Ear fullness and jaw joint pain

[douglast]

Since the beginning of Aug, I have expereinced some issues related to my ears.  It began with complete ear fullness.  Went to internist, and he gave me Rhinocort and said to take Sudafed.  It then appeared to go away for 2 weeks.  Then it returned, but not to the severity as the first time.  I proceeded to an ENT who peformed the test analyzing the pressure in the inner ear canals.  Came back negative.  I have continued to use the Rhinocort along with Sudafed and Claritin D.  I then began to experience slight jaw pain in the area below the ear.  Hurts when I chew.  Internist xrayed my jaw to rule out TMJ, and that came back negative.  He has no other suggestions.  I went for about 1 1/2 weeks until this past Monday, with no feeling of fullness or anything.  The slight jaw pain was still present.  On Monday, it begun to feel not normal again.  I don't necessarily have ear fullness, but the area  behind my ears near the jaw feels odd inside.  Almost like they are swollen.  It is hard to explain.   I am at a loss of what do do next.

[douglast]

I posted a response before this , but did not label it as being for you.

thx

[Demiguise]

A bsic xray would help w/ showing bone alignment just like they
might do at DDS for ck'g bite. Neg. air pressure is gd but just
means not enough ws there at time of test or feedback may have
popped some air loose into bone air cells. Since it's bilateral,
could be eusatchian tube dsyfunction envolving 1 or more of the sinuses draining or not levelingcausing the irritatation. The
jaw problem is unilateral so it still sounds like a sinus ?.
The main sinuses to evaluate 1st are the Maxillary. 1 on ea side
& Ethmoids (upper nose, betw. brows). If these drain or have a
cycst, etc, they drain over ET openings. ONLY a Coronal Sinus
CT can ck all sinuses for fluid/air/polyps/wall thickening.
There is also a rare form of 'radiologists call poss cyst' when
in fact thy get lazy & even overlook. It's actuall an inverted
benign tumor that is a problem. This is only abt 2% of population so don't go there but know that Dr's can goof. Your
present Dr. stinks if he won't help you. Get a new ENT/say little/re-test pressure if they want/up-front say you just won't feel gd till you have a Coronal CT. Rule in/out problems
early. Friend didn't & at 4 yrs through a tantrum in ofc, since
nothing to lose & got the CT. Had narrowed maxillary w/ bad
inflamm./nerve compression & a polyp. Maxillary drains fluid ea 30min. Interrupt flow & air in side starts pushing dwn on fluid till it finally hurts & releases. This type CT will help say alot. Try to find a ENT by referral of a friend that you know had luck but willing to lose if things go south & you take it
out on them. What state are you in? Some have better Dr's! Even a GP can order the CT. Then get referral? Sinus/mastoid prob.
can really get out of control. Hopefully it's a spasms or
something minimal. Dump the doc! Get busy & use this on this
yrs. taxes if in US? Gd-luck.

[douglast]

I live in St. Louis.  The ENT was a Washington University doctor.  

I am just wondering if I should go to an allergist.   I don't understand the coming and going of symptons.  Today I wake up and the pain appears to be gone in the joint, yet the areas around my ear feel odd.  Not necessarily full, but feels like you are listening to the inside of your head.   Like you can hear when you turn you head etc. etc.  Now two weeks ago, relatively nothing.   I am wondering if maybe I am allergic to something in the house.  I tossed a pillow I have had for nearly 20 years because my wife says it could be filling my nose with who knows what every night I go to bed.  The only thing is that if it is allergies, why do I not have a runny nose or not sneezing or not having a significant stuffy nose.

In your last note, wouldn't the symptons be constant if I had any of the things you noted?

Another thing that has been odd lately is that my blood pressure has been elevated a bit the last two times I have had it taken.  My blood pressure has always been excellent, but this last two times (about three weeks ago and then again 2 weeks ago) I had an upper number of 140.

[Demiguise]

Don't know what to say. I just rec'd a msg 'Do not post info
that could be considered medical advice.' Don't want to be
deleted so I have to figure out the difference of advice/comment
sharing info or knowledge. Their board! I wish you luck.

[sfield]

Your symptoms sound a lot like what i've been experiencing. I have had the symptoms on and off for a couple years. However recently they have become more constant.I have fullness under my ears and jaw pain. It comes and goes and can be one side or the other or both. Sometimes it is just uncomfortable and sometimes very painfull. Because I have a LOT of allergies I've always assumed that was what it was. I usually feel a little better after I take a benadryl and aspirin. However I would love this problem to stop occuring. I was given a nose spray by the allergist and this seems to help as well but not completly. I would be interested to hear if you had any success with the allergist. I will be starting shots soon and hope that helps. I have never met anyone who has had these type of problems with there allergies.Usually it is external..sneezing .. nose running etc..

[fredde]

I wish someone/anyone could help me, for well over 4 years I have this fullness in my ears, it started in one ear after a flight but no pain when they plane was going down but an ear infection when I was on my trip to Hawaii..when I landed and was home I was never the same,my ears always feel full/blocked...also the night before this trip I had this severe, quite severe neck pain and the neck pain was bad on the trip...so I came home and started to seek medical help, so far I have had tubes put in by two different doctors, and the tubes were not helpful in the least so I had them removed, I have had ct scans of my sinuses and then an allergist said I was very allergic to dust and mold and in fact a few months into this my house we found out was filled with toxic mold so I needed to leave my house but I never got better and now I hear clicking all the time and I blow my nose or do that technique all day, I forget the name of it ..to get some relief...I have had one MRI and now a new doctor wants to do another one....anyone have any idea if my eustacian tubes will ever get back to normal, it's driving me nuts and I would give anything to get back to normal....some days I also have dizziness/vertigo....HELP!

[MinecraftMom176]

sounds identical to mine.  i believe there is mold in this house bit my stbx says NO..