Ear pain causes vary, so we can classify it into several categories:
Swimmers’s ear involves an infection or irritation of the skin lining the ear canal. The main symptom is itching of the ear canal. If the canal becomes infected, it also becomes painful. It mainly occurs in swimmers and in the summer.
Injury of the ear canal
A cotton swab or nail can cause scratches in the ear canal that can become infected and cause swelling and pain.
Ear canal abscess
Infection of the hair follicles in the ear canal can be very painful. It looks like a small red lump. Sometimes it turns into a pimple.
Ear canal obstruction caused by ear wax
A large piece of hard ear wax can cause mild ear pain. If the wax is pushed by a cotton swab, the ear canal can become clogged. This will make the pain worse.
Foreign body in the ear canal
Small children can put small objects in the ear canal. This will cause pain if the object is sharp or pushed very deep.
All these conditions, if left untreated, can lead to more serious inflammation of the ear canal when there is a purulent discharge from the ear, which can also be accompanied by the appearance of blood.