Severe Ear Pain Help Me Please !!!

[hoops2u]

Hello friends,
I have been having severe ear pain for well over 6 months now. I told my Dr. each time I go for check ups but Dr. looks in ear, says all looks fine, and that's that. Finally, my Dr. half heartedly said, well, I suppose we might as well send you to an ENT and gave me the name of one. No other info.

I didn't make an appt. because I felt silly. The Dr. acts like there is nothing wrong. The outer ear itches unmerifully all the time but no rash or outward skin like condition. The internal ear hurts so bad it's like a terrible tooth ache. I can't even stand to touch the skin on the inner part of the ear with a q-tip or anything.

Got some ot drops and they help some. Have also used sweet oil, helps some. Not much. Had some TMJ, it's much better. It was due to an ill fitting TAP (oral anti-apnea device).

Will damaged nerve in Cervical Spine cause referred pain here? Or is this likely something else. I do have some herniation in the cervical spine.

Help me please!!!!

Thanks Pals,
hoops

Ringing too, but more like sounds of the ocean. I wear plugs some night due to honey bunny snoring and in denial. ahem..... know what i mean?jelly bean?

[Boxerlover]

Hoops, just wanted to say sorry you are suffering. I don't know much but I wish I could help. I know how those things can be bad though so I hope you can get some answers. Can you go to that ENT? Maybe he can help.

Melissa

[mazie456]

Hoops,
Please make the appointment with the ENT. Your doc can not tell just by looking in. It can be an inner ear condition or a trigeminal nerve issue. There are many things it can be. A few years ago I had terrible itching in my ears and was dizzy, felt pressure in my ear and had a general weird weird sort of feeling so I went to an ENT. He looked and didn't think there was a problem but he did a hearing test. I had hearing loss in both ears. That led to more testing that led to finding fluid in my inner ears. That could have led to bigger problems. Several months on diuretics cleared it up and my hearing returned to normal :)
Your body is telling you something is not right. Please have it checked out.

[Diandra]

Hi Hoops,
I'm with Mazie ...do try the ENT. It is best doc to start with. It could be an allergy, it could be neuropathic, yeast or fungus infection,etc. Do go to rxlist.com or a website like it where you can check out all the side effects of the meds you are on. Sometimes when I have a weird health issue, it turns out to be a drug side effect(what made me think of it was ringing in the ears from one rx.)

There is a treatment called "ear candling" that gently draws out ear wax and anything else stuck in your ear. It is simply a tube that resembles a candle only in shape and it is lightly coated with wax to give it structure...you lie on your side and the "candle" is put in your ear and the top is lit with a match and as it slowly burns, the gentle vacuum effect draws impurities out of your ears up into the tube. I have had it done several times due to itchy ears and it helped. My hearing was actually clearer as well. Alternative health practitioners can steer you to folks who do it. My massage therapist does it. Allopathic docs sometimes criticize the practice (you know...."there are no scientific studies proving", blah, blah, blah) but it has been done for centuries. I learned how to do it and have done it for my family members and they have all felt improvement. My dad wears hearing aids all the time and often feels itchy and he likes how it makes his ears feel cleared out.

So sorry to hear you have suffered with this for 6months and your doc has been so dismissive and made you feel silly. Let us know what happens.

Take care, Diandra

[Mark N]

Hoops, I am with maize and Diandra go to the ENT and at least eliminate some other problem before you try and see if it is a cervical spine problem. It won't be easy to tell if it is a cervical spine issue so it really is a process of elimination. Hurt so bad for six months is long enough so quit feeling foolish and make the appointment;).

[lobelsteve]

Hi Hoops,
I'm with Mazie ...do try the ENT. It is best doc to start with. It could be an allergy, it could be neuropathic, yeast or fungus infection,etc. Do go to rxlist.com or a website like it where you can check out all the side effects of the meds you are on. Sometimes when I have a weird health issue, it turns out to be a drug side effect(what made me think of it was ringing in the ears from one rx.)

There is a treatment called "ear candling" that gently draws out ear wax and anything else stuck in your ear. It is simply a tube that resembles a candle only in shape and it is lightly coated with wax to give it structure...you lie on your side and the "candle" is put in your ear and the top is lit with a match and as it slowly burns, the gentle vacuum effect draws impurities out of your ears up into the tube. I have had it done several times due to itchy ears and it helped. My hearing was actually clearer as well. Alternative health practitioners can steer you to folks who do it. My massage therapist does it. Allopathic docs sometimes criticize the practice (you know...."there are no scientific studies proving", blah, blah, blah) but it has been done for centuries. I learned how to do it and have done it for my family members and they have all felt improvement. My dad wears hearing aids all the time and often feels itchy and he likes how it makes his ears feel cleared out.

So sorry to hear you have suffered with this for 6months and your doc has been so dismissive and made you feel silly. Let us know what happens.

Take care, Diandra

I can criticize candling as a dangerous and useless technique. But it has nothing to do with being an MD. The Straight Dope is my source on this one.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1103/how-do-ear-candles-work

Also, there is a study showing 21/122 ENT's surveyed have seen ear injuries from candling, and after reading the Straight Dope exlpanation above, you will hopefully avoid this dangerous (and worthless) treatment.

Safety first. Man, I am a buzzkill.

[hoops2u]

Thank you All,
I just got a call from my doctor saying I need to come in for a check up. I had called for my Kadian script. I have to pick it up at the office monthly since it is controlled, evverything else is given w/3 refills so that I see her every three months. According to my calander I am not to see her until March 5, but who am I to argue? (Ya know, if ya get too snippity, they won't refill your meds). That'l put me in my place, eh what?

Anyway, I know about candlewaxing. I have a good friend, an RN who is into alternative medicine/naturopathy. Trouble is, there is no excess wax in my ears, they are perfectly clean. The sweet oil has helped more than anything else, curiuosly. I do happen to know several doctors that feel candleing is ok under trained supervision.

Thanks again for all your support. I just love you guys.

Blessings to you all,
hoops

[Lil E]

Ever watch Penn&Teller's Bull**it? They did a show on some "alternative methods". They had the so called debris from some ones ear "removed" by candling analyzed and it was the candle material itself. I'm all for massage, acupuncture etc., but these are proven methods.

[hoops2u]

Ever watch Penn&Teller's Bull**it? They did a show on some "alternative methods". They had the so called debris from some ones ear "removed" by candling analyzed and it was the candle material itself. I'm all for massage, acupuncture etc., but these are proven methods.


Lil,

Say What? I watched this being done and there was nothing to fall into the ear. It is more a vacuum process w/heat. So, perhaps they were duped as well. Were I to believe everything on TV I would be a real case.
Why, I saw a guy on TV make the Empire State Bldg. completely disappear. Go figure.

Just kidding, but really, I am not here to dis anybody or their personal preferance with regard to any treatment. What works for one, is not Favorable to another.

I was just wondering if anyone was having similar experience with the cause being referred pain from cervicle spine nerve damage.

Thanks again to all!!
hoops

[Lil E]

My aunt had ear pain and the doc didn't think it was bad but she ended up in the hospital when the infection spread to her cheek then half her face. Please go see an ENT.