Summary

I have suffered with debilitating left-sided head pain for ten years. For the last three years, I have also had acute pain in my left ear. My left-sided head pain and ear pain have not been investigated. The CT and MRI scans hold valuable information. These scans could help to identify a cause to my head and ear pain. I am seeking a radiologist, who specializes in Head and Neck pathology to come forward and answer my questions; to shed light on what could be causing my left-sided ear and head pain.

 Ear Pain

This is a call out for radiology to answer my questions relating to my ear and head pain. I have had unrelenting pain in and behind my left ear for the last three years. I had experienced my left parotid gland push against my ear for many years. This would happen when my gland would swell and inflate. I thought that my ear pain was caused from this. However, the pain within my left ear has developed into a feeling of fullness and pressure. I have had muffled hearing, like my ear is under water. I have a consistent stabbing pain in the bone right behind my ear. Two Ear, Nose and Throat consultants have examined my ear with an otoscope, and have said that everything is ‘normal.’ This consistent pain in my ear is not normal.

The CT Neck and Bone scans show an enlarged mastoid on the affected side. I understand, from what consultants tell me, that the mastoid is sometimes bigger on one side, but it seems like a huge coincidence that the mastoid is larger on the side where I have pain in and behind my ear.

Radiology Questions

Please can a radiologist tell me if my enlarged mastoid on the left side could be contributing to my ear pain and to the throbbing pangs that I get in the bone behind my ear?

 

If the mastoid is not causing my ear pain, then could it be referred pain from my enlarged masseter muscle, and the abnormality in my left buccal fat pad and retromolar area? The first three images show my enlarged mastoid on the left side. The first three images below show my enlarged masseter muscle and two below show my facial abnormality, which could be referring the pain to my left ear.

 Head Pain

Radiology Questions

The pain starts above my left eyebrow and it extends all the way around the left side of my head. It is a gnarly ache, which feels like hot mist under my skin. My head burns and parts of my skull throbs. There have not been any investigations into my head pain. However, MRI Neck images seem to show an enlarged nerve and frontal lobe above my eyebrow on the left. Could this nerve and frontal lobe enlargement be inflammation. Could this be causing the pain in the left side of my forehead?

Nasalis Muscle and Tissue.

There is a cross section of images from MRI Neck, CT Bone and CT Neck scans, which show a thinning of the nasalis tissue and muscle on the left side. I have asked consultants about this, but they have told me that it is just the ‘angle plane of the scan.’ If these images were all taken from one scan machine, in one hospital, on one date, I may believe this. However, these images come from different scan machines, done at different hospitals, which were done over a year apart. It doesn’t therefore stack up, that this apparent thinning of my nasalis tissue is due to ‘scan angles.’ Has the tissue or muscle on the left side of my sinus area thinned? If it has, could infection be the cause of this diminishing tissue?

My Left Lung

I have had a series of respiratory infections, since December, 2022.  I still have a squeak on the left side, when I inhale. A Pulmonary Function Test (Spirometry) test has shown a possible lung function restriction. There are six images from an MRI Neck scan, which show areas of white on the left lung, which do not appear on the right side. Do these radiology images supply any information about the ongoing wheeze on my left lung?

If you are a radiologist who could help read these scans, and shed some light about what is possibly causing my ear and head pain, please get in touch with me via twitter, the message box on my website, or email me at info@myfacialpain.com

Recommended Articles

My Ear Pain

My Left-sided Head Pain

Frontal Lobe Enlargement

What is Mastoiditis?

Imaging Review Of The Temporal Bone

Useful Links

Myfacialpain.com/CTNeckgallery

myfacialpain.com/mrineckgallery