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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Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Jan 11, 2021
In reply to @erikas "@racnie4 Welcome back to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support. You are..." + (show)
@erikas

@racnie4 Welcome back to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support. You are wondering if @jennyt was diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis by her provider. You are also wondering if the member has looked into chondritis.

Below I have linked discussions related to relapsing polychondritis and Costochondritis. You may want to scroll through the past comments.
- Relapsing Polychondritis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/relapsing-polychondritis/
- Costochondritis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/costochondritis/

May I ask if you experience out ear pain and if you have received a diagnosis?

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Mine is only outer ear pain with pressure. Undiagnosed.

REPLY
staceyhope | @staceyhope | Jan 18, 2021
In reply to @ellienewfan "at least i'm not alone in this. no redness, no swelling, etc. Doctors i saw (ear,..." + (show)
@ellienewfan

at least i'm not alone in this. no redness, no swelling, etc. Doctors i saw (ear, nose, throat doc.; my own internist; had exrays and MRI) looked at me funny when i tried to explain my situation. thanks @bearylynn,i also have been bunching up a pillow so there is least amount of touching my ear. i seem to be able to somewhat lay on my left side, but my right cannot abide it. in fact if i even lay on right side even without anything touching my ear, i'll still get it.terrible pain. i am currently 72, and think that perhaps i'll never get rid of this and must suffer with this for rest of my life.

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Hello! It’s been a very long time since you posted about your ear pain. I’ve been googling about it and found it. I have been suffering with this for years. It used to be one ear and now it’s both. It used to go away when I got off the ear and now the pain stays for a while. I’ve told my doctors and they say my ear looks perfectly healthy and I shouldn’t have any issues. Did you ever find out what caused it? Even though I hate you e experienced it, I found some comfort in knowing I wasn’t the only one.

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1 reply
Nibor63 | @nibor63 | Jan 18, 2021
In reply to @staceyhope "Hello! It’s been a very long time since you posted about your ear pain. I’ve been..." + (show)
@staceyhope

Hello! It’s been a very long time since you posted about your ear pain. I’ve been googling about it and found it. I have been suffering with this for years. It used to be one ear and now it’s both. It used to go away when I got off the ear and now the pain stays for a while. I’ve told my doctors and they say my ear looks perfectly healthy and I shouldn’t have any issues. Did you ever find out what caused it? Even though I hate you e experienced it, I found some comfort in knowing I wasn’t the only one.

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No diagnosis. I take Meloxicam. This helps a great deal. Only feel it periodically. I have also developed other autoimmune like symptoms in my hands. Trigger finger and dupenyen's contracture. Think that is how it is spelled.

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1 reply
staceyhope | @staceyhope | Jan 18, 2021
In reply to @nibor63 "No diagnosis. I take Meloxicam. This helps a great deal. Only feel it periodically. I have..." + (show)
@nibor63

No diagnosis. I take Meloxicam. This helps a great deal. Only feel it periodically. I have also developed other autoimmune like symptoms in my hands. Trigger finger and dupenyen's contracture. Think that is how it is spelled.

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I’m glad the meloxicam has helped. I describe it as feeling a toothache in my outer ear. I’m going to try finding a softer pillow as well.

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maryb9 | @maryb9 | Jan 19, 2021

I didn't read the entire thread, but I have suffered with the same problem for years. It sometimes wakes me from a sound sleep. Has someone mentioned piercing or CNH pillows? I just ordered a CNH pillow from an Etsy seller. If you search CNH pillow or piercing pillow on Etsy, you will find at least 2 different sellers. I will be getting my pillow this week. I'll post if it helps or not.

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2 replies
maryb9 | @maryb9 | Jan 19, 2021

A photo of the pillow I ordered. It's small and just thick enough to keep your ear from touching your pillow.

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staceyhope | @staceyhope | Jan 20, 2021
In reply to @maryb9 "I didn't read the entire thread, but I have suffered with the same problem for years...." + (show)
@maryb9

I didn't read the entire thread, but I have suffered with the same problem for years. It sometimes wakes me from a sound sleep. Has someone mentioned piercing or CNH pillows? I just ordered a CNH pillow from an Etsy seller. If you search CNH pillow or piercing pillow on Etsy, you will find at least 2 different sellers. I will be getting my pillow this week. I'll post if it helps or not.

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I hadn’t heard of these. I just checked it out on Amazon. Some are pretty pricey. Let us know if it works for you and I’ll order one. Thanks for the info!

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poco | @poco | Jan 20, 2021

Fellow ear pain sufferers - I posted my solution a while ago and haven’t heard from anyone that it works for you too. I was having the excruciating outer ear pain mostly at night, but even sometimes during the day. I found that massaging the ear cartilage with creamy lotion (my facial moisturizer) immediately solves the pain!! NOW,I apply the cream upon awakening, after showering, and before bed every day = I’ve only had the middle of the night pain maybe once in the last year (previously it was happening a few times a week!). PLEASE TRY THIS AND LET ME KNOW - IT’S AN AMAZING SOLUTION

REPLY
1 reply
franjan | @franjan | Jan 23, 2021
In reply to @maryb9 "I didn't read the entire thread, but I have suffered with the same problem for years...." + (show)
@maryb9

I didn't read the entire thread, but I have suffered with the same problem for years. It sometimes wakes me from a sound sleep. Has someone mentioned piercing or CNH pillows? I just ordered a CNH pillow from an Etsy seller. If you search CNH pillow or piercing pillow on Etsy, you will find at least 2 different sellers. I will be getting my pillow this week. I'll post if it helps or not.

Jump to this post

I would like the small ear pillow you ordered but I looked and said they are sold out of it. Too bad. Do let us know how you like it.

REPLY
staceyhope | @staceyhope | Jan 24, 2021
In reply to @poco "Fellow ear pain sufferers - I posted my solution a while ago and haven’t heard from..." + (show)
@poco

Fellow ear pain sufferers - I posted my solution a while ago and haven’t heard from anyone that it works for you too. I was having the excruciating outer ear pain mostly at night, but even sometimes during the day. I found that massaging the ear cartilage with creamy lotion (my facial moisturizer) immediately solves the pain!! NOW,I apply the cream upon awakening, after showering, and before bed every day = I’ve only had the middle of the night pain maybe once in the last year (previously it was happening a few times a week!). PLEASE TRY THIS AND LET ME KNOW - IT’S AN AMAZING SOLUTION

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I’ll try it. Thanks for sharing!

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