What causes earache and sore throat?

Many people occasionally feel ear pain in life, or when flying on an airplane, and they don’t know what’s going on. People don’t really pay much attention to their ears unless they are concerned about the size of their ears but when you have an earache, the affected ear can be very painful.

Although earaches can cause a variety of indescribable pain, they are rarely life-threatening. They can still be very serious though, especially if they are caused by an infection. Symptoms of an ear infection include ear pain and hearing loss. Signs of an ear infection in a young child may include rubbing or pulling on the ear, excessive crying or irritability, fever, nausea and vomiting. Untreated ear infections can cause permanent hearing loss, and earaches can sometimes signal problems elsewhere in the body, so it's important to have earaches checked out by a doctor. Aside from infection, the most common cause of earache is a blocked Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube is a thin, membrane-lined tube that connects the inside back of the nose to the middle ear. Normally, when you swallow, the Eustachian tube opens so that the air pressure in the middle ear is equal to atmospheric pressure. But sometimes the Eustachian tube can become blocked, usually due to a cold, a sinus or throat infection, or allergies.

When this happens, a vacuum forms in the middle ear, drawing the eardrum inward and stretching it tight, causing pain. This type of earache is particularly common among people who travel by airplane. When a plane takes off, the air pressure in the cabin decreases; when the plane lands, the air pressure in the cabin increases again. In both cases, the air pressure changes very quickly. Normally, the air in the Eustachian tubes is able to equalize itself, but if there is a blockage in the upper airway - such as a stuffy nose caused by allergies or a cold, the Eustachian tubes will not move so naturally. (Pressure changes in high-rise elevators and scuba diving can also cause this type of ear pain.) Disease explanation: Referred ear pain Sometimes, diseases and discomfort in other parts of the head and neck can cause alarms to sound in the ears. This is called a referred earache because it originates somewhere else in the body but is felt in the ear. This is one important reason to ask your doctor to check your ear pain. According to otolaryngologists (doctors who specialize in treating disorders of the ears, nose, and throat), the most common causes of referred earache are the "five Ts": tongue, teeth, tonsils, throat, and temporomandibular joint. Tips for Avoiding Earaches When Flying Earaches can be real pains in the neck, jaw, and of course, the ears. Fortunately, there are some tricks you can try to avoid ear pain caused by airplane takeoffs and landings. Swallow forcefully When you swallow, you engage the muscles that open the Eustachian tube. On an airplane, when the pilot tells passengers to fasten their seat belts for landing, you can start swallowing. Frequent swallowing may also provide some temporary relief from earache until you see a doctor. Keep your mouth active. When you chew gum or suck on hard candy, you swallow more frequently, so you can put some gum or hard candy in your mouth when the plane lands. Don't stop yawning. Yawning is a good way to keep your Eustachian tubes open. Stay awake. If you are sleeping, you will not swallow, so ask your seatmate or the flight attendant to wake you up before the plane lands. If your ears are still uncomfortably stuffy when the plane lands, try the following: Pinch your nostril closed with the thumb and index finger of one hand, and press the outer opening of the unaffected ear closed with the index finger of your other hand, suggests the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Now, close your mouth and try to blow out the air through your pinched nostrils as if you were blowing your nose. Repeat if necessary. If this method works, you will experience a popping sensation or pop and feel the pain ease. But don't try this trick if you have a sore throat, fever, or other symptoms of a developing upper respiratory infection, as the infection could be forced into your ears. Do not try if you have heart or circulatory problems.

Be prepared Frequent flyers should prepare a decongestant or nasal spray and use it about an hour before landing. This shrinks the nasal mucosa, making it easier for the Eustachian tube to remain open. But this over-the-counter medication isn't for everyone. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, or thyroid disease should avoid use. Pregnant women and people prone to anxiety should also avoid it. But if you suffer from allergies or sinusitis, you can take medication at the start of your flight to reduce the risk of earache. If you've tried everything else and still have uncomfortable blockages and pains after flying, you might want to consider taking land transportation instead of flying. Disease Analysis: Ear Drum Perforation If you feel sudden, severe pain in your ear after a traumatic injury, such as an explosion or a scuba diving accident, you may have a eardrum perforation. Although the pain may only occur at the time of the accident, it is still necessary to see a specialist to assess the damage in order to prevent permanent damage to the structures of the middle ear. Most eardrum perforations caused by injury are minor and will heal on their own within a few weeks as long as middle ear infections are prevented or controlled (which is why you still need to see a doctor). Large perforations in the eardrum may require surgery. Ear infections are harder to detect in babies than in adults. Aside from the common cold, the most common illness in children is ear infections. In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most children will have at least one ear infection by the time they are three years old. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers may not be able to tell an adult when they have an earache, so sometimes you have to conduct medical tests to figure out what's bothering them. According to the AAP, the following symptoms may mean your child has an earache: Pain, which can cause young children to be irritable, crying, and generally irritable. Loss of appetite. Difficulty sleeping. Fever of 37.8 to 40 degrees Celsius. ·Watery ears. Watch for foul-smelling yellow or white fluid, sometimes tinged with blood. Difficulty hearing. Whether you are young or old, earaches are no joke. Keeping our tips and instructions in mind can help you prevent earaches, or eliminate pain in the first place.

Flying often causes ear and throat pain, but don’t worry too much. In fact, we can often go to the hospital for regular check-ups, which allows us to understand our physical condition at any time.