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otalgia

otalgia

9.9
Pain in the ear, often from the middle or inner part
  • noun
  • /oʊˈtæl.dʒə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : otalgia
  • A 35-year-old woman presented with persistent otalgia, otorrhea, and headache.
  • persistent otalgia
  • severe otalgia
  • right-sided otalgia

Examples

  • A 53-year-old woman presented with recurrent, persistent right-sided otalgia, otorrhea, and headache.

    Academic text (2009)
  • A 68-year-old woman presented with an 18-month history of otalgia, hearing loss, and an offensive-smelling discharge from her right ear.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Characteristically, there is little or no otalgia.

    Academic text (2002)
  • The patient reported that although his hearing was unchanged and he had no otalgia or otorrhea, he did hear crackling in that ear.

    Academic text (2006)
  • A 27-year-old woman presented with persistent bilateral otalgia, otorrhea, and headache.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Other symptoms include dysphagia, odynophagia, neck pain, dysphonia, otalgia, and hearing loss.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Postoperative pain can lead to poor oral intake, dehydration, fever, otalgia, and a difficult recovery.

    Academic text (2004)
  • A 39-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of persistent otalgia, otorrhea, and headache.

    Academic text (2009)
  • A 3-year-old boy was referred to our clinic with a 2-month history of right-sided otalgia and bleeding from the external auditory canal.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The doctor diagnosed her with otalgia after she complained of severe ear pain.

Synonyms

earache
vsotalgia
6 1.3

Pain inside the ear that can be sharp or dull

refers specifically to pain rather than mild discomfort

Antonyms

190 1.0

A feeling of physical ease and being free from pain

Surface Forms

otalgia singular
otalgias plural

Morphology

otalgia = ot + algia

The word is derived from Greek roots 'ot-' meaning 'ear' and '-algia' meaning 'pain', but these are not transparent or recognizable English morphemes for most learners.

Etymology

The word otalgia comes from Greek parts oto- 'ear' and -algia 'pain'. So, otalgia simply means 'ear pain', and you can see the same parts in medical words like otitis, meaning 'ear infection', and otoscope, a tool used to look into the ear.