- 1
Take your temperature with a sterile thermometer.electronic thermometer image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
Determine whether you have a fever. Take your temperature with a thermometer. The normal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If your temperature is at least one degree higher than this, you have a fever. - 2). Examine your ear for any pus drainage. According to the website Ask Dr. Sears, if you have no fever but have pus draining from your ear, you may have "swimmer's ear," which is a type of ear infection that can result after swimming or bathing. Swimmer's ear can cause pain during both yawning and swallowing. See your doctor for treatment.
- 3). See your doctor as soon as possible if you do have a fever along with pus draining from the ear. The pus may be thick and bloody. You may have a ruptured eardrum. Keep your ear dry and use a heating pad to help relieve your pain.
- 4). Focus on your jaw while you yawn. Does your jaw "crack"? Is there any tenderness in the area? According to FamilyDoctor.org, you may be mistaking ear pain for jaw pain while you yawn. If your jaw is the area that's troubling you, you may have temporomandibular joint syndrome, or TMJ. See your doctor immediately for severe or persistent pain. You can also try alternating heat and cold therapy, by using a heating pad and an ice pack.
- 5). Try yawning a few more times if none of the above diagnoses apply to you. It may be that the yawning is incidental. Examine whether you still experience pain each time you yawn. Then try to avoid yawning for a few minutes. Do you experience pain despite not yawning? If so, you may have a middle ear infection. According to the Mayo Clinic, this infection may also cause dizziness and temporary hearing loss. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for this infection.
SHARE
