Why Does My Ear Hurt When Chewing, Making It Difficult to Eat?

Pain in the ears during eating and inability to chew may be caused by improper diet, excessive earwax, external auditory canal eczema, acute otitis media, temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, and other reasons. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, clarify the cause, and receive corresponding treatment measures under the guidance of a doctor. The detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Improper Diet

Excessive consumption of hard foods such as bones and nuts in daily life may lead to sterile inflammatory reactions in the temporomandibular joint, subsequently causing pain and dysphagia. It is necessary to adjust the diet by reducing the intake of these foods and choosing easily chewable foods such as noodles, rice, and yam porridge.

2. Excessive Earwax

If earwax is not regularly cleaned, it may shake inside the ear while eating, stimulating the eardrum and causing pain and hearing loss. Sodium bicarbonate ear drops, levofloxacin hydrochloride ear drops, and phenol glycerin ear drops should be used as prescribed to soften the earwax, which will then be removed by a professional doctor using medical tools.

3. External Auditory Canal Eczema

This condition manifests as eczema on the skin of the external auditory canal, auricle, and surrounding areas, causing itching and desquamation. In severe cases, it may also be accompanied by pain. Treatment can be prescribed with calamine lotion, hydrocortisone butyrate cream, and mometasone furoate cream.

4. Acute Otitis Media

Mostly caused by bacterial infection, this disease leads to acute inflammatory reactions in the middle ear mucosa, causing symptoms such as tinnitus, ear pain, and hearing loss under inflammatory stimulation. Treatment can be prescribed with lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops, cefixime granules, and amoxicillin capsules.

5. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Syndrome

A common disease in the maxillofacial region, it may be caused by excessive load on the temporomandibular joint, malocclusion, psychosocial factors, etc. Symptoms include limited mouth opening, pain during opening and closing, and joint clicking. Treatment can be prescribed with aspirin, ibuprofen capsules, and glucosamine sulfate capsules.

During medication, patients are advised not to blindly alter the course of treatment to avoid affecting disease control. Additionally, patients should maintain cleanliness of the external auditory canal and prevent foreign objects from entering it.