Severe ear pain caused when I lay down at night.

I have this very bad, Don't go on a plane!! The landing will be the biggest pain youve ever known. It is called Eustachian tube dysfunction. Your eustachian tubes are not equalizing air pressure properly. This causes a lot of pain, I've had it 8years or more. You can try antihistamines, or a steroid nasal spray which do help to lift your head off the pillow without pain. Tell your doctor this, its a horrible problem, good luck

I have had this same problem for 13 years now! It all started during pregnancy! It did only happen a couple times a year then went to couple times a month to all the time. Its horrible. I have been to my dr several times and have had a CT and had a full exam from an ENT dr (all normal exams) and they said they think its referred pain. I am desperate to find out what is causing this. I have the exact same symptoms as you!

Hello, I have had bilateral cartilage earpain for almost 2 years. Finally this year I was diagnosed with Chondritis of the ears. The cartilages get inflammed and I was prescribed Prevacid  and Advil along with Meclizine because I was getting dizzy with this inflammation and fell once. Since I am taking these medicines (Prevacid is to prevent fatigue from Advil, an anti-inflammatory) my life has gotten better. The pain feels like your ears are on fire. I am glad I found a pillow for this problem. Probably I will make the pillow myself since I can buy the foam and place my ear on top to make the ear opening. 

i have these exact symptoms, have you found anything to help this from happening?

The doctor told me it was an inner ear dysfunction. The chondritis is an auto immune condition. I not only have chondritis in the ears but also in the ribs. The pain comes and goes and the climate has nothing to do with it. I have been in very warm areas and in very cold areas and it happens to me. I don't take steroids, I take tylenol when the pain is too much and rest. Yeah you are right, plane landings makes this condition flare up, when I travel I try to have the less landings I can and when arrive at places I have to rest for a couple of days to be able to do what I have to.

I have had this for a long time, a painful ear, never in the day, only on waking. It's been so painful sometimes that I can't lift my head off the pillow. It lasts for around ten minutes after waking. Ive monitored it and it seems that it only happens when the bedroom window is open and it's cold/windy outside?

my right ear (and around the ear) is so painful at night when i sleep on my right side that often i get up and have to get pain killers!  i went to go and see an ENT specialist and he said there was absolutely nothing wrong with my ear and  referred me to the headache clinic. The Doctor there said that 95% of ear and pain around the ear is generated from the jaw. The gnashing of teeth whilst you sleep. I was relieved that it wasnt a tumour. he says for about $1000 he can make me some device that fits in my mouth to stop the gnashing of teeth at night! I think i need to try it as the pain at night is sometimes unbearable and i have to try and sleep on my back.  I will keep you posted if this device works as i just HAVE to order one now

Hello, just thought this response may help. I have suffered with this in both ears for years. No doctoe has been able to give a diagnosis or find relief for this problem....but I have! I have started sleeping on one of those airplane U or C shaped travel pillows, I sleep with my ear inside the gap, now every morning I wake up completely pain free. I.am also 8 months pregnant and noticed this condition worsened during pregnancy. The best help I have found is definitely the travel pillow. Hope this helps!

I first started having this problem when I was 5 mos pregnant (currently almost 8 mos).  The pain is always in my right ear and starts after I've been laying on my right side and ear.  I wake up and realize that the pain is there, and when I move my head off the pillow the pain becomes so intense it's almost unbearable.  I've read a lot of the prior posts and I too have bad circulation (mild Reynod's where occasionally my index fingers turn completely white when near cold) and then of course pregnancy.  My OB doctor said it's probably TMJ because my dentist has said that I grind my teeth at night.  This is hard to believe though because this ear pain only started a couple months ago and I've never had it before in my life.  I'm assuming if I do in fact grind my teeth that I have for longer than 2 mos, so why the ear pain now??? It's so weird and hard to explain to anyone....Also my doctor acted like he had never heard of such a thing but was quick to point to TMJ.  He suggested I wear a mouth guard at night which I don't want to do for many reasons.

I have also had this problem for a couple of years now and it seems to get worse from time to time. I've seen several doctors, even had an MRI because I was convinced that I had a tumor. It is always the right ear and when I wake up and try to move off that ear the pain is excruciating. My doctors say it's the inner ear canal, like when babies get an ear ache. They have prescribed nasal sprays etc. to try and help the fluid but I never use them. It seems to be worse when my allergies flare, but I still don't understand why the entire ear hurts.

Hey guys, if your experiencing earlobe pain sleeping on the side of pain at night look to your diet and what your eating/drinking before bedtime and see if you can make the connection. I used to experience this pain when I had coffee at night and never had it since. Toxins may have an effect on earlobes when they remain in the body at night

This is the answer I think applies to me. I too just started researching this problem and ran across this helpful material.

I have the same and have been told it may be arthritis in my jaw?????

I have the same and have been told it may be arthritis in my jaw????? Putting a warm wheat pillow on my ears helps me sleep

Thank goodness. I have really worried that I was crazy. I have been afraid to mention this pain to anyone. It has gotten really bad in the last year. It hurts so bad. I know that some posts mentioned pregnancy, etc. but my son is 15 and the pain started a couple of years ago. I have the same type of problem with my hips. They hurt so bad during the night. It is constantly waking me up. Its both ears and hips.