Help With A Sore Ear

[wolf63]

I have just had a late lunch with my friend, she was running late as she had bad earache. She said that she has had a CT scan and no cause was found for the earache. She asked me if I would see if any AB member had any idea of the cause.

She is 52 years and suffers from – Asthma, Underactive Thyroid and Migraines. The Migraines were severe and problematic but not in recent years.

The earache starts suddenly, always in the same ear and will go away after an hour or so – after placing a hot water bottle on the ear.

Can any of you point us in a direction that may help us find a solution to the mystery of the sore ear.

[Buenchico]

I've known earache to have been linked to (otherwise unnoticed) dental problems. So has your friend had a dental check up recently? (If she goes for one, it might be worth mentioning the ear pain, so that the dentist will be looking for anything which might be connected to it).

[trixie007]

Long shot, has hardened wax been ruled out. I had that a few times.

[wolf63]

Thanks to both of you - I will pass your suggestions on.

[Sqad]

She presumably has seen an ENT surgeon and he ordered the scan.
If she has been seen surely a specialist or even a GP would look in the ear and rule out wax.
There are many causes of earache unilateral and it would be a fruitless effort to go into them all, some not even associated with the ear (referred pain).

She should see an ENT specialist and if she has, then one can go no further at the moment.
If she hasn't seen an ENT specialist then she should seek referral as this could either be a simple thing OR a big deal.

[woofgang]

when I used to grind my teeth in my sleep due to stress, it gave me earache referred from my jaw.

[wolf63]

This message is from my friend:

☺Hi

Thanks for that. No ear wax. I don't grind my teeth. It was ENT that arranged the scan. I am going to the dentist to see what he thinks. It's really weird. And exceptionality painful when I have it. I think I might ask for an MRI if the dentist has no ideas.

Keep me posted if anyone else has an idea.☺