AIBU to go back to the doctors

[timetravellingbunnies]

On Tuesday I started to get a bit of a niggle in my left ear. By the evening I was in agony. My ear was blocked and I had horrendous pain in my jaw.

Spent all of Wednesday in Agony. Saw the Doctor that afternoon. He said my ear was fine. No infection and that it was likely I'd injured my jaw joint somehow and that was he cause of the pain. Told to take 600mg of ibuprofen three times a day.

Went to bed hat night in agony, got barely any sleep. Kept waking up screaming and crying in pain. Phoned the Doctor in the morning and he said to keep up with the ibuprofen and that it would take time to heal but he prescribed me some co codamol to help the pain.

I'm taking 2 x 30mg/500mg of co codamol four times a day and 600mg ibuprofen three times a day. The co codamol has helped a lot but the pain is still there and as soon as the co codamol starts wearing off its agony again. It's affecting my sleep, eating, etc.

My mum thinks I should go to the hospital as she fears something more serious. AIBU to go back to the doctors or should I wait it out a bit longer?

Sounds awful! Is there any chance it could be dental though? Is the pain radiating from the ear or your jaw?

@DoneLikeAKipper I gave birth six months again and thought I'd be good with pain now! Can safely say I'd rather be giving birth again than dealing with this.

At first I thought it was the ear because the ear feels like it's blocked and underwater and I've got a horrendous throbbing inside the ear with the occasional stabbing pain but I've also got awful jaw pain too. It hurts like crazy if I touch the jaw joint next to the ear.

My teeth all feel fine. It's literally just jaw and ear that hurt like mad! The Doctor said the Jaw pain could cause the secondary ear pain due to the proximity.

Definitely see the dr again but also see a dentist.

@DoneLikeAKipper but interestingly when the niggle pain started on Tuesday, I felt it first in the ear. It was only several hours later than it became the whole jaw and ear area.

I broke my jaw when I was a teenager and the pain was horrifying! But I had a visible lump on my face and the pain was definitely from my jaw and not my ear. I'd go back to the doctor with what you're describing!

I gave birth six months again and thought I'd be good with pain now! Can safely say I'd rather be giving birth again than dealing with this.

Bless you, I absolutely know where you’re coming from. I’ve had gallbladder attacks since having my second (including one early this morning triggered by stress), and I’d also prefer to go through labour again. So it must be bloody bad.

Go back to the doctors, but if it’s in the jaw, there’s a good chance it’s a dental problem (not uncommon at all just having a baby). Unfortunately the mouth is an tricksy bastard, it can shoot off pain in all manner of directions. Is your jaw/face inflamed at all?

I know AIBU but I'm really scared

And I went to the doctors and he said it was just a jaw joint injury. Take ibuprofen.

I then called the doctor the following day when I couldn't handle the pain any longer and he just said, 'it'll take time to heal but in the mean time I'll prescribe you some co codamol'

So I feel like if I phone the doctors again they're gonna brush me off. I don't know. It was the way he said it would take time to heal almost like I was being totally unreasonable to call back after I'd see him the day before.

I had something very similar. It was an impacted wisdom tooth.

So I feel like if I phone the doctors again they're gonna brush me off.

You’re not being unreasonable, and the doctors are there specifically for people who need medical help - that’s you! I don’t usually agree with the mumsnet mantra of ringing 111 over everything, but perhaps it would be best in this case. Or try and see another doctor?

OP have you heard of trigeminal neuralgia? It sounds very much like it. Painkillers don't touch it, anything can trigger it but particularly stress. The good news is that it disappears as quickly as it comes.

@DoneLikeAKipper my left ear / left jaw area feel like theyre red hot and swollen but they aren't.

My teeth do feel absolutely fine and as I say, initially when the niggling started it was my ear.

The idea that it might be dental petrifies me... the dentist is my worst nightmare and I've got knots in my stomach thinking about it

(Not sure if this is classed as a drip feed but a different doctor at the surgery has been treating my OTHER ear for an infection. It's an outer canal infection that has no pain or hearing problems just fluid leaking from the ear but the new doctor I saw about my jaw/ear pain thinks it's unrelated)!

Are you sure it couldn’t be the wisdom tooth? Dentist and try and see a different GP?

OOOh dear sounds like the start of a trapped/squashed nerve The worst pain known to mankind. The fifth nerve runs through your inner ear and into your face along jaw to chin.
You need an MRI
Xx

Maybe try an emergency dental appointment before you go back to the docs?

Do you have a walk in clinic nearby? We’ve always been seen within a couple of hours at ours and been dealt with appropriately. You don’t even need mention that youve seen your GP but don’t think their diagnosis is correct if you feel uncomfortable about that, they treat everyone presenting on face value.

The idea that it might be dental petrifies me... the dentist is my worst nightmare and I've got knots in my stomach thinking about it

I have a huuugeee fear of the dentist, but I’ve had to start going after having children. My previous lack of going, plus having children had had a bad effect on my teeth, it’s really really not worth putting it off. Most dentist are actually very good, they’re just people doing a job and have no interest in causing pain or being horrible.

Whatever this I, it’s obviously causing you pain and worry. However, no one on MN can diagnose or treat you. Please go back to the doctors and don’t worry about thinking you’re making a fuss. If they genuinely can’t find the source, it really would be in your best interest to go to the dentist.

I was scared of the dentist too (didn’t go at all in my 20s - fortunately good teeth) I told the new dentist (I had to go to cos I was in loads of pain) that I was “nervous” and she was brilliant. Talked me through what she was doing and why, gave me an arm signal to use if I wanted to stop and crucially when I had the treatment (root canal) it was fine because she gave me loads of pain relief.

I would go to the dentist. In fact dentist is always my first choice before dr with any ear/jaw pain.

Chances are it is dental. If it isn’t you have ticked that box and dr’s will need to look for other causes.

@Pinkyponkcustard I had to have root canal three years ago. I hadn't been to the dentist for years before that. Then I broke my tooth and was still too scared to go. Then the pain started so I booked an emergency appointment and saw a fantastic dentist. He talked me through the root canal and it was actually painless and straight away stopped my tooth ache so I thought after that I would be cured of my fear of dentists but I haven't been back since and now I'm bloody petrified again.

My partner took Wednesday and Thursday off work to look after our 7 month old as I just wasn't up to it with the pain but he's gone back to work today and I'm home by myself with my baby and I'm due a co codamol in half an hour and I'm scared of taking it and looking after the baby as it makes me a bit crazy and drowsy but if I don't take it I'll be in agony all day

Ok so consensus is that I should called someone. But who. GP surgery and ask to speak to a different doctor? 111? Dentist?

GP here... Yes go back to your gp.. It can't be a jaw injury unless you actually have injured your jaw, which I presume you would know!
It sounds like possibly otitis externa an infection of the outer ear canal... Its agony. I was in hospital on morphine when I had it.
Other possiblikty is dental abscess, or tooth problems.
Or parotitis which is infection of parotid gland which is gland adjacent to your ear.
Whatever... None are dangerous but you should not be in so much pain and not be seen again today by doctors

I had this - started in one side as an ear infection and spread to the other... Try to see the GP who treated your ear infection or another GP for a second opinion

The GP above will know best, but I was coming on to say possible sinus pain? I get pain near my ears and jaw/teeth with it, and it's an awful 'pressure' type of pain. Bend your head down and if the pain gets worse, it's likely to be your sinuses. Otherwise ignore this post! Hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

Currently on the phone to 111 if I don't have any luck I'll phone and ask to speak to the original GP who was treating my other ear for the infection

Also I've got ear drops to treat the infection in my ear and the new GP I saw did say to use in both ears just in case it had spread but hasn't done made a difference yet