Pain in ear during sleep

[lm1122]

Sometimes I awaken in the night with horrendous pain in what feels like my middle ear - I think it's always the side I've been sleeping on.  If i turn my head any quicker than a snail's pace, it starts to hurt a lot more.  I have found that pulling on the bottom of the ear gives me relief.  It only happens at night, and only occassionally, but incidence has been increasing recently.  I've assumed it has something to do with sinus... but not sure.  Would welcome any comments/suggestions.  Thanks!  

[cleo01]

I can't believe there is someone else out there with the same pain I have experienced several times a year.  The pain is extreme!  No position- sitting up, lying down, helps in any way.  Infact, any movement causes more pain.  Fortunately the pain last for a short time, anywhere from 5 - 20 minutes.  Sometimes, I think that the blood supply was cut off and until the blood returns the pain will radiate through the entire side of my head.  It is not an infection.  This is a temporary pain but happens on occassion without any appearent reason.  I would also like some feedback on what causes this and more importantly how to avoid another episode.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Eustachian tube dysfunction which Bhups1 refers to as E.tubes is blocking of the eustachian tube which can cause pain & ringing (tinnitus) with sounds similar to an ocean roar that may coincide with your breaths. It most commonly occurs after weight loss or after anti-cancer radiation to or near the nose & throat. The symptoms can disappear when you lie down. Patients sometimes complain of an unusual awareness of their own voice (autophony) and of ear discomfort. The cause of these symptoms is a eustachian tube that remains abnormally open, allowing too much and then too little passage of air to the middle ear space when you breathe.

Decongestants, nasal steroids (rhinocort, flonase, nasonex, beconase, etc), nasal saline irrigation washes can all help this problem.  See your doctor to see if this is the case.

[bhups1]

HI. It seems you are having some inflammatory or allergic infection in your ear(may be middle ear or external canal).It can be related to sinus problem as infected sinuses can lead to blocked E.tubes which  causes accumulation of fluid in middle ear.Condition can be treated with anti inflammatory and antibiotic drugs,please consult an ENT doctor