Ear pain can occur in one or both ears, and can last for a few minutes or a long time, MedlinePlus indicates. An earache might come on suddenly and can be caused by an ear infection or some other problem, such as a reaction to medication.

Earaches have many causes, almost all of them painful for the patient. There may be sharp, stabbing pains or a dull ache extending into your head and sinuses.

An earache can be a miserable experience for anyone but especially for a young child. Otitis media, a middle ear infection, can cause this pain as can otitis externa, commonly called "swimmers ear." After the infection is over, though, the pain can persist, recurring when cold air touches still-sensitive tissues.

Tooth extractions are done for a variety of reasons: you may have too many teeth, causing overcrowding in your jaw or you may need to have braces placed on your teeth. This is considered oral surgery because the dentist or oral surgeon has to anesthetize you before extracting your tooth.

An earache, or pain in the ear, is caused by conditions within the ear itself, the ear canal or the external portion of the ear, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Causes of the pain usually include an infection from fluid buildup.