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.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 31, 2018

In reply to @marlaj "@happyat76 @lioness @anniemaggie @nibor63 @franjan @angeloneday @poetny Hi everyone! It is nice to see that I..." + (show)

Are there any men in this group? I have all of that. It is NOT Relapsing Polychondritis!

lioness | @lioness | Dec 31, 2018

In reply to @marlaj "@happyat76 @lioness @anniemaggie @nibor63 @franjan @angeloneday @poetny Hi everyone! It is nice to see that I..." + (show)

@marlaj appt .made for ENT ,opthamalogist also

livetheday | @livetheday | Dec 31, 2018

I am going to ask the clinic I go to for name of the anti, I took. Not sure if that was what helped, but issue went away. It has been a no. of years ago.
Have you ever considered a Chinese herbalist Dr? Sometimes herbs do more good that all the meds we are told to take. (please keep in mind, do not stop taking meds without consulting professionals). Some of these Dr.'s also do acupuncture, which might help??
One more question. Is it possible to talk to people on phone or in a group setting, in person. I happen to live somewhat close to Rochester.
Good Luck!

Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 31, 2018

My anti-inflammatory helps. Hasn't cured anything, but at least I can sleep through the night now.

lioness | @lioness | Dec 31, 2018

In reply to @nibor63 "My anti-inflammatory helps. Hasn't cured anything, but at least I can sleep through the night now." + (show)

@nibor63 What kind of anti inflammatory are you on? Diet ,pill or what I know ice is a natural anti-inflammatory do you lay on ice?

Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Dec 31, 2018

Meloxicam.

lioness | @lioness | Jan 1, 2019

In reply to @nibor63 "Meloxicam." + (show)

@nibor63 Dr put me on this for Arthritis osteo

jeanette527 | @jeanette527 | Jan 1, 2019

I had a lot of pain in the cartlidge of my outer ear and ear lobe for several weeks. The doctor tried antibiotics and then suggested an ENT when that didn't work. In the meantime, I went to the chiropractor for another problem and after the treatment the ear pain was totally gone and has never returned.
Perhaps that might help you.

denben | @denben | Jan 2, 2019

In reply to @ellienewfan "at least i'm not alone in this. no redness, no swelling, etc. Doctors i saw (ear,..." + (show)

I have exactly the same problem, as well as doing all kinds of configurations with the pillows and also using my hands to stop my ears touching the pillow. But I have found some relief from the pain in the last two nights for the first time. I have thought maybe its something to do with the circulation to the extremities of the ear. My earlobes are so painful and the thought of dying flesh screaming is what comes for mind. For the first time I have raised my head higher during sleep with two pillows, fairly soft feathed. Without manipulation of the pillows of using my hands and with my ears touching the pillow I can say I haven't felt any pain. How do I account for this? I'm not an expert, I only have my experience to go by but its logical to me that if you suffer from this condition you must find the position for your neck which gives your arteries the best flow to the ears without blocking them. You can only try it, yourself and lets face it it's more painful not to try. I find it unbelievable that I can rest my ears on a pillow without excruciating pain after all these years, but I can and this is the only explanation i can find AZ i already take calcium and vitamins everyday of my life and it isn't the answer cor me.