View Full Version : Ear pain literally ruining my life
After 6 weeks of constant, deep, boring ear pain I feel like I'm losing my mind. The most likely diagnosis I've been given is TMJ, so now I'm wearing the first of my very very expensive mouth splints to reposition my jaw and hopefully stop the pain. 2 days in and no results and I'm losing my mind. I'm questioning whether the diagnosis is right, and have no will to do ANYTHING because all of my thought and energy is fighting this pain. Muscle relaxants don't help. Heat/cold doesn't help. Chiropractor didn't help. I've been to an ENT who ruled out any actual ear issues since they looked normal. I just cannot handle this anymore. Physically and mentally I am at the end of my rope and am having a hard time remembering who I was before this pain started. I'm so worried I will feel like this forever (and at this point I feel like that is likely).
I can tell you that I have had ear ringing for months, and I like you was losing my mind completely, I didn't see a future, I felt like it was a stain on my life. I could watch funny movies, or do activities, but I could never enjoy any of it, because of the constant ringing that I heard. I had a constant cramp in my stomach due to the depression and anxiety, I even began to throw up because of it.
Then, I was diagnosed with some sort of euchastian tube problem, and the doctor put me on a diet and medicines, and guess what? What I thought was something that would haunt me for life, and something that I couldn't imagine living with, all of it disappeared.
I swear, when it disappeared, nothing could wipe the smile from my face. All I can say is hang in there, and I'm here to talk.
---------- Post added 12-01-18 at 00:32 ---------- Previous post was 11-01-18 at 23:48 ----------
Hey, I was thinking a little. I just need to add something to what I said above. Pain is bothering you right? My grandfather had a major leg surgery, and they literally did the surgery with him being awake, and it was a big one - no pain felt at all. So what I can say is that people are really good at making pain go away, so I thought, worst case scenario, they could potentially disable the nerves in that part of the head and make it numb, no?
If you consider numb better than painful, that is. Just a thought, I'm not doc.
I can tell you that I have had ear ringing for months, and I like you was losing my mind completely, I didn't see a future, I felt like it was a stain on my life. I could watch funny movies, or do activities, but I could never enjoy any of it, because of the constant ringing that I heard. I had a constant cramp in my stomach due to the depression and anxiety, I even began to throw up because of it.
Then, I was diagnosed with some sort of euchastian tube problem, and the doctor put me on a diet and medicines, and guess what? What I thought was something that would haunt me for life, and something that I couldn't imagine living with, all of it disappeared.
I swear, when it disappeared, nothing could wipe the smile from my face. All I can say is hang in there, and I'm here to talk.
---------- Post added 12-01-18 at 00:32 ---------- Previous post was 11-01-18 at 23:48 ----------
Hey, I was thinking a little. I just need to add something to what I said above. Pain is bothering you right? My grandfather had a major leg surgery, and they literally did the surgery with him being awake, and it was a big one - no pain felt at all. So what I can say is that people are really good at making pain go away, so I thought, worst case scenario, they could potentially disable the nerves in that part of the head and make it numb, no?
If you consider numb better than painful, that is. Just a thought, I'm not doc.
Hi Blue,
Thank you so so much for your response. Your first paragraph definitely describes how I feel. I've been too nauseas to eat some days, just from the pain + worry. What is the worst is that I think they (most likely) have the correct diagnosis, but nothing I've tried is working. So it either means that I have a really annoying case out of nowhere (I haven't had any jaw or ear problems before this), or we're not treating the right cause. But I'm doing everything that I can to try to make it improve and I guess I just need to hang in there. I appreciate the support, and will definitely reach out to you if I need it.
As for the numbing - I've never heard of something like that for TMJ! I don't think it exists, but who knows where medicine will be in a few years.
And as for your tinnitus, I'm glad you got it figured out! Hopefully one day my story will be the same... because ouch :(
Just posting to wish you well. Ear pain can really wear you down, especially when constant. I'm not sure how it works in the US but could you be referred to a pain management clinic or specialist for coping techniques?
Just posting to wish you well. Ear pain can really wear you down, especially when constant. I'm not sure how it works in the US but could you be referred to a pain management clinic or specialist for coping techniques?
Hi, thanks for your response. I'm doing the best I can right now to manage both the pain and anxiety - am hoping that the pain goes away before I have to think about anything long term like pain management (the muscle relaxers and pain meds I've tried don't seem to help anyway).
Every day feels like a nightmare now, where my pain continues and I'm just stuck. :( Even questioning my diagnosis of TMJ even though I know the odds of anything else are low. But my jaw pain is almost completely fine yet the ear pain is at its worst, so it's difficult not to question. Almost 7 weeks of this and I feel like I don't know who I am anymore.
Is your ear pain any better, Nutation?
A week with the dental splint and my jaw feels fine but my ears still HURT. Like a LOT. Despite my best efforts I'm convinced now that it's a tumor :(.
Today I saw my primary care to help control my anxiety, and then an ENT who basically did nothing and told me that my anxiety was causing all my pain. Sure, I know that it doesn't help, but for the first 5 weeks of my pain I was not very anxious and it was still extremely painful. I think many would feel anxious and upset in my situation if they'd had constant almost debilitating pain for 7 weeks with no end in site. Anyway, was hoping for a thorough exam and maybe some reassurance, but nope. My ears hurt SO BAD but for now there isn't much I can do about it. :(
Anyone out there have TMJ with bad ear pain? Even when your jaw doesn't hurt much?
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