Throbbing Right Ear Pain

[PeteJ]

I have never had this pain before.

I am scared that I made a mistake and this the result.

I went shopping by car to a couple of places. I wore foam earplugs for the ride and in the stores.

But, after I got home, I had unbearable pain in the right ear. It's still there. Since 6pm.

I am only speculating but it seems that the plugs expanding did something. Theory #2 is that bone conduction made so I heard the sounds anyway?

It feels like the canal is in pain and surrounding areas even behind the area and the boney part.

I am so scared. Is it nerve or muscle or both. I can't tolerate this pain. I am planning my suicide because it seems serious and I can't live like this. I wish there was an answer and that it will subside but it is so severe and my experience is that doctors typically don't have a treatment or insight on ear pain. :-(

I feel hopeless and don't know what happened to me. I thought I only had tinnitus and minor hyperacusis but this suggests I am worse than I thought. I think my life is over for good this time.

I guess I am posting this in desperation that someone recognizes this and can say, "that happened to me before, it goes away" or something but it seems really serious so I don't know what I am doing. I hate what has happened to me and my ears. I ruined my life and it's just torture and suffering now. I made bad decisions including this one. I can't live in continuous pain like this.

 

[PeteJ]

Any chance it was due to hyperacusis or that the plugs could stretch a muscle due to ultra sensitivity or something like that?

Is seems muscle related because I read about muscle vs nerve pain and the throbbing seemed closer to the muscle description. I dunno though.

People here were saying, 'go see a dr' but my gp doesn't know anything about this stuff. I suspect he isn't aware of even 1% of the content here and doesn't 'trust the internet ' anyway. He will just look into the ears and see if anything looks abnormal or 'damaged' that can be seen by the eye.

Possible diagnosis includes inflammation of the ear canal...I can't even guess what else.

The pain is still bad but not the agony of yesterday but still really bad.

 

[Juan]

Any chance it was due to hyperacusis or that the plugs could stretch a muscle due to ultra sensitivity or something like that?

If it were pain caused by the earplugs, due to extra pressure for instance (sometimes happens) you notice it inmediately and then remove the earplugs.

If you were exposed to noise that is louder than you thought and went through bone conduction, then you would have pain like the one you get due to hyperacusis. I mean, if you are exposed to, let's say, a gunshot, even if you wear earplugs it is going to hurt like hell. When hyperacusis causes hearing loss, and this may happen after years suffering from hyperacusis, then you may perceive the sounds as not-so-loud, but they still cause symptoms like pressure, headaches etc if they are loud enough, and even with earplugs on. These are sounds loud enough to go through due to bone conduction.

 

[PeteJ]

If it were pain caused by the earplugs, due to extra pressure for instance (sometimes happens) you notice it inmediately and then remove the earplugs.

If you were exposed to noise that is louder than you thought and went through bone conduction, then you would have pain like the one you get due to hyperacusis. I mean, if you are exposed to, let's say, a gunshot, even if you wear earplugs it is going to hurt like hell. When hyperacusis causes hearing loss, and this may happen after years suffering from hyperacusis, then you may perceive the sounds as not-so-loud, but they still cause symptoms like pressure, headaches etc if they are loud enough, and even with earplugs on. These are sounds loud enough to go through due to bone conduction.

I went to a pet store, then a grocery store, then home. I drove to these places. All local and about 15 min away. Time wise, it probably took an hour or 1.5hr.

Noise or sounds in these places shouldn't have bone conduction?

As for ear plugs, I took the one out and re-inserted it. My mistake?

The dilemma was to wear plugs or risk whatever sounds are in these stores. The grocery store had music playing.

I think I need muffs but I probably should wait for my right ear to feel better. I am still worried about that.

 

[PeteJ]

Anything else? I went to the dr. Inflammation of ear canal but ear drum looks fine. Of course, got a script for drops but a web search seems to indicate that they are ototoxic.

I think my herbal drops are better?

I still have the question of what caused the pain and when I pointed at the area of the pain besides the ear canal area, he mentioned lymph nodes.

Any ideas? I was reccomend to ask @Greg Sacramento

So, here I am... of course, I welcome anyone to offer ideas, advice and insight. The more the merrier as this feeling and pain is scaring me.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Any ideas? I was reccomend to ask

Hi Pete: There are over five hundred processing involvements between ear, neck, face and/or mouth that could be taking place. I noticed that you have a long posting history and I would need to review that, which I will do to narrow opinion down to maybe 1-5 causes. Lymph nodes would be secondary to primary problem.

One important question: Do you have secondary eye pain called intra-ocular pressure on that ear side? If so, there may be some infection in jaw. Antibiotics should help if you don't smoke.

I noted that you recently mentioned using foam ear plugs?
Is this when the pain started?
For now I will assume yes.

First, CT scan along with checking ocular pressure may be needed.
At the top of the list would be association to the pulling mechanism of the ears. If you been examined by a doctor, then ear wax being pushed back by plugs probably isn't an issue.

I think that we can rule out most all things includding clogged sebum glands and shingles behind ear as well as mastoiditis or a cyst.

I think removing the ear plugs - pulling pressure and nerve pain may be associated to TMJ/D neuralgia.

Answer my two questions and we can go from there.

 

[PeteJ]

I saw a doctor today. He just thought the ear canal was inflamed.

The pain is in the ear canal area mostly. Secondary eye pain? Yes, but my sleep is poor so I don't know what is the contributing factor.

A different Dr thought I had an infection but I went to a Dr because my ear was creaking.

My eye is a bit sore but I am not getting much sleep and the sleep quality is poor.

The pain started after wearing the plugs and worsened over time. It gradually worsened after removing the foam plugs. About an hour afterwards, I was in agony. It was so severe last night. I somehow slept on my couch with my head elevated

I thought about taking my life. I am scared the pain is getting as bad again.

I am taking amoxicillin and herbal ear drops that have mullein and garlic.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

amoxicillin

That should help with infection and help resolve your ear problem.

Beyond or in association with ear infection could be the masseter muscle, or/and temporalis, or/and medial pterygoid and/or jaw muscles and or the sternocleidomastoid on that side from some object causing pressure.

One major professional study per an ear infection mentions that when wearing ear plugs or wearing noise blocking headphones can cause internal pressure from external facial pressures listed above and cause an ear infection. Any combination of this can also cause fluid travel to the ears and eye pain. I wrote about pressure to the head and ear infections a few times where I discussed plugs and noise blocking headphone use. Cause can increase by ear pressure change, forward heading bending, turning head to one side, unbalanced jaw movements and/or unbalanced posture. Emotional stress also plays a part.

What may be needed is light weight noise blocking headphones and maintaining proper head, neck and jaw posture while wearing them with mouth closed, lips together and teeth together, but not touching. A little gentle easy treatment for the masseter and temporalis may ready help your T besides amoxicillin.

 

[PeteJ]

That's a lot to digest, Greg

I don't know how to sleep. Last night, I slept on the coach since it was easier to elevate my head. I am sure it's the only way I got any sleep at all.

I tend to roll on my side whether I want to or not. I don't want to roll on my right ear!

I was wondering when this might heal. The ear pain is excruciating and I feel soreness on my neck , behind my ear and my head and right eye now.

I value your replies but it is difficult for me to focus. Can you advise me? Also, I had a bit of creaking and the physical sensation with it. The t is spiking at the moment too and also my neck is making noises.

Why do I have to suffer like this? :-(

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@PeteJ You had T for just a couple of months and you had periods of a few hours where it calmed down. Your cause was probably noise, but complicated from anxiety. Anxiety causes the nervous system to be on alert and muscles can tighten starting with the jaw and then the neck. The ears may become more sensitive to certain noises such as electrical, but if any noise isn't over 70 decibels don't be concerned about it. Don't worry about your neck cracking. Sleep in any position, but not on your stomach.

I use 100 mg of magnesium chelate/calcium three times a day and one D3. A warm bath should also help. Use good posture without a lot of extreme forward head bending. Try to keep shoulders and jaw relaxed. Wash hands and gently touch your head, neck and face all over in a upward direction with fingers without applying pressure. Try a warm compress on neck, but not too hot. Try to avoid too much salt or sugar. Take your amoxicillin and use a pair of light headphones when needed around loud noise that don't fit like a vice.
You will heal. We are here for you.

 

[Alue]

If it were pain caused by the earplugs, due to extra pressure for instance (sometimes happens) you notice it inmediately and then remove the earplugs.

Not necessarily. I have experienced pain in my ear canals after heavy earplug use that lingers for a while after using them. Turns out the skin in my ear canals was completely red with irritation from all the friction of earplugs. I have hypearacusis too and it's a different kind of pain.

I saw a doctor today. He just thought the ear canal was inflamed.

The pain is in the ear canal area mostly. Secondary eye pain? Yes, but my sleep is poor so I don't know what is the contributing factor.

A different Dr thought I had an infection but I went to a Dr because my ear was creaking.

It could be either ear infection or ear canal irritation. You would know by looking at the eardrum.

If it's just irritation of the ear canal I recommend using olive oil to help soothe the irritation. - Ask your Dr. or ENT about it, but that's what my ENT recommended for me, and it really seems to help with the irritated skin.

 

[PeteJ]

Not necessarily. I have experienced pain in my ear canals after heavy earplug use that lingers for a while after using them. Turns out the skin in my ear canals was completely red with irritation from all the friction of earplugs. I have hypearacusis too and it's a different kind of pain.


It could be either ear infection or ear canal irritation. You would know by looking at the eardrum.

If it's just irritation of the ear canal I recommend using olive oil to help soothe the irritation. - Ask your Dr. or ENT about it, but that's what my ENT recommended for me, and it really seems to help with the irritated skin.

I was / am using herbal ear drops which includes olive oil, mullein and garlic.

I was prescribed ear drops but each time I researched it, it turned out to be ototoxic so I took my drops instead.

 

[PeteJ]

@PeteJ You had T for just a couple of months and you had periods of a few hours where it calmed down. Your cause was probably noise, but complicated from anxiety. Anxiety causes the nervous system to be on alert and muscles can tighten starting with the jaw and then the neck. The ears may become more sensitive to certain noises such as electrical, but if any noise isn't over 70 decibels don't be concerned about it. Don't worry about your neck cracking. Sleep in any position, but not on your stomach.

I use 100 mg of magnesium chelate/calcium three times a day and one D3. A warm bath should also help. Use good posture without a lot of extreme forward head bending. Try to keep shoulders and jaw relaxed. Wash hands and gently touch your head, neck and face all over in a upward direction with fingers without applying pressure. Try a warm compress on neck, but not too hot. Try to avoid too much salt or sugar. Take your amoxicillin and use a pair of light headphones when needed around loud noise that don't fit like a vice.
You will heal. We are here for you.

Can you elaborate on the 70db recommendation and what should I do when it's higher? My area has lots of noise and since I can't wear earplugs, I am covering my ears for now. I have X4A muffs for emergencies as there are train tracks nearby and fire/ambulance sirens can go by at any time. The muffs have a lot of suction and pinch so they are last resort and try to hold there if I wear them.

I have magnesium citrate but chelated is probably better? D3? What about vitamin C, E, zinc, NAC and St.John Wort?

Can you suggest headphones? As you can guess, it won't be easy to buy in a store.

 

[Alue]

I was / am using herbal ear drops which includes olive oil, mullein and garlic.

I was prescribed ear drops but each time I researched it, it turned out to be ototoxic so I took my drops instead.

I just use straight up food grade olive oil. Simple, cheap, and effective. I use a heating pad to warm it up a bit (but not too hot).

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@PeteJ Protect with something over the ears when near sirens and loud noise outside of your living quarters. We can talk more by PM message - anytime. Alue has just given you some good information.

 

[Juan]

I think I need muffs but I probably should wait for my right ear to feel better. I am still worried about that.

Earmuff are definitely more comfortable.

 

[PeteJ]

@PeteJ Protect with something over the ears when near sirens and loud noise outside of your living quarters. We can talk more by PM message - anytime. Alue has just given you some good information.

zYou have PM restrictions..

Latest is I walked by a truck that was parked but then pulled out. It had made a noise for whatever reason. I quickly covered my ears so was exposed for a second. I need muffs soon .

 

[PeteJ]

Is anyone here for me? :-(

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@PeteJ My PM access is open to all members.
I will send you a PM and try to reply.