Chronic eft ear pain, desperate for answers

[s_wheeler]

I am hopeing to find answers or at least some direction in where to go. About 2 1/2 years ago I got a cold with an ear infection. I went to my doc and they gave me anti-biotics and numbing drops for the ear pain. I went home and used the drops when I went to sleep because it was too painful to sleep. When I woke in the morning the pain was ten times worse and has never gone away. It constantly feels as though my ear drum is about it rupture but just won't. I have several other symptoms with this. I get swelling on the lower left side of my face, my ear will sometimes swell shut, the pain is constant, I hear my heartbeat all the time, I have some hearing loss, my ear is constantly draining, (and if that wasn't enough) I constantly have sinus infections on the left side with pain radiating into my eye.
According to my ENT it is a TMJ problem. According to my TMJ specialist it's and ear/sinus problem. According to my neurologist it is a nerve problem that I should consider having Gamma Knifing surgery to fix. No one can agree and no one can tell me what it is. If anyone has any information that could help me I would really appreciate it. All my docs have given up on finding the cause and are simply treating the symptoms with nerve blocking and pain meds. I am only 29 and take 6 different meds in the morning and night. I am too young to be living like this!  Please help!!!!

[jojo983]

Have you been checked for a fungal ear infection?fungal ear infections really hurt and itch and swell and are hard to get rid of. I wish you the best,good luck. Jo

[Emmidactyl]

I think acupuncture could be of good use to you - I have it once a fortnight and it releases any ear and sinus pressure I have. Not forever but for a few lovely days there I feel really Zen =)

Also from my own experience when there is pressure in the ears it has meant that I needed grommets - which is a little tube inserted into the ear drum to drain the fluid (pressure) from behind the ear drum ( from the eustachion tube). Normally only little kids get them but I got them for the first time when I was 24ys and once they fell out - I go them again when I was 26yrs and they release a lot of pressure! Constantly discharging, can't get them wet and sometimes get ear infections ...........BUT so little pain and pressure.

What has the ENT said about grommets??? Would they help you????

[Myown]

I don't have any answers, but I just want to say I am sorry to see that you are going thru this... I have doctors that seem to pass me around too and none have answers with things that I am going thru. It amazes me how they just can't get to the bottom of things. And you are right they treat the symptoms and they dont look for the root cause...

Maybe try going to a doc that does Accupuncture. A girl in another forum was seeing one and the doc told her she had something wrong with her liver - it amazed me how he was able to tell and sure enough she had liver disease...

I hope you find answers soon.
Take care,
MO