Ear pain can arise from problems of the ear such as infections, or can be caused by referred pain - pathology from elsewhere in the head and neck that causes pain in the ear without actually having any abnormalities of the ear. Other sources include diseases of the throat (tonsillitis, benign ulcers, tumors / cancers), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) - a common cause, or the nose and nasopharynx (junction of the nose and throat). Treatment is tailored to address the underlying cause. If a cause is not easily found, further testing, sometimes including CT scans may be recommended.
