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Blocked eustachian tube, no infection, facial and arm nerve trouble
For the last month, I've had a pain in the middle left of my head. It feels like it is at the top of the back of my nose....if that makes sense. After the first week, it seemed to migrate down a bit and I felt like I had a deep ear infection in my left ear. Simulataneously, I noticed problems with a numbness/tinglyness/warmness or weird feeling in my left arm. It seems weakened.
I'm no stranger to ear infections, as I had them occasionally as a child (I never had tubes, though) and I get them as an adult usually at the tail end of a cold/flu. So this seemed out of place because I have not had any cold or flu.
I went to the ER back in the middle of October and was shocked when they told me my ear was NOT red. It hurt so bad and felt so much like an ear infection, I was convinced it was. They gave me Roxicet for the pain and sent me on my way.
After 4 days, the intenseness pretty much went away, but I still felt a "sensation" in the middle left of my head. I had an MRI for my arm numbness and blurry vision (to rule out MS) and although they found asymmetry of a gyrus in front of the right occipital lobe and under the corpus callosum, two neurologists agreed that it is normal "anatomical variation" like if you have one foot slightly bigger than the other.
Well, that sensation has intensified in the last week in my head and ear and added was a slightly painful sensation under my left eye to the side of my nose. It feels like compression of the nerve in my face. I am still having trouble with left arm feeling strange.
It occured to me that maybe my eustachian tube was blocked. I noticed I could not get my left ear to pop.
I went and got Sudafed and had a lot of relief for about 12 hours. I took the maximum dosage and quickly noticed that although the medication was being taken regularly, all the symptoms returned and failed to be alleviated again.
It seems to me that I have more trouble with the symptoms the later in the day it gets. I feel best in the morning. (I do have an anxiety issue and wonder how much of this is actually physical and how much is psychological.).
I can finally pop my left ear on occasion by plugging, blowing, and wiggling my jaw. But it seems to close right back up and I feel the ear squeeze pain. I still have that weird sensation in my head and my arm. I can also still feel it under my eye, but that symptom is better.
I can't find anything anywhere about a blocked eustachian tube causing nerve problems other than the nerves in the face. It just seems to me that after a month of dealing with these symptoms, that my arm issue is directly related to the pain in the middle of my head/ear.
What could all of this be???
I hope someone can help me.
I'm no stranger to ear infections, as I had them occasionally as a child (I never had tubes, though) and I get them as an adult usually at the tail end of a cold/flu. So this seemed out of place because I have not had any cold or flu.
I went to the ER back in the middle of October and was shocked when they told me my ear was NOT red. It hurt so bad and felt so much like an ear infection, I was convinced it was. They gave me Roxicet for the pain and sent me on my way.
After 4 days, the intenseness pretty much went away, but I still felt a "sensation" in the middle left of my head. I had an MRI for my arm numbness and blurry vision (to rule out MS) and although they found asymmetry of a gyrus in front of the right occipital lobe and under the corpus callosum, two neurologists agreed that it is normal "anatomical variation" like if you have one foot slightly bigger than the other.
Well, that sensation has intensified in the last week in my head and ear and added was a slightly painful sensation under my left eye to the side of my nose. It feels like compression of the nerve in my face. I am still having trouble with left arm feeling strange.
It occured to me that maybe my eustachian tube was blocked. I noticed I could not get my left ear to pop.
I went and got Sudafed and had a lot of relief for about 12 hours. I took the maximum dosage and quickly noticed that although the medication was being taken regularly, all the symptoms returned and failed to be alleviated again.
It seems to me that I have more trouble with the symptoms the later in the day it gets. I feel best in the morning. (I do have an anxiety issue and wonder how much of this is actually physical and how much is psychological.).
I can finally pop my left ear on occasion by plugging, blowing, and wiggling my jaw. But it seems to close right back up and I feel the ear squeeze pain. I still have that weird sensation in my head and my arm. I can also still feel it under my eye, but that symptom is better.
I can't find anything anywhere about a blocked eustachian tube causing nerve problems other than the nerves in the face. It just seems to me that after a month of dealing with these symptoms, that my arm issue is directly related to the pain in the middle of my head/ear.
What could all of this be???
I hope someone can help me.
I have every single solitary symptom that you all have mentioned. There is clearly a connection, although the top doctors, neurologists, and ENTs in my area cannot seem to find one. Good luck to you, and keep posting, it really is helpful to read.
cactis girl dont give up...i have most of the same symptoms as you..keep praying! i have suffered for over a month now with this and finally making some head way..going to get mri and ct with contrast there might be possiblity that is spinal cervical stenosis. i have much pain and tingling and numbness in arms face and neck gets better if standing walking or lying down. if i squeeze my neck pain subsides after alot of investigation found that cervical spinal stenosis and crane neck can affect eustachian tubes. chiro seems to think could me my prob. plus my switches from ear to ear within minutes. pressure affecting auditory nerve causing ear canal to swell shut.i have not lost my hearing with this just a blocked ear canal comes and goes. this probs with spine also causes dry mouth and throat. antibiotics never done me any good either. these probs also affect pressure in middle ear! keep searching you may find your answer. i will never give up with the help of God i will beat this! i will pray for you that god help you and lead you in the right direction for the answers. and that you find victory in your suffering! hopeyou feel better fast!
i truly hope you read this i am simular to you in some aspects. i am have eustachian tube blockage no infection either. no fluid. ent said i was crazy! my ears hurt so bad and burn all over my whole head has burning pain and i have numbness in face and neck and a tingling sensation in upper back and left arm. also my ear canals swell shut. have you found an answer to your situation yet? i am searching for anyone who can help me...the doctors are just baffled at my symptons and cant find whats causing them. any advice you can offer would be great. hope you feel better soon.
Cactus girl's description is basically identical to what I've been experiencing for the past month. Almost identical symptoms:
--Facial semi-numbness (left side, various spots)
--Similar feeling in left hand (though less often, and less pronounced)
--Generally fine in the morning, worse in the evening
--Mucus somewhere behind the back of my throat, that I can't clear by blowing my nose.
--Doctor says my right eardrum is retracted.
--I hear my pulse loudly in my right ear when the room is silent.
I flew transatlantic twice while I had this problem, and noticed that all my symptoms (including the facial numbness) went away while I was on the flight. Which seems to suggest that it's some kind of sinus/ear issue.
The first thing I experienced was facial numbness (It wasn't actually numb, I could still feel when I touched. More like semi-numb with odd sensation, kind of as if it was covered in a layer of mud). This lasted for a few days and went away, then came back, on and off for the last month. It wandered all over the LEFT side of my face. First felt it around my eye and back towards my ear. Later in my cheek, occasionally in my jaw and teeth. Also, I often had a sore spot at the top of my head, directly above the back of my ear.
My stuffed-up ear was on the RIGHT side, but I did seem to have some mucus at the back on the left also, so perhaps there was a left-side sinus infection that I couldn't feel. After about a month the left-side facial stuff isn't there any more, but just today I felt it suddenly in my right cheek below my eye. Alas. Not done yet.
I've had a couple of other symptoms too, but I was worried sick about the whole thing thinking I was having a stroke, so perhaps the other symptoms were due to anxiety:
--Had some weird very extreme thirst one day.
--Felt a little unbalanced a few days (though my actual balance was fine)
--Misc others, including pains in my abdomen, sudden food intolerances.
As I said, initially I was terrified it was a stroke, but the doctor said the pattern wasn't consistent with a brain injury, more some kind of peripheral nerve irritation. He couldn't explain the left hand, but chose to ignore it (something else maybe).
It all started during a period of very dry local winds which are apparently known for causing sinus problems.
I haven't had any antibiotics, but have found that steamy showers help.
--Facial semi-numbness (left side, various spots)
--Similar feeling in left hand (though less often, and less pronounced)
--Generally fine in the morning, worse in the evening
--Mucus somewhere behind the back of my throat, that I can't clear by blowing my nose.
--Doctor says my right eardrum is retracted.
--I hear my pulse loudly in my right ear when the room is silent.
I flew transatlantic twice while I had this problem, and noticed that all my symptoms (including the facial numbness) went away while I was on the flight. Which seems to suggest that it's some kind of sinus/ear issue.
The first thing I experienced was facial numbness (It wasn't actually numb, I could still feel when I touched. More like semi-numb with odd sensation, kind of as if it was covered in a layer of mud). This lasted for a few days and went away, then came back, on and off for the last month. It wandered all over the LEFT side of my face. First felt it around my eye and back towards my ear. Later in my cheek, occasionally in my jaw and teeth. Also, I often had a sore spot at the top of my head, directly above the back of my ear.
My stuffed-up ear was on the RIGHT side, but I did seem to have some mucus at the back on the left also, so perhaps there was a left-side sinus infection that I couldn't feel. After about a month the left-side facial stuff isn't there any more, but just today I felt it suddenly in my right cheek below my eye. Alas. Not done yet.
I've had a couple of other symptoms too, but I was worried sick about the whole thing thinking I was having a stroke, so perhaps the other symptoms were due to anxiety:
--Had some weird very extreme thirst one day.
--Felt a little unbalanced a few days (though my actual balance was fine)
--Misc others, including pains in my abdomen, sudden food intolerances.
As I said, initially I was terrified it was a stroke, but the doctor said the pattern wasn't consistent with a brain injury, more some kind of peripheral nerve irritation. He couldn't explain the left hand, but chose to ignore it (something else maybe).
It all started during a period of very dry local winds which are apparently known for causing sinus problems.
I haven't had any antibiotics, but have found that steamy showers help.
hi iam going through same thing, had a lot of stress started with ear like infection like 3 lots of meds from doc... then to dentist as all my teeth felt rotten , nothing , said i had tmj?? went to ortho, had a dam in mouth aka splint soft food exercises etc 15 advil a day. had flu syptoms sinus earpain jaw clicking pins and needles in hands chest pain arm pain, arm pain feels like nerve and sometimes grinds , sometimes nothing have neck pain and jaw that come and go dizzy spells, snot running in throat wet feeling inside my ears.. have eye twitch too !! my teeth are worn on one side and have broke tooth from grinding, clenching, am an a personality and am high strung person , can any body help dr cant !! this has been 3 yrs and some days i can honestly say i cant move i hurt so bad
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