1. < Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Extreme outer ear pain: What can it be?

Posted by ellienewfan @ellienewfan, Feb 4, 2013

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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ellie60 | @ellie60 | Nov 30, 2018

You might also want to try a memory foam travel pillow. Although not as comfortable as making a pocket in a regular soft pillow, which I've also done, you can't slip up. And you don't need to use the travel pillow all night, just when your ear starts hurting again. I bought mine in a drugstore. Along with applying Aloe Vera gel, this travel pillow has made it possible for me to get a full night's sleep despite my ear condition.

REPLY
jendee | @jendee | Dec 9, 2018
In reply to @gls58 "I had the pain for over 2 years, and I resorted to sleeping with my hand..." + (show)
@gls58

I had the pain for over 2 years, and I resorted to sleeping with my hand under my cheek to keep pressure off my ears. It only helped a little and caused me to wake over and over every night. I come back and do a search every so often to see if there are any stories of relief, and I just can't remember where I saw the vitamin / calcium solution. I'll keep looking, because it's made such a difference in my life. I'd forgotten how it felt to actually sleep. I suffer from chronic neck and back pain too, and sleeping on my side is the only option I have, so this was a huge issue. This may not help all others suffering with this, but it's so easy to try. Give it a little time. Hope it helps.

Jump to this post

Holy cow, both my husband and I have the same thing!

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lioness | @lioness | Dec 9, 2018
In reply to @nibor63 "I have the same and have had for a year and a half. Had lots of..." + (show)
@nibor63

I have the same and have had for a year and a half. Had lots of tests. NO answers. Taking Meloxicam. Only thing that has helped.

Jump to this post

@nibor63 Meloxicam maybe yoir answer The Dr gave me this for my osteoarthritis and yes it does work My ears are fine except for tinnitus.

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Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 10, 2018

Had systemic pain, all over, prior to meloxicam. Right foot, back, ears, etc. Couldn't function prior to Meloxicam.

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poetny | @poetny | Dec 13, 2018

I have had this several times as well; yesterday was the worst, very severe. But it worsened through the day, it didn’t go away. I didn’t sleep well, and nothing topical/natural helped. I finally took a fioricet, which seemed to blunt it a bit but it still isn’t gone (since yesterday morning) and I am now hurting head to toe.

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angeloneday | @angeloneday | Dec 17, 2018

I have also awaken because of excruciating pain around my outer ear. I read in a magazine where someone had written about having excruciating pain around the ear lobe whenever she slept on her ear. This interested me, as I had the same problem. She was advised by the doctor answering the post. He stated that the condition is known as trigeminal neuralgia. I intend to look up information on this condition and maybe oneday I will be able to get a good night sleep instead of sleeping on my hands.

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1 reply
Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 18, 2018
In reply to @angeloneday "I have also awaken because of excruciating pain around my outer ear. I read in a..." + (show)
@angeloneday

I have also awaken because of excruciating pain around my outer ear. I read in a magazine where someone had written about having excruciating pain around the ear lobe whenever she slept on her ear. This interested me, as I had the same problem. She was advised by the doctor answering the post. He stated that the condition is known as trigeminal neuralgia. I intend to look up information on this condition and maybe oneday I will be able to get a good night sleep instead of sleeping on my hands.

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Not Trigeminal Neuralgia.

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marlaj | @marlaj | Dec 20, 2018

I have had this same problem for many years. It is not relapsing polychondritis. It is not an autoimmune inner ear disease. The pain is triggered when I lie down on my side, with my ear touching a very soft pillow. Pillow softness does not prevent the outer ear cartilage pain. I know many people who can lie with their head against a pillow and sleep without pain. I used to be one of them. Many of us 'oddballs', exist and suffer from this"mystery diagnosis". I keep waiting for our superhero to appear and remove this pain forever.

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1 reply
Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 20, 2018
In reply to @marlaj "I have had this same problem for many years. It is not relapsing polychondritis. It is..." + (show)
@marlaj

I have had this same problem for many years. It is not relapsing polychondritis. It is not an autoimmune inner ear disease. The pain is triggered when I lie down on my side, with my ear touching a very soft pillow. Pillow softness does not prevent the outer ear cartilage pain. I know many people who can lie with their head against a pillow and sleep without pain. I used to be one of them. Many of us 'oddballs', exist and suffer from this"mystery diagnosis". I keep waiting for our superhero to appear and remove this pain forever.

Jump to this post

I have this same thing. No diagnosis. Have been researching this for almost two years. Had every test known to man. Even had an ear biopsy. I believe mine may be autoimmune related, as I have other symptoms, as well. Ear biopsy showed inflammation in ear tissue. I do take Meloxicam and this helps to minimalize all symptoms.

REPLY
deljavan | @deljavan | Dec 29, 2018

I have same prolem . I fillpain 2 times in a week. I met many phisysian non of them had any idea.

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