Quick Scoop: Earaches often improve with simple at-home care, but they can also signal an infection or something more serious. Use a warm compress, rest with your head elevated, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever if you can use it safely; don’t put anything into the ear, and avoid ear drops if you might have a ruptured eardrum.

What to do now

  • Apply a warm or cold pack to the outside of the ear for 10–15 minutes at a time.
  • Sleep with your head raised on extra pillows to reduce pressure.
  • Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain if they’re safe for you and you follow the label.
  • If you have congestion from a cold, chewing gum or swallowing may help with pressure changes.

Avoid

  • Do not put cotton swabs, fingers, or other objects into the ear.
  • Do not try to remove earwax yourself.
  • Do not use ear drops if you may have a perforated eardrum.

Get medical help soon if

  • The pain lasts more than 2 to 3 days.
  • You have fever, ear drainage, hearing loss, swelling, or worsening symptoms.
  • The pain is severe, you feel very unwell, or a child under 2 has ear pain.

One important note

If the earache came after flying, swimming, a cold, or a sore throat, the cause may be different, so treatment can vary. If you want, I can also give you a kid-friendly version or help you figure out whether it sounds more like infection, wax, pressure, or referred pain.