Been to doctor twice, can't figure it out...

Posted , 2 users are following.

For some time now, I've been having inner ear stuffiness on only my right side. It comes and goes, some days are fine, some days (like this morning) it feels about 15% more "clogged" than my left ear. I also sometimes experience neck soreness/aches on my right side that come and go. all around my ear. Also, top scalp soreness on my right side as well. Everything is all on the right side and is connected to my inner ear. If I rub any neck or scalp soreness, I can feel it all connected to my inner ear. 

List of symtoms (all on the right side) that come and go:

- inner ear stuffiness

- random aches on right side of throat, almost as if its sore glands? But no swelling.

- soreness/irritation where jaw opens (I think there are salivary glands here?) - this actually sometimes affects the left side as well.

- Inner ear will ache from time to time, but not for long

- outer ear cartilige ache/light throbbing

Again, all on my right side.

I've been to the doctor twice now and she has me on Dymista which I've been taking for about 2 weeks. She checked my glands, put a camera up my nose, down my throat, looked in my ear, gave me a hearing test/ear pressure test. Everything checks out fine. She says it's probably an issue with my eustacian tube and allergies, but the medicine is NOT solving it. I think it might have helped a bit, but it's not fixing anything fully.

What else can I do? What's my issue? Should I seek a second opinion? I feel fine otherwise, this is just going on too long now.

Thanks rolleyes

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    Also, forgot to add to symptoms:

    sometimes inner ear coldness feeling and sometimes the inner ear is itchy as well.

  • Posted

    I had a similar issue with my right ear only would get congested, everything gets muffled, sore throat, cartilage would hurt. I went to several doctors giving me antibiotics, decongestants, antihistimines and steroid sprays. Over time I kept a log of when this happend and it started in the morning on nights I "slept hard" like taking ambien or finally fell asleep after tosiing and turning for hours and my right side of my face would be buried deep in the pillow. Finally and ENT asked if I had acid reflux and that explained a lot of things: sore throat, why my sinuses looked rough when the looked with the scope but no infection, a year before I was in the hospital because I would have chest pains when I walked. There is also something called Silent Reflux where you don't get major heartburn. I have been on prilosec, changed my diet and sleep with the head of my bed elevated, don't lie down after eating, don't eat 3 hours before bedtime and the congestion and other symptoms are dying way down. Worth checking into as doctors are frustrating when they don't have a clue and give you ineffective medicines

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply mike. Though the ENT put a camera up my nose and down my throat and said things were fine, no signs of acid reflux and I've never had reflux issues in the past, and don't really have them now.

      The thing she did say was that my septum/sinus cavities on my right side (where all my issues are) was narrower than my left, which could explain why I get issues only on the right side.

      But after the camera in my nose/throat, ear tests and ear inspection, everything looked 100% fine and she saw no infections or felt any lumps in my neck.

      She said "maybe its TMJ" but I've never had issues with TMJ before and I'm pretty sure I don't grind my teeth at all. 

      All I know is that I'm pretty sure theres fluid in my eustatcian tube and I just want it out cause that's whats causing aching, soreness, etc.

      Anyone know what else I should do? Seek another opinion?

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