what could cause outer ear pain

You may have what I have just been diagnosed with. It is CNH. Very long name. You need to see a dermatologist to be treated. I had this a year and half, and my primary Dr. even cut a piece of my ear and sent it off to see if it was skin cancer. It wasn't but he did not know what it was. I then went to the Dermatologist and she just walked in and said it was CNH. I have been looking for an ear pillow. You can go online and look it up. It especially happens as you get older.

Your ear issue sounds like a real pain, and glad you found a solution.

But I'm pretty sure that it's not quite what I'm experiencing [and perhaps also 'ewilsonmsw' ] I've never ever had any kind of sore or lesion. For years [10 or more] usually just at night in bed, and yes, I sleep on my left side, one ear, most often the left, would slowly start to hurt.
At first just a bit tender, then within minutes a deep, acute, searing, hot pain developed in the helix, antihelix and tragus. The only relief was to cup my hand over the ear so that NOTHING could touch it, including a hair or the pillow. Eventually I figured out that a very warm, damp facecloth or a microwaveable 'wheatbag' would, within minutes,eliminate the pain almost entirely. Enough so I could sleep and there would be no pain in the morning. I would occasionally go look in the mirror to see if it looked as bad as it felt, but usually there was nothing to see. A few times though, the tragus [the little triangular flap over your ear canal] was quite swollen and a bit red. As soon as the pain subsided, so did any visible signs. Now the right is involved sometimes, but never both ears at the same time. I've tried different pillows, it happens in every season, every kind of weather, sometimes as soon as I lay down, sometimes not for hours into the night, very rare during waking hours.
Over the years I have queried Drs. as to the possible cause or treatment for this, and I've always been rewarded with the same puzzled stare. But no theories what-so-ever.
As for a connection with back issues, well, my back is fine. I have no back problems [that can't be attributed to age, anyway ;( ] and I've never been able to connect this crazy ear problem with anything at all.
It is interesting that no one seems to have any clear idea what causes this pain. I almost wish it was related to my back, at least I'd have a half an answer. So, I'm just going to keep asking. I don't think it's life threatening or anything, but I'm just so darn perplexed!

thanks for listening

that happens to me to.i usually get it at night and in my left ear while i am sleeping,it wakes me up at night.i don't know what it is but i will go to the doctor and check it out.

I have had the same exact problem on my ear ( left ) also generally for a long time. Just as you, it is random and very very painful. I wake up and my ear is in excruciating pain and as I wake up I can hear myself moaning from the pain. Ive never had any answersfrom any of Drs and have mentioned it several times, even to an ears nose and throat Dr. No lesions on my outer ear either. If you ever find an answer, please share. I would so appreciate it. Thank you.

Leanne

I am a 44 year old female dealing with the same issues, I have to massage my ear to get it to stop hurting, I have found if I use my tempurpedic pillow it does not happen as often, and I also have had many back issues and never thought to connect it to my back. I even get ear aches if I am outside and the wind is blowing hard, have had many ear ache, ear problems over my entire life. Thank you for all your problem solving ideas and the comments to let me know I am not alone in this. You are right, the Dr.'s do not know what to make of it, and don't know what to do for it.

Hi,

I'm an acupuncturist with this problem, I get discomfort and soreness in the antihelix, like a bruise for a few minutes when i wake some mornings.

I've never really bothered to do any thing about it as it's not a priority, but just recently decided to adress it. I can treat it fairly easy with acupuncture but it creeps up again in a few months and I'm quite curious as to it's official 'name' in western med's so started perusing the net this evening..

In T.C.M there's a couple of possible interpretations - it's related to the spine from the lumab down to sacral area, so could relate to back pain (not just coxxyx), not an issue for me..

ALso it's on the gall bladder/liver meriedian meaning it could relate to excess toxins, fatty /rich food, or stress and mine is certainly worse when I eat/drink c**p.

And of course in tcm pain in area can just be local injury old or new, not an issue for me, especially as mine is either side depending on which i sleep on.

Anyways as i said it's pretty easily treated in acupuncture and I should do some more reearch into tcm theories to see if mine is in fact related to the old gall bladder/liver energy issues and do a bit of a detox! (I haven't come across a client with it yet hence why I haven't done more reseach before as you do with the more common every day conditions).

I certainly wouldn't go the biopsi/steriod/western drug route. ever. Just creating a world of new pain for yourselves!

Anyway hope that helps

Hmmm...like any good 'who-dunnit', I'm inclined to think there's no such thing as a coincidence....in a week I'm having my gall bladder removed after nearly 10yrs of trouble. I certainly would never have connected the ear issue and a gall bladder problem. I've have 3+ severe gall bladder attacks in the past 4 months or so, and oddly, now that you mention it, I've noticed a marked increase in the severity and frequency of the ear pain. Once the gall bladder is gone I'll be very interested to see if the ear pain disappears forever as well.
I asked my nearly retired physician if she'd ever had a patient with this ear pain as I described....she replied," no, never!"
Thanks so much for the info!!!

Are any of you taking medication for osteoporosis?  Such as, Boniva, Fosamax?

I can't believe I finally found others who are experiencing the same kind of ear pain I have!  I wake up every night almost with whatever ear I have been sleeping on throbbing with extreme pain.  I have been using a cool moist washcloth to ease the pain because my ear is very hot to touch when this happens.  The coolness brings automatic relief.  Sometimes (if I rememeber) I will leave a cool washcloth on my night stand so that when I wake up it is right there.  If I forget and I am too sleepy to get up to get this,  I just have to turn over and let the throbbing subside. Sometimes I rub it gently to help the pain go away.  Usually it takes about 5-10 minutes.  I have a firmer pillow that I think I will try since someone suggested that.  I've looked online for "ear pillows" or something to protect my ears from pressure when I lie on them, but haven't been able to find it.  I do have a bulging disc in my lower back, but never have connected the two, because my ears only hurt at night when I am lying on them.  Anyway---I'm just so glad to hear that I am not alone with this strange pain!  Good luck to all!

It seems there is no answer.  Mine started about 6 years ago.  I woke up one night and my ear was caning so bad and I could not even touch it without crying out.  I would have to roll over and cup it with my hand until the pain subsided.  Then it was still tender for hours afterwards. Even holding the phone to my ear for any longer than 5 minutes causes pain.  If I rub it, this will cause pain, and then it aches.  The other ear has now started, and as I have chronic broncitis and chronic asthma sleeping on my back just doesn't work, so I'm not getting much sleep.  And doctors look at me blankly or with a perplexed look on their face. Different pillows make no difference, I cup my hand over my ear so it isn't leaning on the pillow or my palm sometimes at night just to give my other side a rest.  It was such a relief to read all the stories, and know I am not the only one.  I can't believe that doctors have no idea, and with so many people suffering from this condition maybe we should start up a sore ear day to bring attention to it. Anyway thanks that you are here.

I followed Dubai's suggestion and it worked for me.  I have had this problem for close to 4 years and the pain is so intense and aggravating.  I was on my way to work this morning excited that I only had to work a half day and then all of a sudden the ear pain came on.  I thought my day was going to be ruined but I pulled over and put lotion on my ear, all over the front and back and within 30 sec the pain was gone.  Completely gone and it has been 2 hours now, and still no pain.  Thank you Dubai!  BTW - I have been to 3 doctors - all to no avail.

The person who said that the outer shell of ear pain, may be related to back (coccyx area) pain could have something right, because I too

Kay Wrote:

"I too have the same issue. It is so tender that touching it almost has me want to cry. I cant find the answer to why.

* But what I have found to stop it fast is to slowly tug on the ear ever-so gently & hold it a few seconds. After a few seconds try a different dirrection till all pain is gone.

I am suspecting. seeing this helps. somehow the cartlige is dislocating itself. When it is allowed to "pop back into place" then the pinching of some nerve is stopped (blood supply returned?) & the pain goes away in 1-2 min or less."

Joel Replies:

I am a 59 year old male and have had this problem for years. It feels like the cartilage is tearing away from the skin. My ear is extremely sore to the touch almost to the point of tears. It happens day or night at any time. I have found if I sqeeze the outer ear cartilage where it hurts as hard as I can stand it for about two or three minutes, the pain goes away totally in about 5 minutes. It hurts like mad to squeeze it, but its worth the relief. The spot that usually hurts is the lump in the middle of my outter ear just past the crest of the helix.

I also have cronic lower back pain....maybe some connection?

Me again, from a year ago... I too, still have the ear issue, and actually it's been really bad recently. But I did see an ENT specialist a month ago, and altho he was extremely interested and listened very carefully, he was even more perplexed than me. All he could suggest was that either a group of blood vessels or a group of nerves must be getting pinched off, or irritated in some way, and by using moist heat on the area I'm increasing the blood flow to the area. He promised to keep looking for an answer. I have been using a strip of memory foam fashioned into a circle...like a doughnut... and placing it over my ear at night so there is no pressure on the ear against the pillow. It helps a lot!!

I read dubai3d's post and applied moisturizer. It worked. Try applying moisturizer. Also, keep your ears warm. It prevents pain. I get this pain specially after long drive. When I cover my ears with skarf. I dont get pain.