Earache

TRIAGE QUESTIONS

Question 1: What side is it?

• Please document laterality and avoid abbreviations such as 'rt' and 'R'

Question 2: Is there ear discharge?

• If yes, then go to the Discharging Ear triage page

• If no, go to Question 3

Question 3: Are the ear canal and tympanic membrane normal on otoscopy? 

• If yes, then consider referred pain - does the patient have tonsillitis; is there a suspicious lesion in the pharynx; could it be coming from the tempomandibular joint; could it be a type of facial pain or neuralgia?

• If no, then go to Question 4

Question 4: Is the tympanic membrane opaque, bulging and red? 

• If yes, then could be acute otitis media if there is associated hearing loss - this is much more common in children

• If no, then if there are fluid menisci or bubbles behind a dark-looking tympanic membrane with associated hearing loss, this could be otitis media with effusion (glue ear)

TRIAGE FLOWCHART

To download the PDF version of this flowchart, please click on the image.

Page last reviewed: 1 December 2022