I've been having ear discomfort on and off for a few months now. I can feel my ear start to ache and when I open and close my mouth I get a sharp pain down inside my ear. I also hear a crackling noise in my ear when I open and close my mouth. The discomfort doesn't last very long and actually seems to get better after opening and closing my mouth several times. Kind of like I'm stretching something out or working our a kink. When I'm feeling the ear discomfort it also hurts to push on my ear. I've been to see an ENT and he can't find anything wrong with my ear and suggested we explore the possibility of TMJ. Has anyone experienced this as well?

Yes. TMJ can cause ear pain, along with headache, tenderness of the jaw muscles, and dull/aching face pain particularly in and around the ear. Another possibility is Myofascial Pain Syndrome, which causes the muscles to tighten up and go into spasm. Might be caused or made worse by clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth. You may want to consult with your dentist or a Maxofascial surgeon to further evaluate. Perhaps a night guard would help to relieve the tooth grinding and clenching, thereby helping spasm. In the meantime you could try warm compresses several times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time, along with gently massage 2-3 times daily to loosen up any muscle tightness. Good luck, and God Bless.

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Praising Him,
Lori