Your hearing health

Pain behind the ear: causes and remedies

Discover causes of pain behind the ear, including infections, swollen lymph nodes and TMJ disorders.

Last update on Mar, 06, 2025

Our ears are powerful organs, capable of helping us navigate our world. While they may be strong, they’re also very sensitive and full of small, delicate bones and nerves. Disruptions and irritations can cause major discomfort or pain, specifically behind the ear.

Pain behind the ears can stem from numerous causes. By recognizing symptoms of pain behind the ears, you can more easily identify the condition, determine effective solutions and find relief.

Dr. Thomas Tedeschi, Au.D.

Chief Audiology Officer, Miracle-Ear

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Key takeaways

Pain found behind the ear can have numerous causes.
Dull, aching pain may be the result of tension headaches, ear infections, impacted earwax or TMJ pain.
Sharp, shooting pain may be the result of nerve irritation.
Note the location and type of your pain to discuss your condition with your doctor.
In some cases, pain behind the ear can be managed with at-home remedies.

What causes pain behind the ear?

Experiencing pain behind the ears can be the result of numerous irritations in and around your ear, ranging from headaches and glasses tension to swollen lymph nodes, a lump behind the ear and ear infections. To determine the root cause of the pain, take note of where the pain is occurring, the kind of pain you’re experiencing and any additional symptoms that might be accompanying the behind-the-ear pain.

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Where is the pain occurring?

Pain behind ears can have numerous causes, and pinpointing where the pain is occurring can help you and your healthcare provider determine if treatment is needed.

Do you notice pain under your ear? It may be the result of impacted earwax. The ears are self-cleaning and generally will remove earwax naturally, but if the wax builds, it can press against the tympanic membrane and obstruct the ear canal.¹ This buildup can cause irritation, feelings of fullness and pain around the ear.²

However, if you notice pain under the ear and behind the jawbone, it might be related to your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This small joint, located in front of the ear where the jaw connects to the skull, controls jaw movements like chewing. Teeth misalignments, tension in the muscles near the jaw or arthritis can irritate this region of the face, causing pain along the jawbone.³

Depending on its severity and cause, irritations to the TMJ can also cause pain to radiate from behind the ear and down the neck. Pain behind the ear and neck may also be related to occipital neuralgia, a type of nerve pain that affects the occipital nerves running from the back of the neck to the scalp. The exact cause of this type of pain is unknown, but symptoms can include sensitivity to light, blurry vision and shooting pain in the back of the head that runs down the neck.⁴

If you notice pulsating pain behind the ear and at the base of the skull, this may be the result of tension headaches. This common type of headache, sometimes referred to as a stress headache, often stems from physical stress, poor posture and tension in the head and neck muscles.⁵ Tension headaches may appear alongside other types of headaches, depending on the exact cause and presentation of symptoms.

If your pain is centralized behind the left ear, you might be experiencing tension of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. This long muscle runs along the front and sides of the neck, just under the ears, helping you turn your head and neck.⁶ Tension or poor posture can strain the muscles on one side of the neck, causing pain or stiffness on either side of the neck. Pain behind the left ear can also indicate some TMJ irritation on one side of the joint.

Similarly to ear pain behind the left ear, pain behind the right ear can often be chalked up to tension and stiffness of the SCM muscle or disruption to the TMJ muscles. It’s important to remember that right ear head pain, or ear pain in general, may be the result of a few things happening in tandem. Take careful note of all symptoms, pain locations and types of pain to comprehensively discuss your condition with your doctor.

How does the pain feel?

Not only can the location of the pain behind your ear give some indication as to its cause, but so can the type of pain. Take note of how and when the pain appears to discuss it with your doctor.

Do you notice a sharp pain behind the ear—the sudden and intense kind that seems to come out of nowhere and disappear quickly? If you’re experiencing pain that comes and goes, it may be the result of neuralgia, or nerve irritation.

Nerves can become irritated by anything that compresses, stretches or damages them, including physical injury, certain medications, repetitive motions, bad posture or stress.⁷

When nerves become irritated, they may send errant or disrupted signals from the body to the brain, which are misread as short bursts of pain.⁸ If that sharp pain behind the ear comes and goes quickly, it may be a sign of occipital neuralgia in particular.

On the other hand, if you notice a dull pain behind the ear, this could be chalked up to ear infections, impacted earwax or TMJ pain. Rather than the sudden bursts of pain, pain associated with these conditions can last longer and be more related to an earache and pain behind the ear. This is likely due to the discomfort from fluid buildup or earwax in the ear canal.

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Additional symptoms with pain behind the ear

Pain behind the ear may not be your only clue to the cause of your discomfort—you may experience other symptoms at the same time. Identifying your concurrent symptoms can help you have a more productive conversation with your doctor, helping pinpoint the cause of the pain.

One of these related symptoms can be dizziness. Dizziness and pain behind the ear can stem from conditions affecting the inner ear, such as ear infections or impacted earwax. As earwax or fluid puts stress on the delicate hair cells of the inner ear, balance can become disrupted, resulting in dizziness.⁹

As mentioned previously, tension headaches caused by stress or tension of the muscles around the neck can lead to head pain behind the ears. Improper posture, unnatural muscle movements or physical stress can lead to the muscles behind the ears compressing or stretching unnaturally. This can result in tension headaches and pain in the head behind the ears.¹⁰

In some cases, the pain behind the ear can be the result of a very specific cause: a painful cyst behind the ear. These skin bumps, which often occur on the face and neck, are often just benign sebaceous cysts that have developed as a result of a blocked oil gland. The cyst can become painful if the gland becomes infected.¹¹

While cysts can present painful lumps behind the ear, other types of lumps and raised bumps behind the ear can also cause pain and discomfort. Lumps behind the ear with pain can be an indication of mastoiditis, an infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear.

This bone, which helps regulate middle ear pressure and protects the inner ear, can become inflamed as a complication of ear infections.¹² In addition to pain and ear discomfort, mastoiditis may also trigger fatigue, fever, secretions from the lump and redness behind and in the ear.¹³

While pain can accompany lumps behind the ears, not all are painful. Small bumps and pea-sized lumps behind the ear lobe with no pain — including benign cysts, acne, various skin conditions or lipomas — can develop on the skin behind the ear. In most cases, these hard, nonpainful lumps behind the ear are nothing to be worried about.

However, if they start to hurt, change in size or become bothersome to daily life, schedule an appointment with a doctor to discuss your condition.

At first glance, a painful swollen lymph node behind the ear can present similarly to sebaceous cysts behind the ear. However, unlike sebaceous cysts, swollen lymph nodes are often smaller and can be moved around.

These bumps often form as a result of the body fighting an ear infection and can become painful depending on the severity of the infection. The swelling should lessen as the infection subsides.

Experiencing both a sore throat and pain behind your ears? Given the direct connection between the ears and throat via the Eustachian tube, irritation and discomfort in the throat can quickly lead to pain in and around the ears. However, the type of pain and its severity depends on the cause. Sore throats from mild irritation or congestion may cause some light pain, whereas swollen tonsils or glands in the neck or jaw may produce more acute pain behind the ears.

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Potential causes of pain behind the ear

What causes pain behind the ears? There are numerous reasons why you may be experiencing this type of pain. By understanding the location and types of pain you’re experiencing, and discussing your pain with a doctor, you can more easily pinpoint the cause of the pain behind your ear and determine an effective solution.

If you’re experiencing pain near and behind the ears as a result of irritation in the throat, COVID-19 might be the root cause. COVID-19 is an upper respiratory condition that causes the throat and nose to become inflamed and blocked. This blockage subsequently causes the Eustachian tube to function incorrectly, preventing fluid from draining normally from the ears and disrupting middle ear pressure.

In turn, this can cause discomfort, temporary hearing problems and even pain around the ears. Pain behind the ears and down the neck due to COVID is an uncommon symptom but can occur depending on the variant.

Short bursts of stabbing or throbbing pain that extend from behind the ears down the neck could be the result of an irritated cranial nerve causingoccipital neuralgia. The cause for cranial nerve pain behind ears varies, ranging from muscle tension to head injury.

Whether located in the middle or inner ear, ear infections can be a source of discomfort and pain in the ear due to the uncomfortable pressure of fluid building behind the tympanic membrane. This pressure can spread behind the ear and neck depending on the severity of the ear infection. Ear infections can be identified with the help of additional symptoms, including discharge from the ear, scabbing in the ear canal, itching or redness around the ear, or unpleasant “wet smells” from built-up fluid or earwax.

It may sound like a simple problem, but your glasses may be the cause of your behind-the-ear pain. Improper fit — either too tight or too heavy — or incorrect balance on the ears can create strain and put pressure on the ears, creating pain around the head.¹⁴

Similarly to pain resulting from COVID-19, irritants in the air can cause sinus infection pain behind the ears as the passageways become inflamed and blocked. When this inflammation disrupts the normal function of the Eustachian tube, the resulting fluid build-up and pressure can cause pain and discomfort in the ears and neck area.¹⁵

Receiving a tattoo behind the ear can produce pain and discomfort due to the thin skin layer and abundance of nerves in the region. In some cases, dry skin as a result of improper tattoo aftercare can also produce pain and discomfort as the skin itches and scabs. See a healthcare professional immediately if your behind-the-ear tattoo pain worsens, the area begins to swell or you develop a fever.

If you notice your pain is primarily located around the jaw, irritation in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may be to blame. Given the joint’s proximity to the ear, pain can spread behind the ear and to surrounding bones. Related TMJ symptoms can include clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the jaw, stiffness or locking in the jaw, headaches, or pain in the ear.

TMJ disorders may not appear balanced and may cause greater experiences of pain on one side of the jaw or neck over the other.

Treatments for pain behind the ear

Treatment for pain behind the ear depends greatly on the type, location, root cause and severity of the pain. Whether at home on your own or with the help of a medical professional, there are options to find relief from pain behind the ear.

Depending on the severity and root cause of the pain behind your ear, you may be able to address your pain quickly and easily at home. Try these home remedies for pain behind ears, particularly if the pain is due to tension headaches:

Consider practicing relaxation methods such as meditation or deep breathing to lessen feelings of stress.
Implement good posture techniques to avoid straining the neck muscles.
Carefully use over-the-counter solutions, pain relief medications or drying eardrops for ear infections on the advice of your doctor.
Get plenty of rest and adjust sleep positions as needed to find a comfortable, relaxing position.

For many cases of pain behind the ear, time and some minor lifestyle adjustments can offer some much-needed relief for your symptoms.

In many cases, the pain behind your ear isn’t cause for concern. With rest, over-the-counter medication, small lifestyle adjustments and time, you’ll be back to living pain-free.

However, if you notice sudden changes in the location, type or degree of your pain, it’s time to seek medical help. Discuss your symptoms if they disrupt daily life or have become bothersome. Share your condition with a medical professional immediately if you notice other symptoms, such as discharge on the skin, intense headaches or hearing loss. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they could be an indicator of a more serious medical condition.

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FAQs about pain behind the ear

Yes, in some cases allergies can cause pain behind the ears. When someone with allergies comes into contact with an allergen in the air, the body produces histamines. These histamines can irritate the eyes, throat and ears, causing congestion. This, in turn, leads to fluid buildup behind the eardrum and blocked Eustachian tubes. Fluid buildup can result in painful ear infections or simply a dull discomfort from the increased pressure in the ears.¹⁶

Yes, stress can result in pain behind the ears. When you’re stressed, muscles throughout the body tend to tighten and stretch in unnatural ways. This can look like sleeping in uncomfortable positions, hunching at your desk, or holding tension in your neck and shoulders. These unexpected positions and the body’s attempts to compensate for these discomforts can lead to pain in the muscles behind the ear and down the neck.

As seen with the TMJ, the jaw and the ear are very close together and irritation in one can cause discomfort in the other. This is especially true with wisdom teeth, which are located at the back of the mouth. Wisdom teeth can become impacted if they are unable to emerge correctly from the gums and therefore grow at odd angles. This unnatural growth translates to inflamed and irritated gums and jaw discomfort, sending pain through the mouth, neck, jaw and ear areas.¹⁷

Sources

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² Michaudet C, Malaty J. Cerumen Impaction: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Oct 15;98(8):525-529. PMID: 30277727.

³ Li DTS, Leung YY. Temporomandibular Disorders: Current Concepts and Controversies in Diagnosis and Management. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Mar 6;11(3):459. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11030459. PMID: 33800948; PMCID: PMC8000442.

⁴ Djavaherian DM, Guthmiller KB. Occipital Neuralgia. [Updated 2023 Mar 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538281/.

⁵ Shah N, Asuncion RMD, Hameed S. Muscle Contraction Tension Headache. [Updated 2024 Dec 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562274/.

⁶ Kohan EJ, Wirth GA. Anatomy of the neck. Clin Plast Surg. 2014 Jan;41(1):1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.cps.2013.09.016. PMID: 24295343.

⁷ Djavaherian DM, Guthmiller KB. Occipital Neuralgia. [Updated 2023 Mar 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538281/.

⁸ Costigan M, Scholz J, Woolf CJ. Neuropathic pain: a maladaptive response of the nervous system to damage. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2009;32:1-32. doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.051508.135531. PMID: 19400724; PMCID: PMC2768555.

⁹ Hall CD, Herdman SJ, Whitney SL, Anson ER, Carender WJ, Hoppes CW. Treatment of Vestibular Disorders (Inner Ear Balance Problems): How Does Your Physical Therapist Treat Dizziness Related to Inner Ear Balance Problems? J Neurol Phys Ther. 2022 Apr 1;46(2):178-179. doi: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000385. PMID: 34775435; PMCID: PMC8920002.

¹⁰ Shah N, Asuncion RMD, Hameed S. Muscle Contraction Tension Headache. [Updated 2024 Dec 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562274/.

¹¹ Zito PM, Scharf R. Epidermoid Cyst. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499974/.

¹² Ilea A, Butnaru A, Sfrângeu SA, Hedeşiu M, Dudescu CM, Berce P, Chezan H, Hurubeanu L, Trombiţaş VE, Câmpian RS, Albu S. Role of mastoid pneumatization in temporal bone fractures. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2014 Jul;35(7):1398-404. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A3887. Epub 2014 Mar 7. PMID: 24610903; PMCID: PMC7966584.

¹³ Sahi D, Nguyen H, Callender KD. Mastoiditis. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560877/.

¹⁴ Du Y, Liu K, Ju Y, Wang H. Effect of prolonged wear and frame tightness of AR glasses on comfort. Heliyon. 2024 Aug 6;10(16):e35899.

¹⁵ Battisti AS, Modi P, Pangia J. Sinusitis. [Updated 2023 Mar 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470383/ 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35899. PMID: 39220948; PMCID: PMC11365371.

¹⁶ Mahajan A, Manhas M, Kalsotra P, Kalsotra G, Gul N. A Prospective Study of Audiological Manifestations in Patients of Allergic Rhinitis. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Oct;74(Suppl 2):1256-1261. doi: 10.1007/s12070-020-02343-5. Epub 2021 Jan 7. PMID: 36452663; PMCID: PMC9701995.

¹⁷Dodson TB, Susarla SM. Impacted wisdom teeth. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014 Aug 29;2014:1302. PMID: 25170946; PMCID: PMC4148832.