I am having sharp pain in my ear and throat

I am experiencing left ear pain (which occasionally radiates out to left side of nose, left upper/lower jaw, head, down to left side of neck), down into shoulder - since March this year (2024).

May I ask, did you have any other symptoms other a chronic sharp pain?

I am in UK. My issue has not responded to antibiotic treatment. A clinician ahs taken a swab (not had result yet) to see if it grows any cultures.

In 2017 I had three “in situ” melanomas removed, so the issue of a skin cancer is always foremost in my mind.

How did they diagnose you skin cancer in the ear - was it some kind of scan? MRI?

I have seen a consultant who ruled out any malignancy (camera up nose, feeling for lumps and bumps etc) and I have been placed on a “routine” waiting list to see another consultant (possibly to have an MRI scan), but that could be months.

Thank you.

@devonchorister I was wondering if any of your doctors have considered Shingles as the cause of your pain? I know of someone who is currently dealing with that with a similar description of ear and jaw pain. You might ask them if they haven't mentioned it.
I had only the pain symptom. The CT scan was not definitive. And the lesion was not visible in my ear canal. I had a special mold done with a soft cast of my ear canal to make a new earpiece for my stethoscope and apparently the pressure from doing that caused a disruption of the lesion on the surface. It started bleeding a little and on my referral visit to the 4th ENT he was able to take a little sample from the area via videoscope to do a biopsy. Later I developed some minimal symptoms of facial nerve paralysis as the tumor grew into the facial nerve. Finally an MRI was done that showed the tumor growing into the bone. I had surgery about a month after that at Mayo Clinic but all diagnostics were done locally at a major University referral hospital.
Not knowing how the medical system works in UK, I don't know if continued pressure and requests for earlier appt thru a cancellation would help you be seen sooner. In the meantime, can you discuss shingles with your physician? Have you ever had chicken pox as a child? It is the same virus flaring up in the nerves causing shingles. I hope you can get some answers. Worrying about cancer every day is not healthy either. Be persistent with your doctors. We must advocate for our own healthcare.

Thank you so much - that’s very helpful.

I did have chicken pox as a child, and I will definitely suggest this to my medical practitioner (not a Doctor in this case as in the UK “minor" things such as earaches are now dealt with by a “Nurse Practitioner”).

I have had shingles in the past - but it was on my left leg. That was some years ago.

However, Mmy immunity I think has dropped somewhat (also had a lfare-up of my diverticula disease which got infected) and because of my “in situ” moles I was told NOT to sunbathe - so I have to supplement with Vitamin D. But last year I cut my dose by half as I’d read supplementing is bad overall. So when I tested my Vit. D level (a blood test done at home sent to an NHS lab) in Janaury I was shocked to see it had plummeted from 120nMol to 75nMol. I know they say 50 nMol is “adequate” - but for me its not, and I’ve now doubled my dose to boost my immunity. I believe shingles happens when one is run down or ones immunity is low.

My problems started in January when blood and mucus were coming down one nostril - that cleared up using steam, then it all went to my ear! The two may be unrelated though (the GP that referred me to an ENT specialist - an urgent referral - had a concern because the lesions and blood from my nose were only on one side and had been going on so long - he told me to use steam and it certainly cleared up the blood from the nose).

Thank you again for your suggestion - I will certainly mention this to my practitioner when I get the result of my swab (I don’t think it will show anything to be honest, but we’ll see).

I completely agree that self-advocacy is the key and I will be writing to the hospital to give them an update, and request an appointment sooner rather than later - hopefully I'll get the MRI scan that the consultant offered as a “safety net” if my problem hasn’t settled (which it hasn't). I may consider paying private for an MRI but it would depend on cost.

I’ll try and update this at some point, as it might help someone else at some point!

Thank you so much!

Just a follow-up from me - I contacted my surgery and spoke to a GP - he didn’t rule out shingles but said it was too late for treatment now anyway.

I think my symptoms are abating - I’m having longer spells with no pain at all, where it all feels normal.

I do so thank you for your reply as thinking about it, I may have had a bout of shingles that began in Janaury - albeit fairly mild (though very uncomfortable at times) which would explain the lesions up my left nostril (and the bleeding from my left nostril) and why the pain only affects my left side - which I guess will be nerve pain from the shingles (thankfully at present getting less and less).

I did have shingles around 15 years ago (which was caught early and I was put on Aciclovir - I had no pain or itching, just a few red spots on my left inner thigh) and I remembered I took some L-Lysine at the time, and although it’s a bit late for that now, I am taking it anyway for 10-15 days.

Many thanks once again.

That is good news @devonchorister. Improvement is always good. One of my ENT surgeons said when it is cancer causing pain, it will not get better. That helps to relieve the worries of a recurrence with every new pain or discomfort.
I also had a mild case of shingles maybe 30 years ago. Just itch and pain but no rash. I was a little slow in dealing with it so no antiviral....if they were even available back then.

A little Lysine can't hurt, better late than never. Fingers crossed you are back to normal soon.

Thank you Sue - and yes, it is reassuring when the pains subside as you say, indicating there’s some other reason for them other than a malignancy. I’ve been pain-free for three days now, so hopefully onwards and upwards!

Well, I am so pleased I came here to share my story - it’s been very helpful indeed. Thank you for your support and replies.