it is a tumor growth that presses on nerves in the neck leading to the ears, it can cause pain. On the other hand, cancer of the mouth and throat often causes sore throats that radiate into the ears.
