@amandabanana80 Hi,
I have a very similar story other than the thyroid nodule and I was never a smoker....
After yrs of no answers for anything, I was finally diagnosed with Eagle's Syndrome and Trigemanal Neuralgia.
Unfortunately, the ES is often missed in imaging. The majority of dr's are very unfamiliar with it or simply dismiss it as not being a real issue.
There's an Eagle's Syndrome group on here that you may find helpful.
Continue to be an advocate for yourself! You know how you feel and that your pain is real!
I'm sorry dr's keep pushing antibiotics on you without a known infection being the cause. That isn't helping anything:(
Definitely check out info on Eagle's Syndrome, all of your symptoms are very fitting. And your random, stabbing ear pain cld certainly be an irritated nerve.
I describe mine as being stabbed by an ice pik in the ear, face and eye. And I feel like I have a never ending case of strep throat but it's all mostly on the right side.
The majority of ENTs give the "oh, it's just acid reflux" and want you to take pepcid or zantac. It's a very frustrating journey but there has to be help somewhere with the right dr's.
Good Luck!