I need some advice on my confusing symptoms.

[Stacey_G071]

Ok. I'm wondering if anyone can help me out here. Sunday evening, right around dinner time, I started having an achy pain behind my right ear. I thought maybe I tweaked my neck or something. I took some advil and put a heating pad on my neck. Monday morning I woke up and the lymph nodes on both sides of my neck are swollen and hurt, but only when I take a deep breath. No sore throat. Went to my doctor on Tuesday, and got a strep test and a covid test. Both negative. Doctor said give it a few days. Went to bed and when I laid down, my whole head hurt. Woke up Wednesday and called doctor again. Massive pain behind right ear. He sends me for ultrasound of my neck. Thursday get results...looks fine. He wants me in the office so back I go. I tell him that now when I take a deep breath I feel it in my chest.  He checks my ears, they look fine. He checks my lungs, they sound first. He gives me an EKG, normal. Now he sends me for x-rays of my chest, cervical spine and mastoid. I should hear back tomorrow about those. Doctor wants me back in the office on Monday regardless. Give me your best guesses because I'm stumped.

[SassyLassie]

Hello~This sure sounds like you have some misplaced vertebrae in your neck region, this will certainly cause the issues you are having. I highly recommend seeing either a chiropractor of osteopath. The chiropractor will read your x-rays, and discuss what type of treatments will help. After a few treatments, the pain and other problems you are having should be a lot better.

[Stacey_G071]

My doctor got the report for my x-rays and said it looks like I may have some arthritis in my cervical spine. I already have that in my lumbar, so I wouldn't be surprised. I'm already being treated by pain management for that, and my doctor told me I should go see them. Went there today and he said it sounds more like some kind of infection that just hasn't found the perfect spot to sit. He did blood work and told me to go get tested for covid again.

[SassyLassie]

I noticed I had a typo. I meant Chiropractor OR and osteopath, both do similar treatments.

[RockRose]

Could this be referred pain from a back tooth?

[Stacey_G071]

Thanks for that, but teeth are fine. Haven't been to the dentist for me to say that, but I was poking around in there last night.

[specialmom]

So, sincerely, I can relate.  I was in a car accident 25 years ago (yes TWENTY FIVE) and was turning my head to look at the passenger in my car when I was rear ended hard.  My head went over side ways.  It definitely jacked up my neck.  Hurt at the time but it was really years later that I realized I had suffered soft tissue damage.  Anyway, here is the issue . . .   we have a ton of muscles that attach right behind the ear.  It's where I get a lot of my pain. And it will radiate into a headache. Hurts right now actually!  One thing that helped me tremendously was massage.  A medical massage can release those muscles that hold like a vice grip.  I also had covid.  I DID have headaches.  But not in a 'spot'. I did tense up though which aggravated the 'spot' that I usually have my pain, behind my ear.  The placement of your vertebrae as it goes up your neck may be part of this.  What is your status now? It's been a couple of days.  I don't mean to sound like a know it all but your pain sounds so much like mine.