Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Severe Pain in inner/middle ear when i wake up from sleeping on it!

I am in between insurances right now, and for some time now I have noticed that when i sleep on my left side I wake up w/ very bad pain in the middle to inner ear. I usually have to use my hands to get my head turned over to the other side becasuse the pain is so severe. I was hoping it would just go away with time, but no such luck. I have never heard of anyone having any type of problems like this before so that worries me a little. It only hurts when i have laid on it for about 30 mins. and it does go away in about 15-20 mins. I know it is not an ear infection or swimmers ear etc. Im actually wondering if I might have a growth or polyp (spelling?) or something in there! I know I need to get to a Dr. to get it looked at, but how severe do you think it is? Am I at a big risk for something serious that I have never heard about? The fact I cant find any info on it is what scares me the most. Also I have not experienced any hearing loss on that side that I know of. (I dont have insurance right now b/c we are looking for the right maternity insurance, and it has taken longer than we expected) Thank you so much for your help in advance, I really really appreciate it! :)  
40 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Any updates on everyones symptoms? Ive been to more than 5 different ENTS in the last 3 years and have gotten the same responses from doctors- they dont see anything. i dont suffer from such severe pain as others but theres never a time i dont feel like theres water or mucous in my right ear. My wax builds up too bad and sometimes it even feels itchy. my right eye is blurried now too and sometimes it feels like theres something in it. Ive been to neurologists and rheumatologists and ive gotten absolutely no help.
Helpful - 1
3 Comments
Me too. On all accounts. Does it feel like you're about to get sick all the time - mucus on that side of your throat too? Like there is a little infection right where your ear and throat connect on that side
YES! That is my problem, as well as the other symptoms. Right ear only. And pain/swelling like a gland is involved, just below the ear on the neck. And off and on sore throat. And off and on vertigo. This has been going on for a few weeks - I thought it was just a virus. Today I woke up in excruciating pain in my right ear, after sleeping on my left side. I wear a sleep apnea mask so I'm also wondering if it might be TMJ.
YES! That is my problem, as well as the other symptoms. Right ear only. And pain/swelling like a gland is involved, just below the ear on the neck. And off and on sore throat. And off and on vertigo.
Avatar universal
Hey guys this happens  to me around 3 times a year, I always thought it was a compresssion issue, but it's cool currently 3 am and Im experiencing it the worst I ever have. I don't know if there's Is any correlation but today I got an root canal. When I woke up it wasn't excruciating pain all the was down my neck. I couldn't even touch my ear. Now it's just a deep pain down my ear canal.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Also the root canal was a front tooth. I'm wondering if it's somehow related my jaw from keeping my mouth open so long
Avatar universal

CURED: Hi so I've had severe ear pain for the last couple years. Every night if i were to lay on the side of my head I'd end up with excruciating pain. When laying on my ear, as i'd lift my head the pain would shoot to intolerable levels. Then eventually subside. But it was very traumatic. I feared sleeping on my sides. I purchased pillows with holes in them, read through this very blog and couldn't find any solutions. I resolved to just sleeping on my back with my head straight.

Recently the pain has completely gone away, and i think it was a result of the following. I had needed a root canal on one side of my mouth and a filling done on an old cavity on the other. I finally got the procedure done. And right away the pain began gradually disappearing, over a period of a 6-8 weeks the pain has now completely gone away. At first i didn't see the connection, but the timing of the procedure coincides exactly with the improvement. The only other thing i did during this period was removed my cell phone from my nightstand right next to my bed. From 2 feet away from my head, my cell is now 15ft across the room on my dresser. I don't want to move the phone next to my bed to test because i don't want to jinx myself. :)

I'd recommend anyone with this ear pain to visit a dentist, identify any needed work, and get it done. Your mouth is right next to your ear, so maybe it can be the cause. And try moving your cell phone away from you if you sleep next to it at night. I hope this helps anyone, because i know what you are going through and it is horrible. Best wishes, and if it works please share your report back here for the sake of everyone else!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the similar issues for as long as I can remember but I had spinal menagitis as an infant and these episodes are getting worse as th years go by. would it be worth seeing an ENT?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I looked up carotydnia. Sounds spot on. I'm going to try ibuprofen for a few days and see if symptoms subside. If so, I will schedule a check up with my heart doc (I take Carvedilol for a slight afib). It could be serious or go away on its own. Sounds like most docs treat it with antibiotics. Symptoms include swelling pain in lower neck below ear (where carotid artery is locted), inner ear pain, difficulty swallowing, pain swallowing, sore throat and even eye discharge! All of which I've had for the past few weeks and it comes and goes which has led me to this site because every time I thought it was going away, it comes back again. My GP is basically clueless so I want to go to someone who will not just throw antibiotics at it -- which is why I want to try the ibuprofen first. HOWEVER, that said, I will be checked out because while it seems carotydnia can go away it can also bely other more serious vascular problems.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Does anyone here also have sleep apnea? I'm beginning to think I'm clenching my jaw in my sleep from stress as I will wake up with my lower jaw forward under my front teeth. I sleep on my left side as a rule but the pain is in my right ear and waxes and wanes during the day. Feels full like I have an infection and often hurts to swallow or chew (but not always). I also have vertigo which is worse in the mornings after I get up. I thought it was a virus. I'm seeing my doctor next week to see if it is infected or not but there is also pain/swelling (Lymph nodes?) just below my right ear in my neck. I'm hoping it's just an ear infection which needs antibiotics. I've had strep for the first time in thirty years -- twice in the last year. It may be something easy to treat. I'll report back.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had a similar problem for several years now with waking up with pain in my inner ear, tends to be my right ear, I almost always sleep on my left (so not caused by pressure on my pillow and not cartilage pain) . I think it may be caused by snoring.
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
It's the same way with me! I woke up this morning screaming my ear hurts so bad I could barely even touch it.I put peroxide in it and the pain is seeming to ease a lil bit, but I have a lil hearing loss in it as well I think or it just feels clogged I really don't know.I think I'm going to the doctor in a lil bit just to be on the safe side
I don't know why all those numbers or signs are in my other comment. Sorry
Avatar universal
I dont sleep on my ear but i have pain in my ears its hard to swallow..... What can be the problem
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It seems to be a symptom of chlamydia trichomoniasis
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Same problem here, been going on for about 4 years for me, slowly increasing in severity of pain and the duration of the pain.  In the beginning the pain was slight and only lasted for about an hour, flare ups were few and far between.  Now the pain is overwhelming and alot more frequent, feels like someone is stabbing deep down in my ear, and sometime can last for days.  My range of motion in my neck and jaw is limited when pain is present.  Just the slightest touch on the right side of my face, outer ear, neck can literally send me to my knees when it's hurting.  First doctor just kept prescribing different types of antibiotics, second doctor says TMJ...it's not TMJ.  If I stretch wrong I can feel a weird pressure in my ear, same if I touch and/or massage my face, neck, or scalp around my ear.   I have to be careful how I sleep, pretty much attempting to fall asleep in a perfect position and hope that I don't move an inch during the night.  It's frustrating, it feels like every aspect of my life revolves around this mystery pain now...either I'm consumed with the pain or I'm obsessed with avoiding the pain.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I believe it is just a compression issue, not a tumor or serious ailment.  I bet you're all hard-sleeping side or belly sleepers (with head to the side).  I have the same problem.  My ear KILLS me around 5AM and wakes me up.  I sleep really hard.

Your ear is being compressed against the pillow or bed, causing some congestion of blood or irritating a sensory nerve.  A human head weighs about 10 lbs, so add to that if you sleep really hard and "burrow" into your pillow while you sleep, that can be a lot of pressure on a sensitive ear.  

There are no real medical solutions, since it's just an issue of changing the way that you sleep.  Some people craft themselves a special foam pillow with an "ear hole" for your outer ear to rest in (you just carve up a foam pillow, start with a smallish ear size hole and you can always make it bigger if you need to). You might also take some Advil (an antinflammatory) before bed.

I have gotten this pillow on Amazon, which is not really made for ears but it does the trick.  The nice thing about it is that all four sides of the pillow are walled off and each has its own zipper.  You can remove some filling from any or all of the 4 sides to customize the height and firmness.   Put it all in a plastic bag and save it so you can add some back in if you need to as it flattens over time.

PillowMed-Customizable-Orthopedic-positions-adjustable

Good luck, All!
Denise

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the insite, after 44 years of sleeping on my back due to not being able to sleep on my side because any pressure within twenty minutes gives me an ear ache on any side I sleep on .mi get bad pain which lasts around 30 minutes.
   I have never bothered to consolt anyone and just lived with it.
  I know as a child I have massive ear aches , please help would love to sleep  well again on my side.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Try looking up Otitis Externa. Every symptom is listed. I'm not a doctor and have had no luck with doctors myself, but after reading this thread I decided to research myself a bit more and found this Otitis Externa. I hope this will help someone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh my gosh.  I have had the same thing for about five years.  Every doctor I have gone to just has no idea.  One even called it "squished ear syndome" as a joke.  I have not been to an ENT, but I doubt they could figure it out either.  It happens on my left ear if I sleep on it too long and I wake up and it is excruciating just like yours.  I am looking into a special pillow that has a hole in it for my ear.  I think that is our best bet because I think it is just the pressure on our ear and for some reason, we are all experiencing this same pain.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I HAD COLD AND AFTER THE COLD OVER MY EARS FEEL AS IF THEY WANT TO POP IT WILL LAST FOR 2 DAYS THEN GO AND FOR A WEEK ITS FEEL FINE THEN COME BACK THIS ONLY HAPPEN WHEN I GO TO BED AND  MY RIGHT ARE WILL BLOCK THEN IT CLEAR THEN IT MOVES TO THE LEFT ON AN. MY DOCTOR SAYING THAT I HAVE MUCUS  IN THE INNER EARS AND IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME TO DRIP AND GIVE ME SOME TABLETS AND SINUS SPRAY STILL HASNT STOP
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have this kind of problem also on my right side. I have to sleep with my hand over my ear and right side face or I will wake up wth pain the night LIke mussle cramps.It is so painfull even to touch my face or ear.It  is like your face fel alseep feeling that kind of pain.Last 20 mins to 1é2 hour
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just woke up with a nagging, annoying pain in my right ear that literally just moved to my left ear. It is a stabbing pain, but I've never felt this before.Like you said korb427 I am nervous to go to the doctor, and I am 12 years old. I don'r think that it is the result of carotidynia because I don't have any pain or soreness in my neck or face. It's only my inner ear. I just recently got over a cold and started a cough, maybe that is the cause? I don't know. It is late at night right now, I took two painkillers and I am still unable to fall asleep because of this pestering pain.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have this problem and is caused only when I have magnesium tablets! Pain is as described with heavy head and can't lift head of pillow due to ear pain.
When I stop taking magnesium it goes away.
Can't figure it out and very unusual.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Don't worry this is nothing serious. It sounds like you suffer from TMJ. A disorder of the Temporomandibular joint which is located right in front of your ear. It is this joint that is causing your pain, not your ear. Google TMJ and you will be able to help yourself quite a bit. The only thing a doctor will do is give you a mouth guard to prevent grinding and clenching of teeth at night. That is a huge cause of TMJ
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Don't worry this is nothing serious. It sounds like you suffer from TMJ. A disorder of the Temporomandibular joint which is located right in front of your ear. It is this joint that is causing your pain, not your ear. Google TMJ and you will be able to help yourself quite a bit. The only thing a doctor will do is give you a mouth guard to prevent grinding and clenching of teeth at night. That is a huge cause of TMJ.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hey guys i have been having this same problems for the past 9 months pain in the ear every morning,dull face pain,dull tooth ace,unbalanced, itchy ear and troat when idrink liquid it burns my ear and troat at the same time.been to lots of doctors, went to and ent he said was sinus issue did about 6 different procedure up my nose that was very painful nothing worked he seemed confuse back of eyes also hurt and burns,with a white gunk in the coner that i keep cleaning every 20 munites PLEASE HELP anybody.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
That sounds exactly like me! It's been several months. Eye problem, too. Do you wear a sleep apnea mask?
Avatar universal
I think it is in some way also related to the cold. Sometimes when I wake up with this  kind of pain and make my self warmer by putting another blanket on top, the pain goes away in few minurtes and i sleep peacefully for rest of the period. Yesterday night  i woke up as it got stuffy and warm in the room but no ear pain. So i opened windows put on fan and slept.....an lo...woke up with pain in my left ear that was on the pillow. Got up , put off fan etc ...slept back and woke up after 2 hours without any pain. Now I will experiment by keeping my ears covered during sleep and use a cotton pillow instead of foam as foam pushes your head and could be creating pressure inside the ear. It is a fact that ear aches due to differential air pressure in cold condition. By the way, my pain has started in winter season. So, keep warm, cover your ears , use cotton poillow and let's see what happens.
Cheers.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have exactly the same every now and again, it wakes me up and I cant even move my head until the pain dies down a bit. I honestly think it is just the pressure on the cartilage, I was thinking of searching for a pillow or cushion with a hole in the middle to sleep on! All doctors are poo anyway :P
Helpful - 0
6423135 tn?1478232713
Something has been bothering me to.. its always about my ears -_-  heres a link that is the same problem with one thing about my ear..
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Ear--Nose--Throat/continous-breathing--pusling-noise-in-ear--whats-wrong-with-me/show/408435
in here another thing that started bothering me like a week ago.. You know when you sleep on your ear and wake up and you hear every thing kind of weird in it.. well its been like that for me for days.. like it happens to my 24/7 .. its getting me worried a lot.. its happing to me in my right ear. and i got a little bit of hearing lost in my left.. does anyone know whats happing to me..
I dont want to see a doctor yet cause they just make it worse.. If i can do something else to get it away i would be a lot more happier and less worried.  The link i posted, that has been happing to almost like a year now.. just one more moth then it would be the year it started happing. in Feb. Please comment on this someone.
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Ear, Nose & Throat Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
Discover the common causes of and treatments for a sore throat.
Learn about what actually causes your temperature to spike.
Find out which foods you should watch out for.
Family medicine doctor Enoch Choi, MD helps differentiate between the common cold and more threatening (bacterial) infections
Dr. Steven Park reveals 5 reasons why breathing through your nose could change your life