i have throbbing pain right next to my ear. it is right next to the Tragus, i can feel the vein sticking out of the skin slightly and pumping hard. it feels like a lot of pressure in that area and some pain inside of my ear. its mostly my left side that hurts, but the right side has been hurting too sometimes. its been like this for a few days now. my left nostril seems to be blocked up too. I've tried using sinus meds, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, ear drops. none of those really helped with the pain.

i had a cold the past couple of weeks, started off as a bad sore throat and then i got very congested and asthmatic. those symptoms are hardly there now, but now this ear thing has cropped up.

I'm thinking its probably an ear infection, but its been probably 15 years or so since I've had one, i don't remember what it feels like to have one. i don't have med insurance right now, so I'd like to avoid the doctor if there is an at home remedy i can do.