Aa
Clicking IN ear with pain BEHIND ear--anyone?
Anyone had anything similar, OR have the slightest idea what might be causing this?
Almost since my symptoms started 10 years ago, I've had occasional episodes of a sudden burst of a fast but irregular clicking noise in my left ear (which is the same ear that suddenly lost its hearing 2-3 months before all this started). This clicking noise is always accompanied by stabs of pain behind the same ear, in the area of the prominent bone just behind the ear.
It is a paroxysmal-type symptom--a few seconds of fast clicking and painful stabs and it stops. Probably the longest one ever was 30 seconds, but it's usually much less.
These "attacks" tend to come in groups of maybe one to half a dozen attacks per day, sometimes skipping a day, over a few days. Then they stop and recur days, weeks, or months later.
Today I've had a new twist which may or may not be related. I'm definitely in one of the "attack" periods, having had a few of these episodes over the past few days or maybe even a week or two.
But today I notice that when I raise my left shoulder--especially using the muscles that are farthest toward the middle of my back--I get pain in that same area (the bone behind the ear and adjacent areas) that is essentially the same in feeling to the stabbing pain except it's not stabbing.
The same (new) thing happens if I bend over just right. It seems to be a matter of putting a little pressure (either by raising my shoulder or bending over) on something in that area. So it's got to be something structural.
I cannot find ANY pain or tenderness by pressing on the area (or anywhere nearby)--nothing seems swollen--I'm not sick. It only happens with muscle tension/pressure. (But it's not a matter of tense muscles--I never have tense muscles in my neck or elsewhere.) Otherwise there is no pain whatsoever.
Anyone had anything similar? Or does anyone know what kind of structures might be in that area that could cause a kind of sharpish though not severe pain? It's definitely not a pulled muscle--doesn't feel anything like one.
I do have a Baha implant a little further up/toward the back on my head, a bone-anchored titanium bolt and screw that my hearing aid snaps on to, but the clicking/pain episodes began 9 years earlier, and I had the implant done last summer with no problems since then, and no indications now of infection, so I feel sure it's not related to the Baha.
I really suspect it's related to the clicking/pain thing because it feels so similar--except it's not paroxysmal this time.
Anyone?? Anything??
I have told doctors--ENTs and neuros--about the clicking/pain-behind-ear episodes, but they offered no theories whatsoever. Big hearing/dizziness neuro specialist just said "I don't know what that is," but by then he'd lost interest in me anyway.
It is not a big deal because not very painful and certainly not constant--just a slight annoyance and one of the most mysterious of my symptoms. How can you have a symptom like that for 10 years and no doctor has the slightest idea what it is?
Nancy T.
Almost since my symptoms started 10 years ago, I've had occasional episodes of a sudden burst of a fast but irregular clicking noise in my left ear (which is the same ear that suddenly lost its hearing 2-3 months before all this started). This clicking noise is always accompanied by stabs of pain behind the same ear, in the area of the prominent bone just behind the ear.
It is a paroxysmal-type symptom--a few seconds of fast clicking and painful stabs and it stops. Probably the longest one ever was 30 seconds, but it's usually much less.
These "attacks" tend to come in groups of maybe one to half a dozen attacks per day, sometimes skipping a day, over a few days. Then they stop and recur days, weeks, or months later.
Today I've had a new twist which may or may not be related. I'm definitely in one of the "attack" periods, having had a few of these episodes over the past few days or maybe even a week or two.
But today I notice that when I raise my left shoulder--especially using the muscles that are farthest toward the middle of my back--I get pain in that same area (the bone behind the ear and adjacent areas) that is essentially the same in feeling to the stabbing pain except it's not stabbing.
The same (new) thing happens if I bend over just right. It seems to be a matter of putting a little pressure (either by raising my shoulder or bending over) on something in that area. So it's got to be something structural.
I cannot find ANY pain or tenderness by pressing on the area (or anywhere nearby)--nothing seems swollen--I'm not sick. It only happens with muscle tension/pressure. (But it's not a matter of tense muscles--I never have tense muscles in my neck or elsewhere.) Otherwise there is no pain whatsoever.
Anyone had anything similar? Or does anyone know what kind of structures might be in that area that could cause a kind of sharpish though not severe pain? It's definitely not a pulled muscle--doesn't feel anything like one.
I do have a Baha implant a little further up/toward the back on my head, a bone-anchored titanium bolt and screw that my hearing aid snaps on to, but the clicking/pain episodes began 9 years earlier, and I had the implant done last summer with no problems since then, and no indications now of infection, so I feel sure it's not related to the Baha.
I really suspect it's related to the clicking/pain thing because it feels so similar--except it's not paroxysmal this time.
Anyone?? Anything??
I have told doctors--ENTs and neuros--about the clicking/pain-behind-ear episodes, but they offered no theories whatsoever. Big hearing/dizziness neuro specialist just said "I don't know what that is," but by then he'd lost interest in me anyway.
It is not a big deal because not very painful and certainly not constant--just a slight annoyance and one of the most mysterious of my symptoms. How can you have a symptom like that for 10 years and no doctor has the slightest idea what it is?
Nancy T.
Heya, here we've got something:
Cervicogenic headache is a syndrome characterized by chronic hemicranial pain that is referred to the head from either bony structures or soft tissues of the neck. The trigeminocervical nucleus is a region of the upper cervical spinal cord where sensory nerve fibers in the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal nucleus caudalis) are believed to interact with sensory fibers from the upper cervical roots. This functional convergence of upper cervical and trigeminal sensory pathways allows the bidirectional referral of painful sensations between the neck and trigeminal sensory receptive fields of the face and head. A functional convergence of sensorimotor fibers in the spinal accessory nerve (CN XI) and upper cervical nerve roots ultimately converge with the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve and might also be responsible for the referral of cervical pain to the head.
Diagnostic criteria have been established for cervicogenic headache, but its presenting characteristics occasionally may be difficult to distinguish from primary headache disorders such as migraine, tension-type headache, or hemicrania continua.
Neck pain and cervical muscle tenderness are common and prominent symptoms of primary headache disorders.1 Less commonly, head pain may actually arise from bony structures or soft tissues of the neck, a condition known as cervicogenic headache.2 Cervicogenic headache can be a perplexing pain disorder that is refractory to treatment if it is not recognized. The condition's pathophysiology and source of pain have been debated,3-5 but the pain is likely referred from one or more muscular, neurogenic, osseous, articular, or vascular structures in the neck.6
The trigeminocervical nucleus is a region of the upper cervical spinal cord where sensory nerve fibers in the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal nucleus caudalis) are believed to interact with sensory fibers from the upper cervical roots. This functional convergence of upper cervical and trigeminal sensory pathways allows the bidirectional referral of painful sensations between the neck and trigeminal sensory receptive fields of the face and head.6
http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/105/4_suppl/16S
Cervicogenic headache is a syndrome characterized by chronic hemicranial pain that is referred to the head from either bony structures or soft tissues of the neck. The trigeminocervical nucleus is a region of the upper cervical spinal cord where sensory nerve fibers in the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal nucleus caudalis) are believed to interact with sensory fibers from the upper cervical roots. This functional convergence of upper cervical and trigeminal sensory pathways allows the bidirectional referral of painful sensations between the neck and trigeminal sensory receptive fields of the face and head. A functional convergence of sensorimotor fibers in the spinal accessory nerve (CN XI) and upper cervical nerve roots ultimately converge with the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve and might also be responsible for the referral of cervical pain to the head.
Diagnostic criteria have been established for cervicogenic headache, but its presenting characteristics occasionally may be difficult to distinguish from primary headache disorders such as migraine, tension-type headache, or hemicrania continua.
Neck pain and cervical muscle tenderness are common and prominent symptoms of primary headache disorders.1 Less commonly, head pain may actually arise from bony structures or soft tissues of the neck, a condition known as cervicogenic headache.2 Cervicogenic headache can be a perplexing pain disorder that is refractory to treatment if it is not recognized. The condition's pathophysiology and source of pain have been debated,3-5 but the pain is likely referred from one or more muscular, neurogenic, osseous, articular, or vascular structures in the neck.6
The trigeminocervical nucleus is a region of the upper cervical spinal cord where sensory nerve fibers in the descending tract of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal nucleus caudalis) are believed to interact with sensory fibers from the upper cervical roots. This functional convergence of upper cervical and trigeminal sensory pathways allows the bidirectional referral of painful sensations between the neck and trigeminal sensory receptive fields of the face and head.6
http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/105/4_suppl/16S
Dear Nancy,
thanx for Your helpful comment. Would my problems correspond to some problem
(even postherpetic, for nearly 40 years?) of a certain trigeminus-branch, it gave the hope to be enabled to dernervate this part or even to dicover annd surge the problem.
Yet it seems difficult to anatomically figure the probabale region out:
http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:Mandibularis.gif&filetimestamp=20061203120522
and, of course, it is dificult to figure out any closer information on trigeminus neuropathy, as it is a new diagnosis or criterium due to DSM-IV etc.
Well, let's see what I can find out more.
Cu
thanx for Your helpful comment. Would my problems correspond to some problem
(even postherpetic, for nearly 40 years?) of a certain trigeminus-branch, it gave the hope to be enabled to dernervate this part or even to dicover annd surge the problem.
Yet it seems difficult to anatomically figure the probabale region out:
http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:Mandibularis.gif&filetimestamp=20061203120522
and, of course, it is dificult to figure out any closer information on trigeminus neuropathy, as it is a new diagnosis or criterium due to DSM-IV etc.
Well, let's see what I can find out more.
Cu
Hippolonius: Here is a page (from the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association, apparently now called the Facial Pain Association) describing various kinds of facial/trigeminal pain:
http://tinyurl.com/ykggzfv
I don't think that trigeminal-nerve pain has to be exclusively paroxysmal.
Thanks for the link--although I couldn't really read it without spending many hours with my dictionary! :) By "crossed wires" I was speaking metaphorically--yes, I think you're right about demyelination causing cross-talk between adjacent nerves. I know I've had this also in relation to eye movements causing a momentary huge increase in my tinnitus, a (bad) connection that must be in the brainstem.
"dx'ed", which Linda used, is shorthand for "diagnosed." "Dx" is a standard medical abbreviation for "diagnosis," so many people here use "dx'ed" or "dx'd" to mean "diagnosed." (Similarly, "undx'd" means "undiagnosed," i.e., not having a diagnosis.)
Deb: Your description of hearing a sudden high tone or a "cutout" in your hearing lasting a minute or so is something I have heard described A LOT on a couple of mailing lists I followed for years, for people with dizziness or Meniere's disease (NOT that I'm saying you have Meniere's). So I think it's not uncommon in people with ear problems of some sort. I myself have had frequent experiences like that (not recently, though).
I used to sometimes get that sudden loud ringing in my left ear (which has the severe-to-profound hearing loss), which would fade out after about half a minute. The other weird thing is that I would get a sudden, very distinct and strong feeling of having "gone deaf" in that ear (even though I'm already pretty much deaf in it), and that sensation would immediately "jump" over to the right side, where my hearing is perfect. That "closed-off," "deaf" feeling was an illusion because if I was listening to music or something, I could still hear it fine--but the ear would FEEL distinctly closed off. Again, this feeling would fade out in less than a minute.
I don't know what the sudden loud ringing is, but I suspect that the sudden strong "cutoff" feeling that "jumps" to the other side is some kind of abnormal stapedial reflex. I did have some clear abnormalities in my auditory testing, besides the hearing loss, including abnormal acoustic reflex decay on the left and very abnormal auditory evoked potentials.
If I were you, I would follow up with the audiologist, just to keep track of what's going on. I am lucky to have a GREAT audiologist in the Kaiser system now. She tests my hearing yearly (before I joined Kaiser, nobody bothered to test it regularly once they'd done their initial investigations).
It's funny, my hearing remains essentially the same (very bad in the bad ear, perfect in the other), but my word-discrimination score in the bad ear was 12 percent today (and whatever I got right were just wild, lucky guesses), 54 percent last year, and when first tested 10 years ago it was 25 percent. So even though the hearing itself remains the same as measured by the tones, the understanding can be all over the place.
If you go back to the audiologist, ask if there is some foundation or other resource where you might get help paying for hearing aids. Some insurances will cover maybe $500 toward aids, too.
BTW, I have long used the same "instant hearing test" as you--snap the fingers beside the ear!
Linda, your Bell's palsy sounds like it was no fun! Did you recover well from it?
Nancy
http://tinyurl.com/ykggzfv
I don't think that trigeminal-nerve pain has to be exclusively paroxysmal.
Thanks for the link--although I couldn't really read it without spending many hours with my dictionary! :) By "crossed wires" I was speaking metaphorically--yes, I think you're right about demyelination causing cross-talk between adjacent nerves. I know I've had this also in relation to eye movements causing a momentary huge increase in my tinnitus, a (bad) connection that must be in the brainstem.
"dx'ed", which Linda used, is shorthand for "diagnosed." "Dx" is a standard medical abbreviation for "diagnosis," so many people here use "dx'ed" or "dx'd" to mean "diagnosed." (Similarly, "undx'd" means "undiagnosed," i.e., not having a diagnosis.)
Deb: Your description of hearing a sudden high tone or a "cutout" in your hearing lasting a minute or so is something I have heard described A LOT on a couple of mailing lists I followed for years, for people with dizziness or Meniere's disease (NOT that I'm saying you have Meniere's). So I think it's not uncommon in people with ear problems of some sort. I myself have had frequent experiences like that (not recently, though).
I used to sometimes get that sudden loud ringing in my left ear (which has the severe-to-profound hearing loss), which would fade out after about half a minute. The other weird thing is that I would get a sudden, very distinct and strong feeling of having "gone deaf" in that ear (even though I'm already pretty much deaf in it), and that sensation would immediately "jump" over to the right side, where my hearing is perfect. That "closed-off," "deaf" feeling was an illusion because if I was listening to music or something, I could still hear it fine--but the ear would FEEL distinctly closed off. Again, this feeling would fade out in less than a minute.
I don't know what the sudden loud ringing is, but I suspect that the sudden strong "cutoff" feeling that "jumps" to the other side is some kind of abnormal stapedial reflex. I did have some clear abnormalities in my auditory testing, besides the hearing loss, including abnormal acoustic reflex decay on the left and very abnormal auditory evoked potentials.
If I were you, I would follow up with the audiologist, just to keep track of what's going on. I am lucky to have a GREAT audiologist in the Kaiser system now. She tests my hearing yearly (before I joined Kaiser, nobody bothered to test it regularly once they'd done their initial investigations).
It's funny, my hearing remains essentially the same (very bad in the bad ear, perfect in the other), but my word-discrimination score in the bad ear was 12 percent today (and whatever I got right were just wild, lucky guesses), 54 percent last year, and when first tested 10 years ago it was 25 percent. So even though the hearing itself remains the same as measured by the tones, the understanding can be all over the place.
If you go back to the audiologist, ask if there is some foundation or other resource where you might get help paying for hearing aids. Some insurances will cover maybe $500 toward aids, too.
BTW, I have long used the same "instant hearing test" as you--snap the fingers beside the ear!
Linda, your Bell's palsy sounds like it was no fun! Did you recover well from it?
Nancy
Dear Linda,
Thanx for Your comment.
Sorry, I am not a native speaker and I did not get the menaning of dx.de. What is this ?
Another question: did You suffer from a direcht sharp pain on the bone behind the ear (which is called the mastoid), or was there rather some kind of painful cramp in the muscle from the mastoid toward the clavicula or collar-bone on the inner shoulder ?
And some type of headache or neck-ache that came after this cramp (which is my
exotic and uncleared syndrome..)
greetz
Thanx for Your comment.
Sorry, I am not a native speaker and I did not get the menaning of dx.de. What is this ?
Another question: did You suffer from a direcht sharp pain on the bone behind the ear (which is called the mastoid), or was there rather some kind of painful cramp in the muscle from the mastoid toward the clavicula or collar-bone on the inner shoulder ?
And some type of headache or neck-ache that came after this cramp (which is my
exotic and uncleared syndrome..)
greetz
Deb,
I had this a very long time ago when I had bells palsy. It was in the bone behind
my left ear.
I could not close my eye, had double vision. and had hyper sensitive hearing. I could hear a pin drop. It was so wierd. At the time the local neuro I went to was,a terrible one. He told me it was self limiting and would go away in time
He gave my no medication, had to wear a patch, and i suffered. Thinking back, I now believe it was some sort on MS problem, but was not dx.ed Had no Clue Linda
I had this a very long time ago when I had bells palsy. It was in the bone behind
my left ear.
I could not close my eye, had double vision. and had hyper sensitive hearing. I could hear a pin drop. It was so wierd. At the time the local neuro I went to was,a terrible one. He told me it was self limiting and would go away in time
He gave my no medication, had to wear a patch, and i suffered. Thinking back, I now believe it was some sort on MS problem, but was not dx.ed Had no Clue Linda
Hello Deb61,
why so sure about MS causing Your hearing problem?
It might also be something behind it like a compressed nerve,
moving the jar (while eating and probably talking) might have loosend
some cramped muscle and liberated the jammed nerve.
Some folks also suspect that tinnitus often is causd by such
nerve squeezing. Did You check deliberately for oromandibular syndrome ?
why so sure about MS causing Your hearing problem?
It might also be something behind it like a compressed nerve,
moving the jar (while eating and probably talking) might have loosend
some cramped muscle and liberated the jammed nerve.
Some folks also suspect that tinnitus often is causd by such
nerve squeezing. Did You check deliberately for oromandibular syndrome ?
I've been to an audiologist and an ENT about a year ago. I've continue to have lots of problems with my hearing, so I probably should go back. Both doctors said that my hearing loss was sensori neural, but cannot say if it is attributable to MS or not. It could be, though.
Sometimes I will have complete hearing loss. I've experience this probably about half a dozen times. The last time was just a couple of days ago. I was just sitting in a restaurant eating and I had the sensation that my hearing went out in my right ear. I snapped my fingers in front of my ear, and sure enough, I couldn't hear it. However, within about 30 minutes, my hearing returned.
About three other times I experienced a loud tone which replaced all other sound in both ears. I can see people obviously talking, but I can't hear what they're saying. I've told the neuro about this, he seemed concerned, ordered an MRI, and asked me if the pitch was high squeal or low. ????? My MRI appears unchanged since the last one--if anything improved. So beats me what's going on. I will probably see the audiologist soon to see if my hearing loss has gotten worse. I struggle with hearing conversation, sometimes, and I know I can't hear what everyone else can.
I think it's the MS. No one else in my family has this problem; however, my sister who also has MS, has just started getting tinnitus (which I've had for years).
Sometimes I will have complete hearing loss. I've experience this probably about half a dozen times. The last time was just a couple of days ago. I was just sitting in a restaurant eating and I had the sensation that my hearing went out in my right ear. I snapped my fingers in front of my ear, and sure enough, I couldn't hear it. However, within about 30 minutes, my hearing returned.
About three other times I experienced a loud tone which replaced all other sound in both ears. I can see people obviously talking, but I can't hear what they're saying. I've told the neuro about this, he seemed concerned, ordered an MRI, and asked me if the pitch was high squeal or low. ????? My MRI appears unchanged since the last one--if anything improved. So beats me what's going on. I will probably see the audiologist soon to see if my hearing loss has gotten worse. I struggle with hearing conversation, sometimes, and I know I can't hear what everyone else can.
I think it's the MS. No one else in my family has this problem; however, my sister who also has MS, has just started getting tinnitus (which I've had for years).
Dear Nancy,
it is a strange finding to assume cross connections in nerves,
if there are compression syndromes, nerves react with
demyelinization (losing the isolating fat) so they could reach
other demyelinated nerves, but crossing nerves are rare?
Rather crosstalk happens closer towars brain:
Here is a link towards a publication about cross talk in nerves
(Sorry, just in german language)
http://www.bv-neurologe.de/main/img_neuro.php?SID&datei_id=2279
Do You have any experience about Trigeminus nerve symptoms ?
Can they be exclusively paroxysmal or sometimes rather slow,
bilateral and flannelly ....
it is a strange finding to assume cross connections in nerves,
if there are compression syndromes, nerves react with
demyelinization (losing the isolating fat) so they could reach
other demyelinated nerves, but crossing nerves are rare?
Rather crosstalk happens closer towars brain:
Here is a link towards a publication about cross talk in nerves
(Sorry, just in german language)
http://www.bv-neurologe.de/main/img_neuro.php?SID&datei_id=2279
Do You have any experience about Trigeminus nerve symptoms ?
Can they be exclusively paroxysmal or sometimes rather slow,
bilateral and flannelly ....
Hoppolonius--I can't give you any advice about your headaches except to try asking on headache forums. However, it's very strange that you can cause the stapedial myoclonus by touching other parts of your head. It sounds like you have some "crossed wires" somewhere--maybe in the brainstem, from which all these cranial nerves arise?
Over the past 10 years I've had a LOT of strange "connections"; for example, lightly rubbing the inside of my right wrist would cause a strong wave of tingling on the right side of my head, while pressure on the outside of my right hand would cause a similar wave of tingling on the LEFT side of my head.
When I push on the top of my left big toe (especially with a fingernail), I get always an electric shock in my left elbow and hand (two different spots).
I am not certain, but I think these are examples of ephaptic transmission of nerve signals--"crossed wires." I suspect your "ear-to-ear" connection is something similar. Have you seen a neurologist?
As you've found out, doctors are sometimes not interested in, or committed to, getting to the bottom of symptoms, preferring to dismiss the symptoms as psychosomatic or the patient as a hypochondriac when they cannot figure things out quickly.
Deb--how funny about the stabbing nostril pain! One of my biggest complaints early on was a "stabbing itch" in my left nostril. It was a sudden, sharp, unbearably strong itch with a "stabbing" quality (not pain, though) going up the nostril, and I'd also get a warm spot on that side of my nose, as well as very persistent, annoying itchiness in specific other spots on my face and ears (not all at once).
I finally took to keeping a Kleenex stuffed up that nostril when the "stabbing itch" got bad, to help forestall it.
I have had numerous other trigeminal-nerve symptoms including some extremely painful shocks below my ears (my very first symptom) and some painless electrical shocks that still run around my eye, nose, and upper lip that continue to this day (both sides, but 90 percent on the left and 10 percent on the right).
Your "Morse code" clicking could be from the facial nerve and your stabbing nostril pain from the trigeminal nerve--both of them are cranial nerves and can be affected by MS. Hearing loss would be from another cranial nerve, namely the 8th (vestibular/hearing) nerve. Hope you have seen an ENT and audiologist as well as neurologist. Do they attribute your hearing loss to MS?
Thanks, everyone, for the replies!
Nancy (not diagnosed with anything)
Over the past 10 years I've had a LOT of strange "connections"; for example, lightly rubbing the inside of my right wrist would cause a strong wave of tingling on the right side of my head, while pressure on the outside of my right hand would cause a similar wave of tingling on the LEFT side of my head.
When I push on the top of my left big toe (especially with a fingernail), I get always an electric shock in my left elbow and hand (two different spots).
I am not certain, but I think these are examples of ephaptic transmission of nerve signals--"crossed wires." I suspect your "ear-to-ear" connection is something similar. Have you seen a neurologist?
As you've found out, doctors are sometimes not interested in, or committed to, getting to the bottom of symptoms, preferring to dismiss the symptoms as psychosomatic or the patient as a hypochondriac when they cannot figure things out quickly.
Deb--how funny about the stabbing nostril pain! One of my biggest complaints early on was a "stabbing itch" in my left nostril. It was a sudden, sharp, unbearably strong itch with a "stabbing" quality (not pain, though) going up the nostril, and I'd also get a warm spot on that side of my nose, as well as very persistent, annoying itchiness in specific other spots on my face and ears (not all at once).
I finally took to keeping a Kleenex stuffed up that nostril when the "stabbing itch" got bad, to help forestall it.
I have had numerous other trigeminal-nerve symptoms including some extremely painful shocks below my ears (my very first symptom) and some painless electrical shocks that still run around my eye, nose, and upper lip that continue to this day (both sides, but 90 percent on the left and 10 percent on the right).
Your "Morse code" clicking could be from the facial nerve and your stabbing nostril pain from the trigeminal nerve--both of them are cranial nerves and can be affected by MS. Hearing loss would be from another cranial nerve, namely the 8th (vestibular/hearing) nerve. Hope you have seen an ENT and audiologist as well as neurologist. Do they attribute your hearing loss to MS?
Thanks, everyone, for the replies!
Nancy (not diagnosed with anything)
I've had this Morse Code clicking in my ear which hasn't been present for months (maybe even a year). I also had pain above my left ear--ice pick pain and will get a stabbing pain in my left nostril present just a few months ago which the doctor diagnosed as TN and prescribed gabapentin. I wonder if the two conditions are related. However, it was not a fluttering sound like Quix said it would be if it was related to the TN.
I have had hearing loss as well (one ear moderate loss and the other a mild loss). I would have a set of hearing aids if they weren't so expensive . . .
I have had hearing loss as well (one ear moderate loss and the other a mild loss). I would have a set of hearing aids if they weren't so expensive . . .
Hello,
my Stapedius-Myoclonus can be triggered from swiftly rubbing or petting a triangular realn of the face skin:
reaching form a vertical line directly beyond and above the visible
left ear to the point whre the nose bone reaches the forehead (mainly around the left eye), and - stunningly - by petting the right ear.
But this clicking is just annoying, the real problem is pain:
Since childhood I (46) do suffer from heavy bilateral leftaccentuated
neck headaches which conform in some parts to tension headaches but mainly to coital headaches, resulting from neck cramps which
usually start in the realn of the left mastoid.
Yet I've no idea what the reason might be and physiscians typically esteem a psychosomatic or lunatic
grateful for any good advice
my Stapedius-Myoclonus can be triggered from swiftly rubbing or petting a triangular realn of the face skin:
reaching form a vertical line directly beyond and above the visible
left ear to the point whre the nose bone reaches the forehead (mainly around the left eye), and - stunningly - by petting the right ear.
But this clicking is just annoying, the real problem is pain:
Since childhood I (46) do suffer from heavy bilateral leftaccentuated
neck headaches which conform in some parts to tension headaches but mainly to coital headaches, resulting from neck cramps which
usually start in the realn of the left mastoid.
Yet I've no idea what the reason might be and physiscians typically esteem a psychosomatic or lunatic
grateful for any good advice
Yes, to the facial twitching and the 7th nerve - its main function is for the muscles of facial expression.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!
You know what--I THOUGHT at one point (in my years of being puzzled by it) that it must be the facial nerve, for the very reasons you put forth (innervation of stapedius and patch behind the ear).
But I just didn't trust my layperson's, nonscientist's "research" enough to allow me to believe it to the point that I could assign a "PLAUSIBLE even if not proven/provable explanation" to that symptom (which is the status I need to find in order to stop thinking about something).
Hearing my onetime theory supported by a doctor (even though you're not an ENT or neurologist--but you nearly might as well be, given your long study of these matters from a medically trained perspective) is "quite satisfactory," as Mary Poppins said firmly when she swallowed her rum-punch-flavored spoonful of tonic!
(Not one doctor, ever before, has bothered to say one word about it. When I'd ask, the answer was three words--"I don't know." I wasn't asking them for a proven answer--just their theory. But no. We don't discuss symptoms anymore with this patient, because the treatment for hypochondriasis is to not discuss symptoms or do further investigations.)
Another reason I'd bet on the facial-nerve theory is that I tested "highly abnormal" on ABR (both sides) and on acoustic reflex decay (left side), which indicates "cranial neuropathy," as the otoneurologist put it. If my 8th nerve is not in good shape, it's easy to believe that the 7th isn't either, since they run close together part of the way.
Plus, I did have that truly wacky fluttering in my RIGHT ear (probably stapedial spasm) during LEFT-side BPPV episodes a few years ago. Something with the wiring of the stapedius muscle(s) must be off.
THANK YOU again, Quix. I owe you for allowing me to finally check that symptom off as "plausible (even if not proven/provable) explanation found"! The ultimate achievement, the happy ending, the now-I-can-stop-wondering-about-that-one moment!
I wonder if a 7th nerve problem would also cause the big twitching I get in my left cheek, just left of my mouth; I would guess yes. (Plausible enough!)
I seem to have hit the trifecta with 5th, 7th, and 8th wackiness!
Nancy
P.S. As for bugs in the ear, you as a pediatrician might appreciate my son's interpretation of his ear pain: when he was maybe 3, he kept complaining he had a "bee" in his ear. We were on our way home from a day outside at Kah-Nee-Ta, so at first I thought-- could he have really gotten a bee inside his ear? I finally realized he must have an ear infection, and yup, he did!
You know what--I THOUGHT at one point (in my years of being puzzled by it) that it must be the facial nerve, for the very reasons you put forth (innervation of stapedius and patch behind the ear).
But I just didn't trust my layperson's, nonscientist's "research" enough to allow me to believe it to the point that I could assign a "PLAUSIBLE even if not proven/provable explanation" to that symptom (which is the status I need to find in order to stop thinking about something).
Hearing my onetime theory supported by a doctor (even though you're not an ENT or neurologist--but you nearly might as well be, given your long study of these matters from a medically trained perspective) is "quite satisfactory," as Mary Poppins said firmly when she swallowed her rum-punch-flavored spoonful of tonic!
(Not one doctor, ever before, has bothered to say one word about it. When I'd ask, the answer was three words--"I don't know." I wasn't asking them for a proven answer--just their theory. But no. We don't discuss symptoms anymore with this patient, because the treatment for hypochondriasis is to not discuss symptoms or do further investigations.)
Another reason I'd bet on the facial-nerve theory is that I tested "highly abnormal" on ABR (both sides) and on acoustic reflex decay (left side), which indicates "cranial neuropathy," as the otoneurologist put it. If my 8th nerve is not in good shape, it's easy to believe that the 7th isn't either, since they run close together part of the way.
Plus, I did have that truly wacky fluttering in my RIGHT ear (probably stapedial spasm) during LEFT-side BPPV episodes a few years ago. Something with the wiring of the stapedius muscle(s) must be off.
THANK YOU again, Quix. I owe you for allowing me to finally check that symptom off as "plausible (even if not proven/provable) explanation found"! The ultimate achievement, the happy ending, the now-I-can-stop-wondering-about-that-one moment!
I wonder if a 7th nerve problem would also cause the big twitching I get in my left cheek, just left of my mouth; I would guess yes. (Plausible enough!)
I seem to have hit the trifecta with 5th, 7th, and 8th wackiness!
Nancy
P.S. As for bugs in the ear, you as a pediatrician might appreciate my son's interpretation of his ear pain: when he was maybe 3, he kept complaining he had a "bee" in his ear. We were on our way home from a day outside at Kah-Nee-Ta, so at first I thought-- could he have really gotten a bee inside his ear? I finally realized he must have an ear infection, and yup, he did!
I may have found the answer. The problem may lie with a lesion of the Facial Nerve. This is Cranial Nerve VII and is the one responsible for Bell's Palsy. It is known for being the motor innervation to the muscles of facial expression.
However, a minor function is sensory innervation of a small patch of skin behind the ear.
It also handles the stapedius muscle. This is a tiny muscle attached to the stapes or the stirrup (bone of the middle ear which has a role in the transmitting of sound waves to the cochlea (hearing apparatus) of the inner ear. There is a disorder known as stapius myoclonus which can cause a sharp clicking sound.
So a problem with the 7th Cranial Nerve will give you sharp clicking AND the pain behind the ear.
I have found four causes of a clicking sound:
Palatal myoclonus - Cranial Nerve X - The Vagus nerve
Stapedius myoclonus - Cranial Nerve VII - the Facial nerve
Myoclonus of the Tensor Tympani muscle of the middle ear, tho this one causes more of a fluttering sound. - Cranial Nerve V - The Mandibular branch (V3) of the Trigeminal nerve
A live bug in the ear canal - common problem in practice. I know, Eeeewwwe!
Q :))
However, a minor function is sensory innervation of a small patch of skin behind the ear.
It also handles the stapedius muscle. This is a tiny muscle attached to the stapes or the stirrup (bone of the middle ear which has a role in the transmitting of sound waves to the cochlea (hearing apparatus) of the inner ear. There is a disorder known as stapius myoclonus which can cause a sharp clicking sound.
So a problem with the 7th Cranial Nerve will give you sharp clicking AND the pain behind the ear.
I have found four causes of a clicking sound:
Palatal myoclonus - Cranial Nerve X - The Vagus nerve
Stapedius myoclonus - Cranial Nerve VII - the Facial nerve
Myoclonus of the Tensor Tympani muscle of the middle ear, tho this one causes more of a fluttering sound. - Cranial Nerve V - The Mandibular branch (V3) of the Trigeminal nerve
A live bug in the ear canal - common problem in practice. I know, Eeeewwwe!
Q :))
Quix--it's on/in the skullbone, on the bony prominence right behind the ear (not the pinna). Can't figure out what cranial nerve that might be. It feels quite near the surface, yet in the bone--it's NOT an external skin sensation.
The (mild) pain with certain shoulder movements was gone in the morning but has returned this afternoon, though less strongly (so far, anyway).
Jen--thank you. I have heard of palatal myoclonus, but never with exactly concurrent pain behind the ear. Does your pain in that area also occur in episodes together with the clicking? (I don't get a thump, just an audible click.)
Cyn--sounds like maybe you have what Jen mentioned, palatal myoclonus?
Nancy
The (mild) pain with certain shoulder movements was gone in the morning but has returned this afternoon, though less strongly (so far, anyway).
Jen--thank you. I have heard of palatal myoclonus, but never with exactly concurrent pain behind the ear. Does your pain in that area also occur in episodes together with the clicking? (I don't get a thump, just an audible click.)
Cyn--sounds like maybe you have what Jen mentioned, palatal myoclonus?
Nancy
Nancy, where exactly is the pain behind your ear? On the skull bone or on the back of the pinna?
Hey, I just found out recently what that clicking in the ear is. It's myoclonus of your soft palate. The palate gets to twitching, which causes a thump or click in the eardrum.
I get that too, along with a sharp pain in the bone behind my ear. The shoulder pain sounds like a bit of spasticity.
I get that too, along with a sharp pain in the bone behind my ear. The shoulder pain sounds like a bit of spasticity.
Hi. I get a similar experience. I will go for a week or two with what I call
my eardrum twitching. Mine is more of a thud thud thud thud in a fast rhythmic pattern, no pain.
I do however get the clicking while I exercise. If I get really over heated the clicking and hearing loss will get really bad then clear up when I cool off.
I don't know if this is the same. I posted on it a while ago.
I googled it and found out that just like the vocal cords the muscles and estachian(sp) can get week or something like that :).
Cyn
my eardrum twitching. Mine is more of a thud thud thud thud in a fast rhythmic pattern, no pain.
I do however get the clicking while I exercise. If I get really over heated the clicking and hearing loss will get really bad then clear up when I cool off.
I don't know if this is the same. I posted on it a while ago.
I googled it and found out that just like the vocal cords the muscles and estachian(sp) can get week or something like that :).
Cyn
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community
Top Neurology Answerers
Australia
ON
Queensland, Australia
Queen Creek, AZ
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
