What causes headaches accompanied by pain in the eyes and ears?

In general, headaches accompanied by pain in the eyes and ears may be caused by conditions such as otitis media, trigeminal neuralgia, or acute glaucoma attack. Treatment should be based on the underlying cause.

1. Otitis media: During an acute episode of otitis media, inflammation may trigger symptoms of headache along with pain in the eyes and ears. Patients may also experience ear canal discharge. Antibiotics such as erythromycin or cefuroxime can be used according to medical advice.

2. Trigeminal neuralgia: Patients often suffer from severe head pain that radiates, causing headaches associated with eye and ear pain. Medications like carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine can help control symptoms. For severe cases, microvascular decompression surgery may be considered.

3. Acute glaucoma attack: Patients typically experience eye pain. If intracranial pressure is elevated, it may lead to concurrent headache and ear pain. Additional symptoms may include blurred vision, decreased visual acuity, nausea, and vomiting. Immediate evaluation by an ophthalmologist is necessary. After diagnosis, intraocular pressure-lowering medications such as carteolol or timolol should be administered promptly.