Pain behind ear and down neck and jaw

Occipital neuralgia is a painful condition that occurs when the occipital nerves that run from the top of your spine to your scalp are compressed or irritated.

Occipital neuralgia is a painful condition that causes neck pain and is often accompanied by a headache.
Read What Is Causing My Neck Pain and Headache?

Occipital neuralgia symptoms and causes

If you have occipital neuralgia, you may experience one or more of these symptoms:

• Throbbing, aching pain or sharp, electric-like pain that typically starts where the back of your head meets your neck.
• Pain that radiates to one side of your head, down your neck and/or back.
• Pain behind your eye.
• Increased sensitivity of your scalp.

See Occipital Neuralgia

These symptoms can be caused by irritation of the occipital nerves along their path, which may occur:

• Spontaneously, as a result of a pinched nerve root in your neck due to an injury or surgery. Commonly the roots of C2 and/or C3 at the top of your cervical spine are affected.

  See The C1-C2 Vertebrae and Spinal Segment

• Due to irritation/compression from tight neck muscles. This muscle tightness may be associated with physical or emotional stress.

See Cervical Spine Anatomy

The exact cause of occipital neuralgia may not always be determined. You may experience migraines or tension headaches simultaneously with occipital neuralgia.

See How Neck Pain and Headache Can Occur Together

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Finding occipital neuralgia pain relief

Here’s how you can ease painful occipital neuralgia symptoms:

• Apply ice/heat therapy. Ice therapy may reduce local inflammation and relieve pain. Tuck an ice pack under the base of your skull as you lie down. However, you may find more relief using heat therapy, such as an electric heating pad. When you apply heat to the affected area, local blood vessels are dilated and blood flow to the neck increases, which can reduce muscle tightness. Don’t apply the cold/heat source for more than 20 minutes at a time. Always use a barrier, such as a hand towel, between your skin and the cold/heat source.

  See How to Apply Heat Therapy

• Take NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (e.g., Aleve). Taking them may help reduce inflammation and relieve headache/neck pain. Follow the instructions on the labels and discuss with a physician or pharmacist to make sure you’re using these medications safely.

  See NSAIDs: Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

• Give yourself a neck massage. Apply gentle pressure from your fingertips at the base of your skull. This massage can help calm tight muscles and release tension. You can also place a rolled towel under your head and neck as you lie down on your back. The pressure from the towel can provide a gentle massage. Stop immediately if the massage aggravates your pain.

  See Massage Therapy for Chronic Stiff Neck

• Do chin tucks regularly. Some cases of occipital neuralgia may be related to poor posture stressing the nerves. The chin tuck exercise aims to stretch the muscles and connective tissue in the painful area and strengthen the muscles that align your head over your shoulders. Stand with your upper back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Face forward, tuck your chin down, and pull your head back until it meets the wall. Try to bring your head back in a straight line without tilting it back or nodding forward. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds before resting, and repeat 10 times. If this exercise increases pain or discomfort, stop immediately.

  See Easy Chin Tucks for Neck Pain

If these self-care tips don’t ease your occipital neuralgia pain, visit a health care provider. You may find relief through prescribed pain medications and/or a guided physical therapy program. A doctor may even consider offering a steroid injection to help relieve inflammation and reduce the pain.

See Treatment for Neck Pain

Learn more:

Physical Therapy for Neck Pain Relief

Neck Exercises for Neck Pain

Are you experiencing simultaneous pain in your jaw and ear, on one side or both sides? There could be a multitude of reasons behind the pain. The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is usually the source of pain when it comes to the jaw and ear. That said, it's important to remember that the jaw and ear are in extremely close proximity which may be why pain in the ear may be confused with pain in the jaw and vice versa. Specifically pain under the ear, behind the jaw bone can be said to be radiating from the temporomandibular joint.

If you are wondering "Why does my jaw hurt by my ear?" you are definitely on the right page. In this article, we will unearth some of the most common causes behind jaw and ear pain including the pain under the ear, behind the jaw bone, and how to remedy them.

Possible Reasons Why Your Jaw Hurts by Your Ear

Osteoarthritis

The most common kind of arthritis in the TMJ is osteoarthritis. Although common, it should still be taken seriously. Osteoarthritis is the result of constant wear and tear of the cartilage enveloping the joint. This triggers stiffness in the joint, eventually resulting in critical pain behind the ear and jaw. So, if you're thinking "I have an earache and my jaw hurts" then osteoarthritis may be the probable cause.

Rheumatoid or Psoriatic Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects healthy joints. It may lead to joint pain at times that may radiate throughout the rest of the body. Some triggers especially cause rheumatoid arthritis pain. Pain in the jaw, under the ear and in the ear could also be a sign of either rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, another autoimmune condition.

TMJ Disorder

Another leading cause of pain under the ear, behind the jaw bone can be a disorder related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

The TMJ is indirectly responsible for many functions such as chewing ad talking as it facilitates movement in the jaw. As such, it includes the jaw joint as well as the nearby muscles that aid in the movement. In cases where patients suffer from symptoms such as, inflammation, discomfort, or pain in the TMJ - that cannot be attributed to any other obvious cause - for more than three months it may be chronic TMJ or other medical conditions like fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, anxiety, or depression. TMJ could be due to wear and tear or another reason.

Ear Infections

Often, ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria. They can also be caused when water or other fluids build up in and around your ear, leaving you susceptible to earache or jaw, specifically pain under the ear, behind the jaw bone. Also, if you experience a mild to high fever coupled with reduced stamina, that's a red flag.

In a condition called mastoiditis, undiagnosed ear infections may spread to other parts of the body as well. As the infection spreads, the person might encounter massive swelling and pain near the ear and jaw on one side.

In fact, severe cases of this condition can demand immediate diagnosis as they could be life-threatening.

Sinusitis

Pain under the ear or behind the jaw bone could be the result of sinusitis. But this only happens when you have a precondition of cold allergies. Since it is a virus borne infection, your nasal passage becomes irritated. This could also be accompanied by a runny nose.

Teeth Grinding

How do you know if your teeth are actually grinding? What are the symptoms? If you are experiencing erosion in your teeth or severe strain in your gums or muscles, this could be it.

The tension caused can create pain in the neck, on the front and sides of the face, or in the ears. In some cases, it can cause massive damage to the teeth, ultimately breaking them.

How to Treat Jaw Pain Caused by TMJ

You can try to nurse it from home, which is the least invasive way. Eat soft foods, stretch and massage your jaw, and apply heat and cold alternately to it.

If your symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments.

Medicines

Some over-the-counter medicines (pain relievers and anti-inflammatories) commonly prescribed for TMJ are Tylenol and ibuprofen.

Therapies

Therapies can include mouthguards to wear while sleeping, as well as physical therapy to get the jaw muscles strong and flexible.

Surgical procedures

Arthrocentesis, corticosteroid injections, TMJ arthroscopy and modified condylotomy are procedures only done in the rarest of cases.

Improve your Quality of Life

Don't let these issues get in the way of your quality of life. Say Hello to Raleigh TMJ, a leading sleep therapy and TMJ center. It is best known for offering non-surgical therapies and enhancing the quality of your life, painlessly.

Request an appointment right away and bid goodbye to all your TMJ troubles. Additionally, you can check out our other services, which include a cure for headaches, facial pain, snoring, sleep apnea, and more. Why wait? Request an appointment!

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