I have ear pain but its always the ear that I lay on while I sleep (right). Its so painful that I have to lift my head up very slowly off the pillow or its too painful to take. This is also the ear that always has fluid draining out of it which I think is maybe why the pain is there.
I don't have problems in the shower like you described - I just q-tip when I'm done showering and that helps. But my ears are usually damp throughout the day or when the pressure is higher in the atmosphere.
Hope this helps - I haven't heard of this swimmer ear stuff you mentioned...may have to check it out.
:) Mandy

That is so weird about your ear pain! All my pressure re: ear pain, HA, eye pain, etc....always went away after the LP. It's def a concern especially since there's no infection going on. A call to the doc prob wouldn't be a bad idea....You need to find out if this is normal or not! You don't want to develop any issues like hearing loss or anything if you let it go.....You know I'm new, so I'm just suggesting.....

Kim

I have been told (and it could be wrong) that high pressure can mimic an inner ear infection, since it can put pressure on the inner ear. It can cause pain, pulsating, feeling like they are plugged, etc. But I don't know why it would happen when you get water in your ear unless it amplifies what is already there?! Again the person that told me could be wrong, but that is what I have been told.

Pressure definitely impacts ears. I've got moderate hearing loss in one ear and mild loss in the other. They have been ringing non-stop for almost a year now and the feeling of pressure / pain is almost always there. LP's and my stent helped the pressure feeling but not the ringing - that will be with me forever. Now that my stent isn't working anymore, I've also got my sound sensitivity back - where common things like forks on plates make me want to scream.

I dry my ears out each time I shower with a tissue and qtip (carefully) to try to help with the feelings of something being in there (though I think it's just in my head!)

I have frequent ear pain, some days it's constant. I get ear infections now that my IH is chronic and I never had them before. I love swimming, but rarely go because I get swimmers ear so bad. I never used to get that either. Ear plugs hurt so I won't use them.
My Neuro and my NS have both told me it's due to pressure and neuralgia caused by the pressure. I have to use q-tips every time I get water in my ears. I carry them in my purse. Anyone remember that old game show, Let's Make A Deal, I think it was, where the host would give people money for having random on their person? I think as a group we would win!

Thank you for all of the information! I am going to be contacting my Neurologist pretty soon for an appointment about my headaches and also to talk about the ear things! This is just getting unreal!

I used to just clear them out with a Q-tip after a shower or swimming, but using a Q-tip, even to barely touch inside, causes so much pain I could cry...or scream. And now, it is becoming constant. I have been checked for fluid in my ears, infections, etc. and there has been none...my primary doctor said alcohol or swimmers ear drops to help, which WAS helping until just the past few days...now I am just frustrated. :(

I have severe ear pain like an infection any time my pressure is high, elevation changes, even yelling or crying (maybe causes pressure?) Ive seen an ENT they said i have nothing wrong with my ears, the pressure caould just be mimicking the infection feeling. I also have TMJ from grinding my teeth, that also causes some ear pain when its realy bad.
whats really weird is the ear drainage when i cry. its like im crying out of my ears. none of my drs can explain that one.

I have had constant ear aches for years now.But, there is nothing wrong with my ears! Have had them checked so many times, never a thing wrong. But it feels just like an ear infection.
I take pain killers for them, as I do for my hds. I am fed up with pain and will not put up with it any more. Thankfully my neuro is sympathetic and allows me to take what ever I need.
I have never found any thing that helps with them but I agree with armywife that it is a sign of high pressure. When my pressure drops so does the ear ache. Drs generally don't believe you about it I find. Cath

I have been dealing with severe right ear pain constantly but some times worst then others daily for tge pass 3 weeks. I finally had my NS to schedule a Lp bc we figure my pressure was high even though they had just increased my Diamox 1000mg, twice day, Plus my lasix&other meds. Got the Lp last tuesday, pressure was high however my ear pain is still present!!! I mean I'm shaking my head &wanting to pull it off at times...ughhh.. Going to dr Tuesday to see if it's ear infection but I doubt it.

Just my 2 cents, trigemenal nueralgia, some exerience ears along with jaw, temple, and eyes. Mine in ice pick electricity in eye and temple on right side.

right before I was diagnosed with PTC I was having bad ear pain in my left ear an went to get it checked an nothing was wrong the dr said they were to clean. an to this day I still get pain in my left ear real bad like an ear infection. I am just told that is when my pressure if high. I was diagnosed in June 2009.

Hi there. To you have a VP shunt? About 4 months ago I started having ear pain. It felt like a but or something was in my ear. It was very painful. It got so bad I finally went to the ER. No infection, but the did say the eardrum was protruding. Well many visits to ears specialists (who also discovered hearing loss in that right ear, same side as shunt), neurologists, neurosurgeons, etc... later it's been discovered that my VP shunt it malfunctioning and I'm scheduled for shunt revision surgery next Tuesday. During the time it's taken for them to get to the bottom of all of this, I've also lost 60% of my vision. So don't let it go. Stay on top of it sweetie.

Hi Muse -
Yes, I have a VP shunt. I had mine originally placed in December 2010, then the valve replaced in July 2011, and then in February 2012 an anti-siphon device placed onto the catheter (in the right side of my chest, under my collarbone) because my shunt was overdraining (malfunctioning) and this was a way to stop that and not require another brain surgery.

So I have been okay pressure wise since then. I have not had any LP's or anything. My eye pain (main sign of my pressure, I can always tell when there is an issue) has been controlled with no medications or anything, no more vomiting from low pressure, etc. Since May, I have had a massive decrease in pain...EXCEPT my ears. I have had them checked since then, and no infection...and my pressure is not high, as far as we know. But I honestly think that if this were the only symptom I had to deal with, if my pressure was a little high, I would take it over my head hurting any day!

I will keep on it. I am going to ask my neurologist next time I see him and maybe he will know. My primary doctor can only do so much and she checks them every time I see her (which, okay, granted I do not see any of them much right now...)

I'm thinking of you during your surgery. Hugsss
Heather