The many causes of otalgia

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Otalgia is a common symptom. Primary otalgia is causedz by disease of the pinna, ear canal, or middle ear space (or in rare cases, the inner ear). Secondary, or referred, otalgia is caused by disease elsewhere in the head or neck. The author describes various disorders that may cause the pain, how to differentiate and treat them, and when referral to an otolaryngologist is recommended. He emphasizes that “a person who smokes or drinks and has unilateral otalgia should be considered to have cancer until proved otherwise.”