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Pain is the main symptom of an acute outer ear infection. If the infection lasts for a long time (it becomes chronic) you may also get itchiness and a feeling of "fullness" in your ear. These symptoms can stop you from hearing properly.

If you have an a cute outer ear infection, it means that your symptoms come on quickly, over a day or two. The first symptom is usually pain, which is often constant and severe.¹ But it can be mild to start with.

Besides having pain, you may find that:²

• Your ear feels "full," as if it is blocked with something
• The skin inside your ear canal is itchy
• Sounds are a bit muffled
• There's some watery fluid coming out of your ear.

Sometimes the first symptom you get may be the "full" feeling or itchiness. This does not mean you're definitely getting an infection. But if the ear canal is damaged (for example, by you rubbing inside it with a finger), you may get a mild pain when you press the outside of the ear, then bad pain and swelling.²

If you have a chronic outer ear infection, it means you've probably had an acute outer ear infection that has not completely gone away. Your ear remains inflamed for weeks or months, even though there is no pain. The itchiness and swelling inside the ear that you get with a chronic outer ear infection may make it hard for you to hear.¹

If you've got a painful, itchy ear, your doctor will look into your ear with an instrument called an otoscope. They will also be able to tell if you have an infection of the middle ear.

Young children often get earache from infections of the middle ear. These infections are treated differently from infections of the outer ear.

Your doctor won't wait to find out what's causing the inflammation because it's important to start treatment right away. But if the first treatment you are given doesn't work, they might need to find out exactly what's causing the infection before trying another treatment.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.