Ear pain can be caused by many factors, many of which are not even related to the actual ear itself.
External ear infections, otherwise known as swimmers, and middle ear infections, can cause severe ear pain and hearing loss. However, each of these ear conditions are treated differently.
Ear pain can also be caused by an abnormality in the throat. This is called referred ear pain and can be seen in serious conditions including infections of the throat or cancer. Ear pain should always be evaluated as this can be a potentially serious condition.
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