Many people wear earrings to be fashionable, enhance their appearance, or simply because they like them. However, many of those people have experienced the unpleasant sensation of having ears that hurt after wearing earrings for only a short period of time.
When this happens, earrings may become their worst companions and can be put away for a while. There’s more than one reason why your ears may hurt when you wear earrings. Unfortunately, they’re not always obvious to some.
Ear pain after wearing earrings is often experienced by people who have piercings or children who are still growing. In children, the ears are more likely to be sore because their cartilage is not fully developed. This can also be the case with older people whose ears’ cartilage has started to deteriorate.
So, why do your ears hurt when you wear earrings?
7 Causes Of Ear Pain Associated With Wearing Earrings
There could be a number of causes for ear pain when wearing certain types of earrings. The discomfort you may feel in your ears could be because something was inserted too deeply or because an infection has developed.
It can even be caused by tiny fractures to the outer region of the ear. In most cases, when you have poor fitting earrings or post-piercing infections, these are some of the most common causes for the pain.
1. Metal Allergies
If you’re allergic to certain metals, even if it’s just slightly, this can cause irritation in your ear. Most of the time people who are sensitive experience pain and swelling after wearing their earrings for only a short duration.
What are metal allergies? Metal allergies are common for people who have nickel allergies. They may also be caused by other types of metal like gold, titanium, and platinum.
If you’re experiencing pain due to the metal jewelry that you’re wearing in your ears, then it’s best to remove them immediately. If this is impossible, then try switching earrings or putting some anti-itch cream on the area of your piercing.
2. Ear Infections
If you have a piercing, there’s a chance that you could get an infection in your ear. The infection can quickly spread to the surrounding area and cause some pain and discomfort.
Ear piercings that are not properly taken care of can easily become home to bacteria. This makes you susceptible to an ear infection, which can be very painful and unpleasant to deal with.
Infections, regardless of their positions in the body, can be hard to deal with. This is especially the case if they are unattended to and become severe. In some cases, it’s possible for your ears to become so irritated if you have an ear infection that they begin to bleed.
The best way to deal with an ear infection is to take the proper steps. First, you need to try seeing your doctor in order to see if they can prescribe an antibiotic for you. If that’s not possible, then it’s necessary for you to start using ear drops in order to lessen the pain and swelling associated with your condition.
3. The Earrings Might Be Too Tight
Sometimes it might not be as complicated as a small infection or even poor earrings fit. In some cases, it could be as simple as the piercing is too tight and causing discomfort in your ears.
What happens if the earring is too tight? If you feel like your pierced ears are getting irritated and they’re also beginning to swell, it’s possible that the pair of earrings you have on is too tight. In addition, wearing earrings that are extremely tight on your pierced ears might lead to some nerve damage.
The solution for this is quite simple. If you’ve noticed that you’re having side effects like these, immediately take out the earring and try inserting it again. This way you can determine whether or not the piercing is too tight, and if it is, you can adjust your earrings accordingly.
4. Incorrectly Fitted Piercings
Incorrectly fitted piercings are a common reason for ear pain when wearing earrings. The fitting can be off by a significant amount, which makes you feel pain and discomfort in your ears after being worn for a short duration of time.
What to do if the piercing is not proper fit? If you think that the placement of your earrings is incorrect, then it’s best to go back to the piercer. If you are sure that the studs or earrings that you’re wearing in your ears were inserted by a trained individual at a professional studio, then there might be an issue with your piercing.
You can try adjusting them yourself, but this could result in making the situation worse. If you decide to do this, always make sure that your hands are clean, and that you’re wearing sterilized earrings.
5. The Wrong Type of Earrings
It might sound like an obvious problem if your ears hurt when you wear earrings. However, it’s possible for you to experience pain due to the fact that you’re wearing the wrong type of earrings.
For example, if you have gold studs in your ears and then switch to silver hoops, there’s a chance that this may cause some issues with how your piercings feel.
This is because different types of metals produce different sensations when worn. If you go from one metal to another, especially if they are quite different from one another in their properties, then it’s possible that your ear piercing could react in a negative way.
The solution for this issue is rather simple. If you’re wearing the wrong type of earrings and your piercings hurt when you wear them, switch metals to see if this helps with the problem. If this still hurts your ears, then it might be time to go back and see if there is any damage that was caused by the incorrect placement of your earrings.
6. Sensitive Ears
People with sensitive ears are more likely to experience pain when wearing earrings. This is because people with sensitive ears are often more prone to bruising or getting infections because of their piercings. While the chance of experiencing any issues like this is rare, it’s possible.
What can you do if you have sensitive ears? If you find that you’re having negative side effects like these, you might need to change your earrings. It’s best to go with materials that are hypoallergenic or steel if you have sensitive ears.
The issue with this is that there are some gold studs out on the market that are advertised as being hypoallergenic, but may not be. This is why it’s important to do your research about a product before you buy it.
7. Not Taking Good Care of the Piercings
When it comes to taking care of your piercings, there are about five tips that you should follow.
Keep in mind that even if you’re doing all of the right things to take care of your ears when wearing earrings, you might still experience pain. This is because some people simply have more sensitive skin than others.
- Before touching your newly pierced ears, wash your hands.
- Let the earrings remain in your ears for six weeks or longer, even when sleeping.
- Wash your ears with water and soap on a regular basis.
- Twist the earrings several times on a daily basis.
- Use rubbing alcohol to clean your ears.
When you do this, there are two things that are likely to happen. First, you’re likely to reduce the risk of getting an infection in your piercings. Second, you’re going to reduce the risk of experiencing pain when wearing earrings because you’re taking proper care of your ears.
When Should You See A Doctor?
Even though piercings are very common, it’s possible for some people to experience more pain than others when wearing certain types of earrings.
This is why you should see a doctor if the issue doesn’t go away after wearing different sorts of earrings or making adjustments.
- If you’re experiencing intense piercing pain that lasts more than a couple days, it’s best to visit your doctor. He or she can help you get to the bottom of the issue so that you can wear earrings without any issues.
- If you’re not sure what sort of pain you may be experiencing when wearing earrings, make an appointment with your doctor for a check up before going shopping for new earrings. This way, you can get a professional opinion about what sort of pain you may be experiencing and how to get rid of it.
- If your doctor suspects that there is an infection in one or both of your ears, he or she will prescribe antibiotics for treatment. There are also other medications that might help with the problem, including antihistamines.
Final Thoughts
Many people find it fashionable to wear earrings, but some have found that wearing them is not worth the pain. Knowing why ears might hurt when you wear them can help you prevent the pain in the future.
Remember that these are just some of the causes of ear pain while wearing earrings and what to do about it. If you continue to have problems, consult your doctor.