Description

Code list aiming to identify individuals consulting complaining of earache.

Methodology

Identified from intial search terms outside of OpenCodelists: "earache" "ear ache" "aching ear" "otalgia" "otitis" ear pain" "painful ear" "pain in ear" ear auricle pain" "painful ear auricle "

Clearly irrelevant codes excluded (with review by a second clinician)

Candidate codelist reviewed outside OpenCodelists by two clinicians. As we reviewed our candidate codelist outside openCodelists, we did not benefit from the tree structures that might have identified additional codes. However, we assume that these are likely to be codes that are not used frequently, e.g., eponymous syndromes.

Retained otitis media codes that do not specify a causative organism (except those specifying COVID-19) as these codes may be used to describe ear pain without confirmation of cause. However, excluded suppurative and malignant otitis media, as both suggest bacterial cause.

Signed off by

• Kate Mansfield, (Dec. 14, 2022)