Final answer:
The nurse should expect the condition of otalgia, which is associated with acute otitis media—an infection of the middle ear presenting as ear pain, particularly after ruling out other ear-related conditions with different symptom profiles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse caring for a patient scheduled for a root canal surgery who complains of having ear pain might expect to find the condition known as otalgia, which is another term for ear pain. This is typically associated with acute otitis media (AOM), a common infection of the middle ear. AOM is particularly prevalent among young children, but can also occur in adults and is a leading reason for antibiotic prescriptions.
AOM is characterized by the presence of pus in the middle ear, which leads to a buildup and can cause a bulging of the tympanic membrane, ear pain, and potentially fever, nausea, and vomiting. The inflammation from the infection can also cause swelling of the eustachian tubes. If the patient is an infant or toddler, they may show nonverbal signs of AOM, such as tugging at or rubbing their ear. Other conditions such as osteomyelitis, otitis externa, or cholesteatoma also affect the ears but present with different symptoms.