Ear Health: Symptoms

Infants and toddlers

For infants and toddlers, it is recommended that you see a doctor when they have any of the symptoms below: 

• pulling or scratching the ear
• crying or irritability
• difficulty or not responding to sound
• fever
• nausea and/or vomiting
• ear drainage

Remember that very young children cannot communicate the fact that they have an earache.

Young children, adolescents and adults

Young children, adolescents and adults should see a doctor when any of the following symptoms are present:

• earaches that are persistent or painful, lasting from a few hours to more than a day
• feeling of fullness or pressure
• hearing problems
• dizziness and/or loss of balance
• nausea, vomiting
• ear drainage
• fever
• severe headache, stiffness of the neck or swelling in the neck

Try Our Symptom Checker

It’s a great way to identify and list all of your symptoms for your physician. Simply print it out, check off your symptoms and then bring it with you to your appointment.

It’ll help your physician help you faster! Go to Symptom Checker