Aching or pain in the ear is called otalgia. Ear pain is usually caused by an infection of the ear area, including outer ear infections, mastoiditis, or middle ear infections. However, pain in the ear can also arise from infections or conditions in nearby regions that affect the ear nerves. This is called "referred pain" and may arise from dental conditions, jaw disorders, or afflictions of the upper digestive tract and throat area. There are a variety of possible causes of ear pain and any ear pain symptoms needs prompt professional medical advice.

Many factors or conditions are associated with a child’s likelihood to develop ear aches, including family history, their exposure rate to child care and other children, age, race, second hand smoke, season, and the feeding position of the baby. Children who are exposed to other children on a regular basis are likely to develop more colds and ear aches due to their immature immune system and their tendency to touch everything and everyone. Native Americans and Eskimos in cold climates tend to get more ear aches than Caucasians.