Follow the recommendations below to ease earache symptoms.
Try pain relief
Try over-the-counter painkillers to relieve the pain before you visit a doctor.
Warm the pain
Laying a hot water bottle or heated pad against a painful outer ear can help as heat increases the blood supply to the area.
Remember that although the pain is relieved you may still need to visit a doctor to ascertain the cause.
Remove earrings
If you have pierced ears, redness and swelling are a sign of an infection you should not ignore.
Seek immediate medical attention as you can get an infection in the cartilaginous part of the ear and end up in hospital.
Gold earrings
Painful and sore ears can be a result of earrings made from inexpensive materials, such as chrome or nickel.
They can cause contact dermatitis which can cause an infection.
Wear earrings with at least 14 carats of gold to prevent this problem.
Don't swim
A condition known as "swimmer's ear", which is accompanied by itching, pain and temporary hearing loss, can be caused by swimming, showering or profuse sweating.
Ear drops
Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water together, then drop three or four drops into your ear with an eyedropper, for soothing relief.
Plain rubbing alcohol can also be used.
Ear plugs
To prevent ear problems, wear ear plugs before getting into water.
You can also buy ear putty to shape a plug which fits your own ear.
If you don't have putty, try using petroleum jelly-coated cotton balls.