What could cause a stabbing pain in the ear?

Written by kay wagers | 13/05/2017
What could cause a stabbing pain in the ear?
A stabbing pain in the ear can be caused by infection or injury. (ear image by Connfetti from Fotolia.com)

When you experience an earache, the sensation can be dull or sharp. If you experience a stabbing pain in your ear, your doctor can help determine the cause and offer you treatment options.

Stabbing Pain in Ear

Sharp pain in the ears in children often is caused by an ear infection. An adult experiencing ear pain usually has an injury to the ear or is experiencing referred pain from somewhere else.


According to the National Institutes of Health, ear infections occur when the Eustachian tube in a child's ear becomes blocked and fills with fluid. Bacteria can build up, causing inflammation and stabbing pain in a child's ear.


An adult's ear can be injured by imbalance of pressure inside and outside the eardrum. The ear also can be injured by an object inserted into the ear canal. Both of these can result in severe ear pain.


An ear infection can be treated by draining the fluid from a child's ear and a prescription for a course of antibiotics. A pressure imbalance can be treated with medications, surgery or with tubes inserted into your ears. If an object lodged in your ear is causing pain, a doctor can remove it and provide pain medication.


If referred pain is causing pain in your ear, then treating the underlying condition, such as a toothache or arthritis of the jaw, will stop the stabbing pain in your ear as well.
