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Extreme outer ear pain: What can it be?
Please....someone help me.
I’ve visited my allergist, an ear-nose-throat specialist and my own internist.
None of them have ever heard of my problem and don’t know how to help me.
Started approx 20 yrs ago, Every couple of months I would get an awful pain on one of my ears if I had been laying on it during the night. It would happen to either ear, whichever one I laid on.
To describe the pain. It is so intense that it wakes me. Pain is NOT inside the ear but around the edges of the entrance of it. It is so painful, I can’t touch it. It will be throbbing. It also hurts tremendously behind, towards the bottom back of the ear. Can’t touch that either. The only thing that will make it go away is when I then get up and stand and within approx 30 min it is gone. I even tested it by massaging behind the ear (once I could bear to touch it) and it seemed to make pain go away faster.
The last approx 3 years, I have no longer been able to even lay on either ear when in bed because now the pain will come every time. I have learned to sleep on my back. Sometimes I would still move onto my side during night, and wake up with pain.
For last 6 months, I’ve been having pressure and achy feeling around one of the ears, even while laying on my back. Then I started getting the pain even while sleeping on my back.
I am very much afraid that the day will come when I will no longer be able to lay down in my bed to go to sleep.
I am desperate to get to the bottom of this and perhaps for first time in 20 years be able to comfortably lay on my side in bed.
My ENT doctor said my ears are healthy .... i have no hearing loss.
This ear pain, however, is starting to affect my daily living, since I don’t seem to be able to get the restful sleep I need.
I will be forever grateful if someone could pinpoint this. thanks.
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Okay - update. I was so excited when the calcium and vitamin D seemed to help, but it only lasted for a few weeks. As I was having increased heartburn, I was unwilling to try increasing the dosages. Back to square one. I've since found a topical remedy. I still don't know what causes the pain or how to make it stop happening, but if I use my prescription EMLA Cream (Lidocaine 2.5% and Prilocaine 2.5%) on my outer ear area just before I lay down at night, I'm not bothered for hours, if at all. It's something I have to do every night, but it's worth the trouble not to be awake most of the night.
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1 ReactionThat was what I took, but see below. It didn't last and I was crushed. Did find a different fix though.
That was what I took, but see below. It didn't last and I was crushed. Did find a different fix though.
Going to reply directly to you - hopefully you will be notified. I wasn't and was surprised to see the other posts made after my initial one. The vitamin and calcium remedy did work, but only for a few weeks. I have Prilocaine / Lidocaine cream by prescription for another ailment and I decided to try it. I put a small amount over the area of my ear that hurts at night just before bed, and it works most of the night - sometimes all night. Maybe your doc would be willing to prescribe for you. Good luck. I know exactly how miserable you are.
Have seen several doctors for this. Finally my ENT diagnosed it. Will tell you more after biopsy. He says there is no known cure. Also, no treatment. Another doctor told me that it has something to do with inflamation. Told me to take two Motrin half hour prior to laying down and this will work. IT DOES. I don't know how long I will keep taking it though. Not good for digestive system. Think it is causing acid reflux and can cause ulcers. Also, have other undiagnosed health issues that no doctor can figure out.
That is what my doctor said Relapsing Polychondritis, although I am not sure I can believe that. 2 Motrin an hour before bed will give you a Restfull nights sleep. Not good for long term though.
No - you surely don't want to have to take Motrin every single night. I'm not aware of any side effects of repeated use of the caine cream, but it works amazingly well. Actually, I've had three nights in a row with no pain and no cream or vitamin treatment. Don't ask me to explain why that would be because I've had the pain every single night with the exception of the brief relief after starting the calcium and D, and the nights I did use the cream till now. I don't understand what's different, but something is. I'm certainly not going to complain about it and just be thankful for whatever it is. Hope you find a safe and reliable way to combat yours.
I have had outer ear pain for at least ten years .. Woke me up every night with pain in the cartilage of the upper ear. I would go into the bathroom and look in the mirrow---bright red. Then it returns to normal in a minute or two. Now this year I had to be put on a C-PAP machine for sleep apnea. It was the first night that I realized the pain did not occur. It is now four and a half months and it is completely gone. It disappeared the very first night. I really have no idea what is taking care of it----but it seems to me that not having low oxygen during the night might be what is helping. I am just hoping that it continues to keep it away.
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1 ReactionThat's amazing.
Thanks. Where do you buy this?