I Think I Might Have Solved the Ear Ache

Occasionally I would have this dull ear ache that would last throughout the day and I couldn't figure it out. It also sometimes switched sides, one left, the next day right. Well...now I think I figured it out. It's because when I go to sleep I'm on my side but I end up flipping onto my stomach with my head still on the pillow during my sleep or on those mini-wakes. Now, because my head is on the pillow this causes my neck to be angled upwards and because of this it pushes on my jaw which causes my jaw to slide over a little.

So I suspect this jaw sliding can cause nerve irritation. Thinking of it also...my neck does seem a little tight on the side it happens. It also might explain why the hyperacusis and maybe the tinnitus was also worse on that side too.

So the only problem is how do I stop flipping onto my stomach?

 

I agree with you. I have TMJD and notice the ear I end up sleeping on ( I always fall asleep on my back!) I end up with an ear ache that day..however, sometimes noises will cause me to have sore ears. I can literally feel the tightening etc..

 

I remember in the beginning when I got tinnitus and hyperacusis that it was so tight that I could tilt my head to the side and feel the muscles in or around my ear move. It was pretty intense.

But yeah... I did it again. I fell asleep and ended up sleeping on my stomach with my face facing towards my right shoulder and now my left neck is tight and the left ear is a little more bothersome.

I wish I could fall asleep and stay asleep on my back, but the problem is that it feels so unnatural.

 

I do the same, I always sleep on my stomach with my face facing my right shoulder, left ear is my "hyperacusis/pain" ear as well.

 

I try to break the habit of sleeping on my stomach because I read it's the worst position to sleep in because it puts so much tension on your neck and stress on your back.

 

Yeah, I've probably slept on my stomach like that since I was at least 13 or 14, that's over a decade now. I've had periods of bad back pain and my neck on the left side is definitely tense a good majority of the time. I really didn't even think about my sleeping position affecting my ear at all until this year, but it makes perfect sense though. Problem is that I'm so god damn comfortable in that position, it's going to take me ages to break the habit.

Good to see someone else note this though, this might encourage me to make more of an effort now!

 

You cant really control the position you sleep in. However maybe there a special pillows to support your neck or stop you from turning around?

 

Yes, I also read that putting pillows beside you may make you stop from rolling over. To add more misery to my situation...I think sleeping on my side is hurting my shoulder now. lol. Might as well start the sleeping on my back training program now.

 

maybe your just not used to sleeping on the side

 

I started sleeping on my couch with pillows propped up against the end of it. It keeps me from rolling onto my side. I did this for my TMJD issue though, not ears.

 

I sleep with big fluffy pillows on either side of me, a small pillow under my knees, and my arms crossed over my chest like Dracula.

That helps with my tinnitus because it keeps both ears open to my partial masking sound (an air purifier). I do find it more comfy to sleep on my side, and can sometimes get away with it. Strangely, on a couple of occasions when I slept on my symptomatic ear, I woke up the next morning to find my tinnitus in my opposite ear! That's why I'm leaning towards thinking my problem is not cochlear, but either cervical/TMJ or in the brain.

My hyperacusis got better after trigger point massage of my SCM and surrounding muscles. The past couple days things have sounded a little louder than usual to me, but I've also had some unusual stresses.

 

Can the neck stiffness and tightness cause hyperacuais ?? Damn this is crazy!