Paroxysmal pain in the ear is often the result of an acute inflammatory infection of the outer ear canal or middle ear. Patients may suffer from acute inflammation of the external ear canal due to excessive force when digging the ear, or further water ingress after the ear has broken down, resulting in congestion, swelling, and narrowing of the skin of the external ear canal, causing paroxysmal pain, and even stuffy ears, ear blockage, hearing loss, and tinnitus. Patients may suffer from acute otitis media due to inflammatory respiratory tract infections, which may cause severe pain in the ear, or even perforation of the eardrum and pus in the ear. Some patients may simply have nerve pain in the ear, which is related to excessive mental and emotional stress and anxiety.