Tingly sensation inside ear?

[ladelfina]

For the last couple of years on and off, I've had a recurring sensation of tingling and burning just inside my ear canal.. (the part you can feel with your index finger). In some ways it's a "pins and needles" feeling, but, for lack of a better word, it's more "exquisite."

I've spent a lot of time looking on the Internet for a description of this symptom, but with no luck, and I don't think it's really worth a trip to the doctor's office. It happens mostly in the left ear, but sometimes both.. and it's fairly annoying, to the point of not being able to fall asleep easily. Rubbing/massaging/pressure don't affect the sensation. It's not something that affects the outer, fleshy part of the ear or the inner ear, hearing or balance in any way.. just this 'border zone' where the ear canal comes up against the skull. It comes and goes.. with days where I don't experience it at all, many days off and on, and every so often a day where it's almost constant.

Any ideas? I feel like I must be the only person out there who has ever felt this!
Thanks in advance for any suggestions..

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Ever had shingles, even many years back?

[ladelfina]

No.. I believe I had the regular measles/German measles as a kid..
(Not sure which or both?.. That's the problem with having had an MD dad.. he didn't bother to write it down.. just said "stay home, stay in bed, you'll be fine" -- the other medical maxim in our household was "put a cold cloth on it"!)

Just wanted to add that there's no ringing or pain in the inner ear and that the sensation isn't associated with other symptoms like nausea or headache or fatigue or any particular sensations anywhere else on the body.. it crops up just anytime, seemingly.

Just to add, I'm not on any prescription meds, nor do these episodes coincide with taking any of the normal OTC things like the occasional aspirin, ibuprofen, antacid, etc.

Thanks Rich.. if I had had shingles, would I know about it? (I know that's a wierd question, but I hope you know what I mean...). What might make this ear feeling come about if that were the case?

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by ladelfina

Thanks Rich.. if I had had shingles, would I know about it? (I know that's a wierd question, but I hope you know what I mean...). What might make this ear feeling come about if that were the case?

Oh, you'd know about it: red blistery rash which burns, itches, and looks nasty (caused by the chicken pox virus you picked up 50 years ago). Sometimes it leaves a painful neuropathy (pain along the course of a nerve) in its wake, other times just a mile skin hypersensitivity.

Just shootin' in the dark. Maybe, like gout, it's a sign of higher intelligence?

[TromboneAl]

I'm always so helpful!

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by TromboneAl

I'm always so helpful!

Where do you find this stuff?

[Dawg54]

Probably not the same thing but I have had an itching problem in my ears the last couple of years. Finally went to a dermatologist and he just said its something that will never heal completely. Not sure what the technical name is but he prescribed a $30 tube of something that soothes the area and makes it feel much better.

So if it keeps up, just ask your regular doc about it next time you have a physical. He may point you in the direction of an ear doc or dermatologist.

[donheff]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Just shootin' in the dark. Maybe, like gout, it's a sign of higher intelligence?

Darn, can I start bragging about my gout now? I thought it was supposed to be a sign of decadence.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by donheff

Darn, can I start bragging about my gout now? I thought it was supposed to be a sign of decadence.

Decadence is also a sign of higher intelligence .

[JohnEyles]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Maybe, like gout, it's a sign of higher intelligence?

Glad to hear that. Had my first gout attack a few months ago - most painful
thing I've ever experienced. But I'm not over-weight, and there is no family
history, both of which are frequently mentioned. Furthermore, blood tests
showed nothing awry (uric acid = 6 mg/dl, urea nitrogen (bun) = 13 mg/dl).
Fake gout ?

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by JohnEyles

Glad to hear that. Had my first gout attack a few months ago - most painful
thing I've ever experienced. But I'm not over-weight, and there is no family
history, both of which are frequently mentioned. Furthermore, blood tests
showed nothing awry (uric acid = 6 mg/dl, urea nitrogen (bun) = 13 mg/dl).
Fake gout ?

If you mean pseudogout, not necessarily-- it's much less common and gout can occur with normal uric acid levels; probably has to do with rapid changes in the level as much as the absolute amount. It reminds me of rock candy - they hard sugar crystal you get on a piece of string suspended in saturated sugar water. Any disturbance can cause a crystal to grow very quickly.

Pseudogout is from calcium pyrophosphate crystals, not uric acid. It's more often associated with other ailments, often affects the knee. Both types hurt. A lot.

Alcohol, mechanical stress, dehydration, big steaks, aspirin -- all can precipitate gout in the unlucky predisposed victim.

The purists will insist on taking out a drop of joint fluid for crystal analysis, to make sure it's gout and not an infection. But if it's in the big toe or ankle, and there are no risks for infection such as an overlying injury, etc. it's so likely to be gout that empiric treatment is just fine, IMHO.

Your co-conspirators include Alexander Graham Bell, Caesar, Ben Franklin among others.

[TromboneAl]

I went to the doctor with an itchy ear, once. He looked in and said there was some kind of a growth there, and sent me to a ENT guy. After a few nervous hours, it turned out it was just surfer's ear, and from then on, the itchiness didn't seem too bad (i.e. as compared with cancer).

Where do you find this stuff?

It's a secret.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by TromboneAl

It's a secret.

I'm gonna report you to a moderator if you don't tell.

[Caroline]

Diabetes?

My mother has diabetes and her ears bother her a lot. Dr. also tells her it's not fixable, just manageable.

[ladelfina]

Thanks everyone.. Caroline, I guess when I arrange for a checkup I will mention diabetes screening.. I don't have any other of the listed symptoms, but neither have I had shingles (yowsa!) or gout (ouch).

I am overweight, but recently my 76-y.o. mom tried out one of her finger-prick deals on me and my blood sugar was in the 70s. She's not a lifelong diabetic but a year or so ago got into a borderline situation so she now checks.. she's always been a muncher of cookies and candies (while I can take them or leave them, much preferring savory snacks).

[JohnEyles]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

probably has to do with rapid changes in the level as much as the absolute amount.

Yeah, dunno the baseline level, and 6 is near high-end of normal range according to
the test result form.

... mechanical stress ... can precipitate gout in the unlucky predisposed victim

Digging a grave for your friend's large German shepard dog ? On the other hand,
I dug several deck-footing holes a year ago with no trouble at all.

Your co-conspirators include Alexander Graham Bell, Caesar, Ben Franklin among others.

I'm honored.

Thanks for the info.

[Brat]

My husband was a participant in a Shingles prevention study that ended a year or so ago... the shot works! It is the shot they use to prevent Chickenpox. It has value even if you have had an episode of Shingles.

I was watching a TV show recently.. may have caught it on Oprah. Extra weight can precipitate diabetes. There were a couple other medical conditions precipitated by extra weight where the treatment also added risks.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Brat

My husband was a participant in a Shingles prevention study that ended a year or so ago... the shot works! It is the shot they use to prevent Chickenpox.

Almost. It has about 50 times more virus particle "units" than the chickenpox vaccine, but same idea.

Given over age 60 or so, it reduces the occurrence of shingles about 50% and the shingles that does break through seems to be milder and lead to much less permanent nerve pain. All in all, not too bad a vaccine. If safety remains good for a few more years, I'd consider getting it.

[Brat]

DH and I are both