I’m curious…I have such a deep pain deep down by my left ear that sometimes I will get a pencil with an eraser and push it into certain points that hurt and it will relieve the throbbing pain some. Is this common for massage to help relieve your pain? I just hurt so bad that I try anything to relieve it.
First let me tell you... WAY back in High School, I learned that when nerves are acting out... they can only feel ONE of two things, Pressure or Pain. So, your putting pressure on it WILL relieve the pain. But, only temporarily.
I sometimes get the pains in my ears too. That's one of the reasons I started at an ENT before diagnosis of TN. As a chronic sufferer of eustasian tube issues, I learned to just massage my neck downward to help drain the tube. I start by tipping my head so the affected side is up and with slight pressure, start at the ear and go down the neck. Angled towards the front.
Does any of that make sense to you? I can see it in my head... different to explain it.
Hope it helps... at least a little.
~Sara
I find massaging from ear to jaw and along the jaw helps me too. If I have a cold my inner ear TN side now get incredibly itchy but i try not to stick anything down it for fear of damaging the ear drum, be careful.
Thank you so much for your replies. It all makes sense. Yes it’s only temporary but when my pain is off the charts and I feel like I can’t do this anymore, putting pressure and ice packs sometimes give me a second to breathe! I just didn’t know if this is common. I sometimes question if the drs are right in my diagnosis. Even though 4 have given me the same diagnosis :). I guess I just want it to be untrue. I’m sure we all do.
Anyways, thanks! God bless and I pray you have a pain free day!
Nicole
Hi Nikki, I have ear pain also, and recently I went to an acupuncturist. She actually told me to massage my ear (gently ) and also around my ear. She said I should be consistant, every day. So yes, I believe massage will help alleviate pain. She said it would get the blood circulating. She also said to get lots of rest.
I have always been afraid that it would set off my TN. Maybe it's worth the try :-)
yes.
i sometimes find "point" in my face that massaging them/pressuring them helps.
recently i most of the day go with "pinching" my throat. just like that. just pinching it. it helps a bit.
i doesn't work all the time.
and it gets tiring to go all day with hand on the face/neck..
also - everytime i think i found a point that pressuring it helps... it doesn't effect ALL the time.
i guess most of us familiar with that. finding those temporary tricks that helps.
I do massaging of my face and the "neck pinching" down my SCM muscle in the neck which often has trigger points. I find I respond to pressure point work and there is a helpful book for self-care and relieving common ailments (like earache, headache, etc.) called Acupressure's Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach. It is written in an easy to understand format and helps you better understand the acupressure/acupuncture points and finding points that may bring at least some temporary relief.
Not sure if face massages work but if it does I would be all in. I know that if I use a facial massager it feels better but when I stop it is about 10 times worse, but if there is a correct way to make it better I would be glad.
Yes, I would find a facial massager to be sensory overload, too much stimulation...prior to TN I've dealt with facial numbness and could not tolerate a typical facial massage or even scalp massage so for me, the pressure point work and a heated rice pack on my face helps me through the worst times along with the meds.
dee said:
Not sure if face massages work but if it does I would be all in. I know that if I use a facial massager it feels better but when I stop it is about 10 times worse, but if there is a correct way to make it better I would be glad.
Thanks I will try that when I have the worse days.