I have ear ache

I have been having aches in my ears for about two months now. Even though I don’t have any discharge from the ear, the pain has not allowed me to sleep well at night. Kindly let me know what to do about it. I am in my 40s.

Samson (by email)

Don’t give up, better days ahead for Nigeria ― Fayose

Ear ache can be cause by many factors such as infection (otitis media), swimmer’s ear (infection of the skin in the ear canal), pressure from a cold or sinus infection, teeth pain radiating up the jaw to the ear. It can also be due to excessive presence of wax in the ear. To tell the difference, your doctor will need to examine your ears. If your ear pain is accompanied by a high fever, involves both ears, or if you have other signs of illness, your doctor may decide that an antibiotic is the best treatment. However, if your doctor suspects your ear infection may be from a virus, in that case, you won’t need any antibiotics. All you need will be pain tablets and rest. In the case of wax, your doctor may simply clean your ears for you or if the wax is excessive, prescribe some ear drops to melt the wax.