What Does Occasional Ear Pain Mean?

[JurgenG]

Hey guys and gals,

Does anyone want to share any insights into earpain.

I never had any pain when I got tinnitus, and even months later I only got the fullness feeling a little bit from time to time.
But I do have to say that my "best" ear started acting up lately, with the occasional ear-pain.

It's certainly not noise induced, but I do have the tendency to "crack" my ears a bit, opening the eustachian tubes, and sometimes blowing a little ear through it.
NOT the Valsalva maneuver though, just breathing out while my tubes are open.

But now I can't stop wondering if I did any damage by maybe blowing a little bit too hard.. :/
Since my tinnitus has gone a bit worse in my good ear, and since I have some pain in it from time to time.

Any insights? Or is it rather "hard" to do any damage this way?

 

[Sen]

it's most likely nothing and will pass as quickly as it came. i know a number of people, with T and without, that talk about intermittent ear pain that happens for seemingly no reason at all.

 

[JurgenG]

Thanks for the move, didn't realise there was a section for this!
Also thanks for your reaction Sen.

I am just a bit scared that I did damage somehow, and the fact that the pain is there just worries me.

 

[Sen]

Thanks for the move, didn't realise there was a section for this!
Also thanks for your reaction Sen.

I am just a bit scared that I did damage somehow, and the fact that the pain is there just worries me.

Is the pain constant? Maybe it would help to see an ENT.

 

[JurgenG]

Is the pain constant? Maybe it would help to see an ENT.

No it's certainly not constant, so that's the plus side. Do you think an ENT could see anything?

I do have to add that I've been having some neckpain, might be also related, unsure.

 

[Sen]

I really doubt an ENT will help and it most likely will just go away. Maybe you should see one just in case, though. It will give you peace of mind maybe.

 

[light rain]

Severe ear pain started this whole mess initially. I went to urgent care because I thought I had an ear infection but the doctor there said ear was fine and to follow up with reg Dr (which I didn't have). By the time I got in I was having terrible dizziness too. Dr dismissed it as a virus and I guess it could have been vestibular neuritis. It took weeks about 2 months and eventually dizziness subsided but T didn't.

Fast forward and ear pain once again got the train rolling followed by increased T, dizziness and nausea. My ear doesn't hurt all the time but is sensitive. An audiogram made it hurt today at ent. Sound can make it hurt along with it just being random. Sharp pain though not dull. No crackling but Morse code T and just in one ear.

 

[light rain]

I should add my T changed tone but no additional hearing loss which is what I was concerned about. I had really high pitched ringing which I assumed went with my HF hearing loss. I also have H and referred to some sort of clinic for that.

 

[Lex]

Hi @JurgenG, it seems like people with T but no H get ear pain too sometimes. Some people believe it's all part of the symptoms of noise injury (whether one-time or accumulated).

To be sure, get your ears checked to rule out an infection. Earplug use can cause that.