Very specific pain behind right ear

[JennaBenna1984]

I am a 27 year old female. Smoker (though trying to quit), but normalish health wise. For about 3 months now I have noticed a pain, right in the soft spot at the top of the jaw, directly behind my ear lobe. When it started it was infrequent and lasted only a few minutes and was only mildly annoying. Now it happens every day, pretty much all day, though it is worse at night. It is a pulsing/stabing pain. When it's happening I press hard on the area and try to "massage it out" but it doesn't help. It pulses painfully for a few minutes, then stops, then starts again a few minutes later. About 3 weeks ago I developed a sore throat (which has not gone away), extreme fatigue and nasal congestion. That took me down for a solid week, but the fatigue and nasal congestion have gone away, leaving only the sore throat (which is worst at night and upon waking). In the last few days my jaw has become stiff and is painful when I "open wide". The sore throat is on the opposite side of the jaw pain. I am going to go to the Urgent Care on Monday, but I am hoping someone can shed some light on what all of this might mean. Help?

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Considering your symptoms of point tenderness and pain on opening the mouth, your symptoms could be due to temporomandibular (TMJ) joint arthritis. This is the jaw joint and inflammation of this joint can cause pain on opening the mouth and tenderness on palpating behind the ear. As you have had a recent throat infection, it could also be a lymph node enlargement. Please consult a dentist for assessment. He may even ask for blood test and an X ray. In the meantime you can take OTC pain medication Ibuprofen. Ensure to take this medication after food to avoid gastritis.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[margypops]

I get similar, I have had a dry cough for months now , my eyes are sore and itchy, scratchy throat, ear pain in and behind the ear and other aches and pains , fatigue.I have now come to the conclusion doing some research its allergies caused by environmental factors .They are doing a lot and by a lot I mean every day aerial spraying you can see the trails up there, if you do some research you will see what it is they are spraying .My dh has the same and I have asked in my neighborhood, many are sick .