Does ear pain indicate “excessive internal heat” (a traditional Chinese medicine concept)?
May 14, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. He Haochen
Introduction
Ear pain may occur after “shanghuo” (a traditional Chinese medicine concept referring to excessive internal heat), but ear pain is not necessarily caused by “shanghuo.” The professional medical term corresponding to “shanghuo” is inflammation. Ear pain commonly results from inflammatory conditions of the ear and can be categorized into physiological and pathological causes. Pathological causes include inflammatory diseases such as otitis externa, otitis media, and furunculosis of the external auditory canal—each requiring individualized assessment and diagnosis.
Ear pain may occur after “shang huo” (a traditional Chinese medicine concept referring to excessive internal heat), but ear pain is not necessarily caused by “shang huo.” The medical term corresponding to “shang huo” is inflammation. Ear pain commonly arises from inflammatory conditions of the ear and can be categorized into physiological and pathological causes. Pathological causes include otitis externa, otitis media, and furunculosis of the external auditory canal—other inflammatory disorders requiring individualized assessment.
I. Physiological Causes
Ear pain may result from forceful ear cleaning or from water entering the ear canal, especially during air travel.
II. Pathological Causes
1. Otitis Externa
Otitis externa is a localized suppurative inflammation involving hair follicles or sebaceous glands in the skin of the external auditory canal. Early symptoms include severe ear pain, which intensifies during jaw movement (e.g., opening the mouth or chewing) and may radiate to the ipsilateral head. Tenderness upon traction of the auricle or pressure on the tragus is characteristic. Once the abscess ruptures, purulent or bloody discharge appears at the ear canal opening, and ear pain typically subsides.
2. Otitis Media
Otitis media primarily results from eustachian tube dysfunction. Common symptoms include aural fullness, tinnitus, hearing loss, and ear pain; dizziness may also occur in some cases.
3. Furunculosis of the External Auditory Canal
This condition is an acute, localized suppurative inflammation affecting the cartilaginous portion of the external auditory canal skin. Key symptoms include intense, throbbing ear pain, markedly exacerbated by jaw movement and often radiating to the head. Systemic manifestations such as malaise or low-grade fever are common. If the furuncle is large enough to obstruct the ear canal, conductive hearing loss may develop; symptom relief usually follows spontaneous rupture and drainage.
Besides the above relatively common causes, other potential etiologies—including pharyngitis, oral and maxillofacial disorders, and diseases of distant organs—may also refer pain to the ear. Patients are advised to seek evaluation at a reputable hospital’s Department of Otolaryngology. Following appropriate diagnostic testing under physician guidance, targeted treatment should be initiated based on the confirmed underlying cause.
