Urgent Care for Ear Pain: Causes, When to Go & What to Expect

Ear pain can be sharp, dull, constant, or throbbing — and it doesn’t always mean you have an ear infection. If you’re looking for urgent care for ear pain in the San Leandro area, CityHealth can evaluate and treat a wide range of earache causes the same day. No appointment needed.

Ear pain has many possible causes — some inside the ear, some coming from nearby structures like the jaw, teeth, or throat. This guide covers the most common causes of ear pain beyond ear infection, when to go to urgent care, and what to expect when you come in.

Common Causes of Ear Pain (Beyond Ear Infection)

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), ear pain — also called otalgia — can originate from inside the ear or be referred from other areas of the head and neck. Here are the most common causes:

Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa)

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal — the tube between the outer ear and the eardrum. It’s caused by bacteria (and occasionally fungus) that grow in moist conditions. You don’t have to be a swimmer to get it. Inserting cotton swabs, scratching the ear canal, or extended exposure to humid environments can all trigger it.

Symptoms of swimmer’s ear include:

• Pain that worsens when you pull on the outer ear or push on the small cartilage bump in front of the ear canal (the tragus)
• Itching inside the ear canal
• Drainage or discharge from the ear
• Feeling of fullness or muffled hearing
• Redness or swelling of the ear canal visible at the opening

Swimmer’s ear is treated with prescription antibiotic ear drops. Most cases clear up within 7–10 days. Urgent care is the ideal setting for swimmer’s ear — you’ll get the right drops and be on your way quickly.

TMJ (Jaw Joint) Pain

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull — located directly in front of the ear on each side. When the TMJ is inflamed or stressed (a condition called TMD — temporomandibular disorder), it can cause pain that feels like it’s coming from inside the ear.

Signs that your ear pain may be TMJ-related:

• Pain that’s worse when chewing, yawning, or talking
• Clicking or popping sounds when you open your mouth
• Jaw soreness or stiffness, especially in the morning
• Headache near the temples
• Teeth grinding (bruxism) at night
• No ear drainage or hearing changes

TMJ pain is often managed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, jaw rest, warm compresses, and (in chronic cases) a mouth guard or physical therapy. Urgent care can evaluate whether your ear pain is TMJ-related and recommend next steps.

Earwax Buildup (Cerumen Impaction)

Earwax (cerumen) is produced naturally by your ear canal to protect it from dust, bacteria, and debris. But sometimes it builds up and becomes impacted — especially if you use cotton swabs (which push wax deeper), wear hearing aids or earbuds frequently, or simply produce more wax than average.

A blocked ear canal can cause:

• Ear pain or a feeling of pressure
• Muffled hearing or a sense of “fullness”
• Ringing in the ear (tinnitus)
• Dizziness or a slight feeling of imbalance
• Itching or discharge if the wax becomes infected

At CityHealth, we can examine your ear canal with an otoscope and remove impacted earwax safely through irrigation or manual removal. Do not try to dig out earwax at home with cotton swabs, bobby pins, or ear candles — these can push wax deeper or damage the ear canal or eardrum.

Barotrauma (Pressure-Related Ear Pain)

Barotrauma is ear pain caused by a sudden change in air pressure. It happens most often during:

• Airplane takeoff or landing
• Scuba diving (descending or ascending)
• Driving through mountain roads
• High-altitude hiking

During pressure changes, the Eustachian tube — which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat — normally equalizes pressure. When it doesn’t equalize fast enough, you feel ear pain, muffled hearing, or a clogged sensation. In mild cases, swallowing, yawning, or the Valsalva maneuver (pinching your nose and blowing gently) can help open the Eustachian tube.

Severe or persistent barotrauma pain can indicate a ruptured eardrum and should be evaluated at urgent care.

Referred Pain From the Throat or Teeth

The ear shares nerve pathways with the throat, jaw, and even the lower teeth. This means pain that originates elsewhere can be felt in the ear — a phenomenon called referred pain. Common sources include:

• Sore throat or tonsillitis: Throat infections frequently cause ear pain because the vagus nerve connects both areas
• Dental problems: A cracked tooth, cavity, or tooth abscess can radiate pain to the ear
• Tonsil stones: Hard mineral deposits in the tonsil crypts can cause throat and ear discomfort
• Wisdom teeth: Impacted or infected wisdom teeth commonly cause ear and jaw pain
• Sinus congestion: Heavy congestion can create pressure that affects the Eustachian tube and causes ear pain or fullness

Referred ear pain can be tricky to diagnose. A provider needs to examine both the ear and the surrounding structures to find the real source. This is exactly the kind of evaluation urgent care excels at.

Shingles (Ramsay Hunt Syndrome)

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a rare but serious complication of shingles (reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus) that affects the facial nerve near the ear. Symptoms include severe ear pain, a blistering rash in or around the ear, and sometimes facial weakness on the same side. This condition requires prompt antiviral treatment. If you notice ear pain with a rash or facial drooping, go to urgent care or the ER immediately.

Eardrum Perforation

A perforated (ruptured) eardrum can be caused by a middle ear infection with pressure buildup, a sudden loud noise, a head blow, or poking the ear canal. Symptoms include sudden sharp pain, hearing loss, ringing in the ear, and sometimes drainage. Most perforations heal on their own, but they should be evaluated by a provider to rule out infection and assess hearing.

When to Go to Urgent Care for Ear Pain

Go to CityHealth urgent care in San Leandro for ear pain if:

• Pain has lasted more than a day or two
• Pain is moderate to severe and affecting daily life
• You have drainage (fluid, pus, or blood) from the ear
• You have a feeling of fullness, pressure, or blocked ear that isn’t clearing
• You have hearing loss along with ear pain
• You’re not sure if the ear is infected or if something else is going on
• Pain started after swimming, flying, or pressure changes
• You have ringing in the ear (tinnitus) with pain
• A child has ear pain and is inconsolable or running a fever

When to Go to the ER for Ear Pain

Go to the emergency room for ear pain if:

• You have sudden, severe hearing loss
• You have facial drooping or weakness on one side (could be Ramsay Hunt or Bell’s palsy)
• You are dizzy and cannot walk or stand safely
• Pain follows a head injury
• You have a rash in or around the ear along with fever and severe pain
• A child under 6 months has ear pain with fever

What to Expect at Urgent Care for Ear Pain

When you come to CityHealth in San Leandro for ear pain, here’s what happens:

1. Check-in: Walk in or book online. No appointment necessary.
2. History and exam: The provider will ask about your symptoms — when the pain started, whether it’s constant or intermittent, if there’s drainage, and if anything makes it better or worse.
3. Ear exam: Using an otoscope, the provider will look inside your ear canal and at the eardrum. They will also examine your throat, jaw, and neck to evaluate for referred pain sources.
4. Diagnosis: Based on the exam, you’ll get a clear diagnosis — swimmer’s ear, impacted earwax, TMJ, Eustachian tube dysfunction, or another cause.
5. Treatment: Depending on the cause, treatment may include prescription ear drops, earwax removal, anti-inflammatory medications, or a referral to a specialist.

Can Urgent Care Remove Earwax?

Yes. CityHealth can perform ear irrigation and earwax removal. If your provider determines that impacted earwax is the cause of your pain or hearing loss, we can address it right in the clinic. We use safe, gentle methods to flush or manually remove built-up wax. You’ll notice immediate relief in many cases.

Get Same-Day Ear Pain Relief at CityHealth San Leandro

Whether your ear pain is from swimmer’s ear, jaw tension, a pressure change, or something you can’t quite pinpoint, CityHealth in San Leandro is here to help. We see ear pain patients every day — no appointment needed, fast exam, and treatment you can start the same day.