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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Pain In Ears And Neck When I Sneeze?

For the last 4 days I thought it was just the flu, but today when I woke up, whenever I sneeze or cough I get a shooting pain in my ears. It hurts to lay on my face, and the muscles in the back of my neck/shoulder really ache today. Is this still the flu, or is it switching to an infection?
Thu, 18 Sep 2014
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ENT Specialist 's  Response
Hi. It appears as if it is still the flu but seems to have effected your Eustachian Tube (ET). The muscular pain around the neck and shoulder are due to the flu.
A flu is also an infection by a virus.

The eustachian tube (ET) connects the back of the nose to the middle ear region (This explains why you get a shooting pain in your ears upon sneezing or coughing). The ET is important for equalizing the pressure between the ear and the atmospheric environment. The flu could have causes excessive mucous production which may have entered the ET causing blockage and leading to a negative pressure within the ear which pulls the ear drum inwards leading to pain and feeling of blockage. Middle ear produces mucus and secretions which drain into the nose through the ET. When the ET is blocked, this fluid accumulates inside the middle ear and may create the feeling of fluid in the ear too.

ET dysfunction is treatable if the ET is blocked by a mucous plug or swelling. It may also resolve as you recover from your flu.

The mainstay of treatment is opening the ET. Toynbee maneuver can be tried 3-4 times a day for about a week to help unclog the ET. The maneuver involves pinching the nose and swallowing. Swallowing pulls open the eustachian tubes while the movement of the tongue, with the nose closed, compresses air which passes through the tubes to the middle ear. (When you pinch the nose and swallow the first time, you should feel like your ears are closed. After this you must swallow once again without pinching the nose. This time your ears will feel like they have popped open)

In addition to this, you may require nasal decongestants, mucolytics and nasal sprays to take care of the edema or mucus blockage. You will need to see an ENT specialist for a prescription.

Hope you have a speedy recovery. Do let me know if you have any more questions.
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What Is The Pain In Ears And Neck When I Sneeze?

Hi. It appears as if it is still the flu but seems to have effected your Eustachian Tube (ET). The muscular pain around the neck and shoulder are due to the flu. A flu is also an infection by a virus. The eustachian tube (ET) connects the back of the nose to the middle ear region (This explains why you get a shooting pain in your ears upon sneezing or coughing). The ET is important for equalizing the pressure between the ear and the atmospheric environment. The flu could have causes excessive mucous production which may have entered the ET causing blockage and leading to a negative pressure within the ear which pulls the ear drum inwards leading to pain and feeling of blockage. Middle ear produces mucus and secretions which drain into the nose through the ET. When the ET is blocked, this fluid accumulates inside the middle ear and may create the feeling of fluid in the ear too. ET dysfunction is treatable if the ET is blocked by a mucous plug or swelling. It may also resolve as you recover from your flu. The mainstay of treatment is opening the ET. Toynbee maneuver can be tried 3-4 times a day for about a week to help unclog the ET. The maneuver involves pinching the nose and swallowing. Swallowing pulls open the eustachian tubes while the movement of the tongue, with the nose closed, compresses air which passes through the tubes to the middle ear. (When you pinch the nose and swallow the first time, you should feel like your ears are closed. After this you must swallow once again without pinching the nose. This time your ears will feel like they have popped open) In addition to this, you may require nasal decongestants, mucolytics and nasal sprays to take care of the edema or mucus blockage. You will need to see an ENT specialist for a prescription. Hope you have a speedy recovery. Do let me know if you have any more questions.