Pain in the Ear to the Top of the Head?

There is no such thing as a comfortable headache, but some types of headaches are uniquely severe and include ear pain. These can be more alarming than stress headaches or tension headaches because they involve more areas of the head and are less familiar to most people.

One particularly bad headache can feel like piercing, throbbing, or electric shock-like pain. This can even affect the upper neck, back of the head, and behind the ears. If you’re experiencing pain from the ear to the top of the head, it’s essential to understand what kind of condition could be responsible for the pain you’re experiencing.

This article will explore the potential causes of this type of pain, the importance of a proper diagnosis, and various treatment plans.

Symptoms

Other symptoms of this headache pain can include continuous aching, burning, and throbbing. Those suffering from these severe headaches describe shooting pain that can start at the base of the head and go to the scalp on one or both sides of the head.

Some patients also experience pain in the eye. Sensitivity can be heightened to the point where a movement as light as brushing a hair can trigger severe pain. This pain is often described as similar to that of migraine headaches or cluster headaches.

Causes

This kind of head and ear pain can have several different causes. Some of the common causes are:

• Occipital Neuralgia – One of the most likely causes of this type of pain is occipital neuralgia when the occipital nerves that run through your scalp are injured or inflamed. This can often result from pinched nerves, muscle tightness in the neck, or a head or neck injury.
• Mastoiditis – The mastoid bone is located behind your ear. Mastoiditis is an infection of this bone. A middle-ear infection often causes it. Other symptoms include redness, swelling, ear drainage, headaches, fever, and hearing loss. While this condition is most common in children, the mastoid bone has a honeycomb-like structure that makes it vulnerable to breaking down during infection.
• Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD) – The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jaw to your skull. These two joints make it possible for the jawbone to rotate and slide. As you can imagine, these joints are very busy, allowing us to speak, chew, yawn, and swallow. If the TMJ gets swollen, it can cause ear pain, jaw issues, and headaches.
• Dental Problems – Dental issues like cavities, periodontal disease, and dental abscesses can cause referred tooth pain. This pain travels up the head and can feel like ear and head pain.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Seeking medical attention is critical if you suffer from ear or head pain. Diagnosing this specific type of pain can be a multi-stage process, specifically if occipital neuralgia is a suspected cause. Occipital neuralgia is especially tricky to analyze because, in rare cases, it can be caused by things like tumors, bone damage, and bleeding.

Generally, you will start with a physical and neurological exam. If these aren’t conclusive, you may need a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test and a computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan) to search for growths or damage that other means can’t detect.

Doctors may use occipital nerve blocks to confirm whether the pain is, in fact, occipital neuralgia pain. An occipital nerve block is an anesthetic injection near the occipital nerve, providing temporary pain relief. Steroids can also be injected with the nerve block to relieve inflammation.

Because the causes of this kind of intense pain can vary, other treatments can also greatly vary, ranging from simple self-care to complex surgeries. This range includes:

• Direct heat application from heating pads.
• Physical therapy or massage therapy.
• Oral medications such as anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, and anticonvulsant medications.
• Botox injections to decrease inflammation of the nerve.
• Occipital nerve stimulation or spinal cord stimulation surgery.

Final Thoughts 

Ear and head pain should always be taken seriously. Still, when they are present simultaneously, people should be extra diligent about seeking help from a medical professional as soon as possible. 

Because of the range of severity and underlying conditions that can cause this type of pain, it’s crucial to start the diagnostic process early. The elimination process often required for a successful diagnosis requires expert guidance.

If you’re experiencing pain in the ear extending to the top of the head, reach out to Hearing Associates of Las Vegas. They can help you understand how this intricate web of nerves connects the ear to the top of the head. Let their experts delve into the various types of pain, joint conditions, and practical strategies for relief. 

From anatomy insights to self-care tips, they can help guide you and empower you with the knowledge to navigate and alleviate discomfort in this complex region. An appointment with Hearing Associates of Las Vegas can be the first step to relieving your ear and head pain.