Earaches during pregnancy

Pregnancy is often a time of great physical - and emotional - change. Some of those changes you might be expecting and others not. Your body can become susceptible to a range of different conditions when you’re pregnant and one of those is earaches. There could be any number of reasons why you get earaches during pregnancy and most will be caused by something mild that is easy to treat. If you’re concerned it’s always worth seeing a doctor to ensure that you’re protecting yourself and the health of your unborn child.

What causes ear problems during pregnancy?

• Bodily changes. For example, when you’re pregnant you tend to have a higher basal metabolic rate. Your heart starts working harder to pump blood, oxygen and fluids around the body and you can end up with an ear infection if there’s a fluid build-up inside the ear. Hormonal changes can also affect your immune system and make you more vulnerable to bacteria and viruses that cause infections, although there is no direct link between pregnancy and ear infections yet.
• More fluid in your body. The increase in blood flow can also cause an increase in bodily fluid, which may have a range of side effects. For example, you may have a blocked nose more often and that can cause an ear infection.
• Swimmer’s ear. This is a common ear infection that is caused by swimming in water that isn’t clean or by accidentally damaging (e.g. scratching) your ear. It can cause earaches that you may experience at any time, including during pregnancy.
• Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss. This is a temporary condition that can happen during pregnancy - usually in the second or third trimester -  and which can be alarming. However, the hearing loss will usually clear up within 10 days.

How do you know if you’ve got an ear infection during pregnancy?

There are a number of different symptoms to look out for, including a sharp or burning pain in the ear, itching in the ear itself and the area around it, a headache, loss of hearing, tinnitus, an inflamed, red or itchy ear canal.

How to treat earaches during pregnancy

If you’re having problems with your ears during pregnancy there are often home remedies that will help. You should see a doctor if you are concerned or if you think you have an ear infection. It’s important to be aware that some other serious conditions can cause ear problems, for example, tinnitus-like symptoms can be caused by high blood pressure. You may be referred to a specialist if the doctor feels like it’s necessary. If you don’t feel like you need to be treated by a professional there are a number of remedies for earaches that you can take at home.

• Over the counter pain medication - check with your doctor first to make sure what you’re taking is safe.
• A warm compress over the ear made from a gently heated towel.
• Ear drops made from one part rubbing alcohol and one part vinegar (not suitable if you have damage to the ear canal).
• Herbal ear drops (clear whatever you take with your OB first).

If you get earaches during pregnancy it’s likely that these will clear up on their own but it’s always worth getting checked out if you’re concerned. Get in contact with us as to how the Harley Street ENT can help with ear pain.

To learn more about how we can help you, click here.