pain around ear and exertional headache

[helyanna]

I had intermittent ear problems (pain, loud buzzing, vertigo etc.) for four months in last spring. Now pain around the ear has returned. Sometimes the pain is below the ear or jaw angle, sometmes in or behind the ear canal. Sometimes it is in the upper temple area. On one day when I was working in our garden, I had headache in the temple, and it lasted for the whole day. I have never had migraine. I have read about exertional headache, could it be such?

Nowadays the ear pain occurs most frequently early in the morning but can also occur during the daytime. Just now the area below-behind my ear is somehow tight, and I am hearing a slight buzz in the ear. Today a nurse looked at my ear canal, but there was no redness, no excess wax.

During last spring it was examined and found out that the symptoms were not due to temporomandibular or tooth problems or middle ear or sinus problems. A neurologist said that the symptoms might be caused by muscular dystonia.

Could there be some kind of infection or inflammation somewhere in my ear-throat area? Or blood vessel problem, or something else?

[Arti Sharma, M.D.]

Hello,
Perception of abnormal ear or head noises is termed as tinnitus. Persistent tinnitus usually indicates the presence of sensory hearing loss. Intermittent periods of mild, high-pitched tinnitus lasting for several minutes are common in normal hearing persons. If your problem has been of a recent origin, it may be a temporary phenomenon. If it persists consult your doctor to rule out inner ear disorders. You need a complete physical examination and blood tests, a CT and MRI and audiology tests can further help with diagnosis.  Keep me posted.
Best luck and regards!

[helyanna]

An ENT doctor said that possible coronary artery disease should first be excluded. Then my sinus problem should be examined and treated. If that does not help, then the pain is caused by muscular dystonia.

I do not have chest pain but sometimes I have upper abdominal pain during walking. My treadmill exercise test showed a very good condition, but during recovery I got supraventricular tachycardia and lowering of the ST level. ST depression can indicate coronary artery disease.

The ENT doctor said that my carotid sinus is prominent. I have thought previously that the bulge in my neck is a lymph node.