Hi to all following along the ear-cartilage-pain dilemma.
I finally got my B6 drawn and the results back, and my B6 is low at 4.3. Normal is 5 to 30 (I believe). So, I'm going to start taking B6 and see if anything gets better or changes. I am hopeful this may help, but I'm trying not to expect anything as to not get my hopes up for nothing. But, maybe jsut maybe, this is it.
The Following User Says Thank You to Stepper For This Useful Post: teretere (02-28-2012)
This might not work for everyone but it has worked for me so far. My sore ear cartilege has gone on for years - mostly sore when sleeping and I have tried all sorts of pillow solutions including foam with an ear-hole cut out. I noticed last year that it started with a vengeance in November. I looked back over my diet and habits and found no changes that would explain it -- except for the time change and lack of evening sunlight when I was walking home from work. I searched the internet and found studies indicated that bunnies who were deprived of Vitamin D developed floppy ear cartilege. I started to take Vitamin D supplements -- at only the lowest level-- and the improvement was immediate. That very night my ears stopped hurting. I slept. I have since figured out that I also need to take Calcium pills at the same time.
I hope this helps someone. My ears began to hurt again this September and it took me a few days to remember that I needed more Vitamin D.
The Following User Says Thank You to FinnyG For This Useful Post: teretere (02-28-2012)
That is interesting. I am vitamin-D deficient and take prescription vitamin D. I started the B6 and the D at about the same time, within a few days of each other. I had a pretty bad attack just around that week and it has seemed better so far. It is still painful, but I haven't had a really bad attack since then, although it has has only been about 2 months, and I have not really been keeping track of how often it flares really bad, but it seems like 3-5 times a year.
Speaking of diet, I had Chineese food (lots of salt and MSG) the night before I had the last flare. I am curious to know if Chineese food (or whatever is in it... the salt... the MSG) will make it flare again, but I have not gotten up the courage to try Chineese again.
Also, I've listed in other posts that my skin feels like it is bruised sometimes, sometimes what seems like all over and sometimes in different spots, and I don't know if this is connected with the cartilage or not; I have been assuming it is all tied together. Anyway, I had a very large meal one evening (made a pig of myself), and the next day the bruised-skin pain was very bad. I can't remember what I had eaten (not Chineese), but it was at a restaurant. Whenever I over-eat, I get what I call a food hangover the next day, but this time I really noticed the bruised feeling as well. Now, it may just be coincidence; I don't know.
Thank you FinnyG for the information. Maybe there is hope with the vitamin D... I sure hope so.
The Following User Says Thank You to Stepper For This Useful Post: teretere (02-28-2012)
Hi to all following along the ear-cartilage-pain dilemma.
I finally got my B6 drawn and the results back, and my B6 is low at 4.3. Normal is 5 to 30 (I believe). So, I'm going to start taking B6 and see if anything gets better or changes. I am hopeful this may help, but I'm trying not to expect anything as to not get my hopes up for nothing. But, maybe jsut maybe, this is it.
Anything new with you on this problem. I am suffering excrutiating pain in the cartilage of my left ear. It happens for a while, then goes away for several months only to return again. I have been trying to treat it as Tmj, wearing mouth guards at night, but that is not doing it. The pain gets so bad that even if I brush my hair back, I get pain in the roots of my hair. I hope that makes sense. Any halp or advise is appreciated.
First of all, it makes sense (I don't think we're all crazy!).
Mine comes and goes too. I seem to have really bad flares about 3-5 x a year. They tried to tell me mine was tmj too, and I do have tmj, but this is different from that. I went to my doctor in August of 2009 for my annual exam and had a B6 drawn and it was low, also my vitamin D was low. So, I started taking B6 (over the counter 100 mg) every morning, and my doc gave me prescription vitamin D 50,000 IU that I take once a week. Someone posted somewhere that B6 deficiency is the cause of cartilage degeneration... that's where I got the B6 idea. Also, someone posted somewhere that she had cartilage pain in her ear and started taking vitamin D and that hers does not bother her as long as she is taking the vitamin D. Now, I'm taking both the B6 and the vitamin D, and I've had a couple of flares since August 2009, but nothing as bad as what it had been before. So, I don't know if it's the B6, the vitamin D, or both, or if it's just coindicence. But, I'm very faithful in taking both of these supplements.
I hope you will keep me posted on what you do and if it helps or not, any information you get.
I've read this thread with interest after suffering similar ear and jaw problems. They've been diagnosed as polychonditris and TMJ although I'm not totally convinced. I'm due to pick up a custom made ear cushion to help me sleep more comfortably, something I haven't done for several months. I had a bad spell of ear cartilage pain that lasted eight weeks earlier in the year and since then haven't been able to wear my glasses properly, I have to push them upwards to avoid pain on the top of my ear and the surrounding bone. I wondered if any of you had updates on your conditions (or useful tips?) as no one has posted for a while?
This might not work for everyone but it has worked for me so far. My sore ear cartilege has gone on for years - mostly sore when sleeping and I have tried all sorts of pillow solutions including foam with an ear-hole cut out. I noticed last year that it started with a vengeance in November. I looked back over my diet and habits and found no changes that would explain it -- except for the time change and lack of evening sunlight when I was walking home from work. I searched the internet and found studies indicated that bunnies who were deprived of Vitamin D developed floppy ear cartilege. I started to take Vitamin D supplements -- at only the lowest level-- and the improvement was immediate. That very night my ears stopped hurting. I slept. I have since figured out that I also need to take Calcium pills at the same time.
