Neuropathic Pain

[RMcleod]

Hello new member. I was just looking to see if anyone had similar stories and if they found anything to help. In 2011 i feel over and had some whiplash. I immediately got pain in my left ear which is a stabbing pain every few seconds. This pain has been present and pain killer/anti inflammatory have some impact on it. It has grown worse over the years. In 2014 i started developing right ear pain also. The doctors believed this was my brain interpretating signals wrongly due to my increased anxiety over my original pain. This pain doesn't seem to be impacted by any pain medication. It has also slowly gotten worse over the years and is now my primary source of pain. It has made my whole ear and ear canal extra sensitive and sore to touch. The pain is like someone rubbing sandpaper on these areas. I have to lie on it to get rid of the pain but now that's becoming a problem and it seems to be agitating it more. Just sitting down causes extreme pain with pressure on the area. I can only lie down in bed in one position or it causes more. Lastly doing any speaking causes massive amounts of pain in the area.

I have tried every neurpathic drug the doctors can think of with no success. I wondered if anyone had any other suggestions? I am trying some mental pain wellness and nosiplastic reading but with it being constant its hard to apply many of the practises.

Thanks in advance.

[kev60]

hi and welcome, I hope you find the answers you need. I have what I call my ABC pain ( abdominal, back and chest) but at first no reason or cause for the pains. There is so much doctors just do not know, I have since found out that my back pain is caused by OA of the spine and bone spurs growing inwards from my spine and it is thought my work may have caused it. And my abdominal pain feels like someone has grabbed hold of my gut and twisting it and no known reason. And my chest pain could be from either COPD or GORD they don’t know just blame each department. My pains are 24/7 with only sleep as relief. I suffer with FND and at the moment they like to put it down to this as my brain signals were changed/damaged . Have you had scans on your head to check the bones in your neck/ear those bones are so small I and if damaged or moved could cause pain. My wife broke her leg a few years ago and it was repaired but it was painful and they kept taking x-rays and finding nothing said it was in her head, one year later did a scan found she had been walking around on a broken leg for a year. I am on Bunov pain patches 30mcg and 8x500mg paracetamol per day and codeine for emergencies. And these take the edge off the pain so it’s just about bearable. I hope you get the answers you deserve. Good luck. Kevin

[RMcleod in reply to kev60]

Hi Kev60. Thanks for your message. I have had a few mri but nothing conclusive. One ENT was sure it was because of a blood vessel pressing on a nerve but the neurosurgeon just dismissed it. I was so exhausted from being passed between doctors and none of them talk to each other. I am at the point where they have all shrugged their shoulders and told me I need to live with it. Unfortunately living with it means laying in bed most of the day!

[BoilingKettle]

Look for the Pillow With A Hole to take pressure off your ear in bed. I use it successfully after finding that I was getting bedsores on my ear from usual feather pillows. I too get neuropathic pain from sciatica in my leg. Over the counter nsaids do nothing much for it. I do use a homemade mix of lavender oil in a carrier oil (2 drops per tsp of oil) and rub on skin for associated muscle aches. Has some psychological effect if nothing else. I have found the Pain Concern podcast also very helpful for picking up tips for coping.

[RMcleod in reply to BoilingKettle]

Hello. Thank you for your message. The pillow with the hole is worth a shot. I don’t know much about bed sores in the ear. How would you describe the sensation?

I tried some ear friendly oils but due to the ear canal being extremely sensitive they do more damage than it’s worth. I have started the curable app but really at the beginning. I will try the concern podcast once I have made more progress with the app.

[BoilingKettle in reply to RMcleod]

Another name for a bedsore is an ulcer - so a wound that will not heal unless pressure is taken off. It doesn't sound as if this is you as your ear would be weeping as well as sore but the pillow with a hole might help with the tenderness you describe. If your ear is also sensitive to noise have you figured out if it is all noise or only certain frequencies ( high or low pitch) or loud levels? Perhaps a pink noise generator might help. You can get them free for your phone. I also have tinnitus (ear noise) and I tried these but just irritating but it might help you. Plus have you had a hearing test? Or seen an audiology specialist? There may be several things going on here apart from the neuropathy.

[BoilingKettle in reply to BoilingKettle]

Another thought - a long shot. Testosterone - have you had it measured via blood test at GP? You might be in andropause also, which is male version of menopause for women. Low hormones in women (including Testosterone) causes many ear and head problems (tinnitus, head pressure, sinusitis, ear ache, dry skin in ears, dry eyes) so it may be causing part of your problems. Only a guess as little research in this area for men and women. Testosterone can be got via prescription. I use it as part of HRT.