Top 5 Causes of Sharp Pain in the Eye:
1. Ear Infection – Ear infection is one of the most common causes of sharp pain in the ear.
If left untreated it may lead to hearing loss or even permanent damage to your ears. There are many different types of infections that cause piercing pain in ear. Some of them include:
Ear Candida (yeast) infection
Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils)
Strep throat (a bacterial infection in the throat)
2. Bladder Stones – Bladder stones are also known as kidney stones.
They are usually harmless but they can cause severe problems if not treated properly. They are often caused by over consumption of certain foods. These include alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and other drugs.
When these substances enter the bladder they cause stone formation inside the kidneys which then block up the urine flow causing excruciating pain in the ear. Treatment involves removal of the stones from your body and proper care to prevent future development of such problems.
3. Ear Infections – Another type of infection that causes piercing pain in ear is called otitis media (ear infection).
It occurs due to infection or blockage of the ear drum. It is more common in babies and young children. The pain is usually a result of accumulation of pus or fluid around the eardrum.
It can also be caused due ot buildup of wax, collect in the ear canal. Most of the time this infection is caused by a virus. However, in some cases, it may be bacterial.
4. Tooth Infection – When you have a tooth infection it usually causes severe pain.
However, sometimes the pain may even cause some irritation or aching in other parts of the body such as the ear. This is because nerves from your teeth can travel to different parts of your body causing a referral pain. Referred pain is usually felt in parts of your body unrelated to the source of discomfort.
Sometimes it is difficult to determine the location of the pain causing agent. This is especially true in severe medical conditions.
5. Sinusitis – This is an inflammation or swelling of the sinuses, which are air cavities inside your skull.
In some cases, they also contain mucous and drain into the nose. Sinusitis is usually caused by an infection but it can also be caused by other factors such as allergies. The pain can be felt in various parts of the body such as ear, teeth or cheeks.
It is usually caused by referred pain.
6. Other Causes – Sharp pain in the ear can also be caused by injury to your head or neck.
If the sharp pain is accompanied by a feeling of dizziness, it may be due to an inner ear problem. This problem can be diagnosed and treated by an ENT specialist. Sometimes, growths in or around the ear may also cause pain.
These growths can be cancerous and should be checked by a doctor immediately.
Sources & references used in this article:
Mitomycin eye drops as treatment for pterygium by G Singh, MR Wilson, CS Foster – Ophthalmology, 1988 – Elsevier
The most common causes of eye pain at 2 tertiary ophthalmology and neurology clinics by RC Bowen, JN Koeppel, CD Christensen… – Journal of Neuro …, 2018 – journals.lww.com
Common causes of eye enucleation among patients by A Farokhfar, A Ahmadzadeh-Amiri… – Journal of Natural …, 2017 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
EYE INJURIES CAUSED BY TEAR‐GAS HAND WEAPONS by A OKSALA, L SALMINEN – Acta Ophthalmologica, 1975 – Wiley Online Library
Eye discomfort when reading microfilm in different enlargers by GV Hultgren, B Knave, M Werner – Applied ergonomics, 1974 – Elsevier
Alcaligenes xylosoxidans and Propionibacterium acnes postoperative endophthalmitis in a pseudophakic eye by MK Rahman, ER Holz – American journal of ophthalmology, 2000 – Elsevier
