BY JULIA NELSON
Many fibromyalgia patients often complain about having issues with their ears. Are these two issues related?
The problem is that most people who are being affected by fibromyalgia often feed horrible and they often tend to think that they just have another problem to deal with rather than this being in direct correlation with their fibromyalgia.
As we learn more and more about fibromyalgia, we are finding that there are several symptoms that go along with having fibromyalgia.
They are being caused by the pain that is associated with fibromyalgia. So, for those who have ear issues, they may find that this is due to the fibromyalgia.
Through knowing what could be caused by the fibromyalgia and what is not, this can give you a better idea of how to treat this issue.
The SCM Trigger Points
For those who have investigated fibromyalgia, they are going to find that one of the most interesting aspects of fibromyalgia is that this does involve trigger points.
Trigger points are found throughout the body, which is what causes the pain that a person feels throughout their entire body.
SCM stands for Sternocleidomastoid TrP’s. These are located around the eyes, in the upper cheeks, behind the ears, on the forehead and can be located in the back of the skull at the base of the neck.
When these pressure points flare up, it can affect the ears. How does it affect the ears? This is going to vary from person to person.
However, here are a few of the findings associated with these pressure points:
- Ringing in the ears
- Ear pain that is deep in the ear canal
- Feeling as though the ear is clogged, making it harder to hear
It is these same trigger points that are also responsible for the dizziness that many people have when they are walking, along with the loss of coordination.
Many people report that the ear pain and issues they have associated with these trigger points can appear and leave suddenly. And others have reported that these ear issues have lasted for days on end.
The Medial Pterygoid TrPs
These are pressure points are located on the inner side of the mandible. These pressure points will appear from the ear down into the jaw of a person. From this pressure points, there are several of the same types of ear pain that is being felt.
This pain includes:
- A deep ringing in the ears that can impact how well you hear
- Hearing your own heartbeat in the ear at all times
- The feeling of clogged ears, even if you clean these out constantly
- Crackling noise in the ear
These pressure points are also responsible for the dry cough that you may have, as they are going to work with the throat and ears at the same time.
However, many people may never have to deal with the ear problems. If they don’t, that is great.
However, most people find that if they begin to have issues with their throat from their fibromyalgia, it will not be long until they also have issues with their ears.
Long Term Effects
The problem that many fibromyalgia patients are having is that these ear issues are becoming more frequent than years ago.
For example, many people have reported hearing loss due to the constant ringing that they are having in their ears.
This hearing loss can affect every aspect of your life, including any personal or professional relationships.
In addition, other people report:
- Constant state of dizziness which can make it impossible to drive or walk without assistance
- Pain in the ear that can affect that can make a person feel as though they have a horrible headache constantly
As of right now, fibromyalgia patients have very little relief that can be found from these issues. However, we do have a few that can be tried.
How to Deal with Ear Issues?
How can a person deal with the ear issues they are having due to fibromyalgia?
There are a few things that people can do that has given slight relief to a few. These elements are:
1- Go to a chiropractor, as many people have found instant relief with having their neck and shoulders popped.
Remember, this relief is not going to be long lasting, and you may have to set up a reoccurring appointment for a few weeks in between to maintain this relief.
2- Use a hot water pad on our neck and around the ear. This has been great for pain for many people.
However, be careful as you do not want to have this hot water bottle too hot as it could blister the skin and cause even more issues.
3- Utilize an over the counter pain medication for the pain that is being felt.
4- Try meditation to help with your nerves, as this could help the pressure points to stop flaring up. And with fibromyalgia this is something that needs to be addressed.
5- Exercise can help for many people as they find that this helps to relieve the pain they feel in the pressure points; thus, their ears get better as a result.
Still, there are many people who are not finding any relief. In these situations, they will want to talk with their doctor and perhaps have some tests ran to determine the main cause and what could be done to get some relief.
Having a ringing sensation, pain, hearing your own heartbeat or even having ears that feel stuffed up can bring about dizziness and vertigo for many fibromyalgia patients.
The key is finding ways to relief this and ensure that this does not affect your hearing long term. While fibromyalgia is something that is not fully understood yet, it is starting to get more attention.
Through this attention, we can hopefully find a way to put an end to this illness or at least find a way to treat the symptoms that go along with this.
reference<https://stayawarewithus.com/ear-problems-and-fibromyalgia-how-to-deal-with-ear-issues/?fbclid=IwAR01-PqT4a5X0Knyr3xl6E9WZqf93v86YzdZKbppLnFmur6zgivXI6H64Dg