Many parts of the head and facial anatomy are interconnected, especially the ears, nose and throat (there’s a reason why doctors specialize in all three!). Because all of these parts work together, if you’re experiencing illness or pain in one, it could easily lead to issues elsewhere. So it’s understandable that, sometimes, earaches and headaches go hand in hand. Let’s  look at the causes, symptoms and solutions for simultaneous earaches and headaches.

Any of the above-mentioned causes, from migraines to infections, might cause headache and ear pain on the right side of your head. However, none of them will predictably cause one-sided pain across all people. 

There is no exact way to identify why you might only experience ear pain and headache on the left side of your head. The side of your head where these pains show up is entirely individual and might even switch. If you have concerns about consistent headache and earache on one side, record your symptoms and talk to a doctor about them. 

Treatment for your simultaneous earache and headache will require you to find out exactly what caused both of them to appear. Then, you can resolve the issue at its source, knocking out the associated symptoms. To manage symptoms while pursuing treatment, try these medications and earache and headache home remedies.

For headaches:

• Try massaging your head to release tension or going to a professional masseuse to do it for you;
• Hold warm or cool compresses against your forehead; limit use of cool compresses to less than 10 minutes;
• Stay hydrated throughout the day, as dehydration triggers headaches;
• Reduce your caffeine intake, as it can make headaches worse;
• Take over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, according to package directions.

For earaches:

• Place a cold or hot compress against the irritated ear. Again, limit cold compress use to no more than 10 minutes;
• Use ear drops, following the directions on the label or as prescribed by a doctor;
• Take an appropriate dosage of over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. 

When you’re dealing with headaches accompanied by ear pain, knowing when to see a doctor can be difficult. While headaches can be a common, passing irritation, they can also be an early sign of worse or impending health conditions. Earaches and pain can also lead to long-term hearing loss and permanent damage if spurred by infection and left untreated.

When you have a headache or ear pain—or both—pay attention to the severity and any differences you feel from normal headaches you experience. Anything extremely painful or otherwise out of the ordinary is a good reason to talk to your doctor.