any ideas?

[tschock]

I've been having pain behind my left ear for several months now. It's just behind and below ( where your glands are I guess ) the ear.
There isn't much swelling, but the pain is driving me bonkers. It's very sensitive to the touch as well.
Almost feels like when I had mumps...but not quite as bad ( from what I remember ).
The pain is worse in that area, but spreads to the whole outer and inner ear, as well as up towards the temple area.
There is no discharge, and no hearing loss.
The pain in and around the ear comes and goes, but the pain in gland area is almost constant now.

This started around 3 months ago. Tried asking the doctor about it last month, but he was only interested in my hair loss, and set me up with a dermatologist...groan.

Any ideas?

[Jerry_NJ]

Well I now have contact with an ENT.

Thursday morning I wake abouit 3 am with a bleeding nose that I couldn't stop. I am on coumadin/warfarin because of AFib.  I went to ER and they finally got it controlled/stopped with a Rhino Rocket - a balloon device up the nostril that puts pressure on the bleeding area to stop bleeding.  The idea is to leave it there for 48 hours then have an ENT remove it.

The USA medical system continues (but for how long) with super service.  I was set up with an ENT for Friday afternoon - a little early but we like to give the non-emergency doctors the weekend off.  The ENT, who I like immediately, said we could give it a try.  He had to treat what he called some seepage (this was about 30 hours after the RR) and put in a latex patch which has held.  Sitting here on Sunday watching the AFC playoff game my nose is still holding so it looks like I'm back home and need to take special care to keep my nose from being dried out "too" much.

Hope I haven't hijacked your post but I am "talking" directly to you.

[tschock]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, AB is Alberta Canada.
Yes, he sent me to see a dermatologist!
I saw her yesterday. Very nice lady. She's sending me in to have my thyroid checked, and for allergy testing that I have been begging for ( for over 30  years I might add ) and she started giving me injections for my hair loss.

I saw an ENT a few years back...the whole "Your sinus infections are caused by your deviated septum" thing was brought up, and then he said he could no longer see me because I have Meniere's...and he doesn't deal with " those kinds of patients". I asked him if he would fix the deviated septum. He said no.
So...it looks to me like dermatologists know more ( or at least care more ) than many other types of doctors and specialists. How sad is that? lol

[Jerry_NJ]

Hum, hate to see a contributor like you make a post and get no replies.. so here's one :  )

Is "AB" Canada?  If Canadian I will assume you know the USA is going full throttle into a government managed health care system - if your referral to a dermatologist when you go to a doctor with ear pain is an example of government provided medicine I am worried about my future.

Can you get to a ENT?  I think your symptoms and your knowledge of symptoms as shown by your many contributions to help others strongly suggests it is time to see a specialist - same goes for me and my chronic nasal night time nasal congestion.  In my case I've had enough medical help to make me just live with my congestion - it doesn't hurt other than some dry mouth.

I hope you find a solution/cure and enjoy a great 2014.