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..
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Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
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?
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?
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Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
__________________
Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Central MS/Orange Beach, AL
Posts: 9,067
Re: Tingly sensation inside ear?
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.
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Retired 3/31/2007@52
Investing style: Full time wuss.
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 .
__________________
Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
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 ?
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.
__________________
Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
Re: Tingly sensation inside ear?
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).
I'm gonna report you to a moderator if you don't tell.
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Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
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).
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 7,108
Re: Tingly sensation inside ear?
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.
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.
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Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.
As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 7,108
Re: Tingly sensation inside ear?
DH and I are both over 60, had Chicken Pox as children, and have had mild Shingles. Anyone who has seen the pain associated with moderate and severe shingles will opt for the vaccine.
Anyone who has seen the pain associated with moderate and severe shingles will opt for the vaccine.
MIL was sidelined by that for months. Representative Patsy Mink was killed by it.
I'm ready for the vaccine... when do we start?
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