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Reply: Sound from ear causes back tickle

I have been searching for others that have this since I was 8! I'm 34 now. Every time I...

Posted by mishmash88

I have been searching for others that have this since I was 8! I'm 34 now. Every time I mention this to doctors they think I'm full of it. I also have a fragile bone condition and was born one month premature, if that matters.

The first time I remember experiencing this was after femur rodding surgery. My dad got me a radio that came with one ear bud. Once I awoke from surgery I couldn't use the ear bud in my right ear because it would tickle my back/side area on the right below my ribs. It's an immediately unpleasant feeling for me. It is like someone holding you down and tickling you mercilessly and when you scream "stop" they won't.

It definitely causes twitching, and is super embarrassing when it happens it public. It doesn't always happen when I use ear buds, but definitely starts as soon as I realize it isn't happening!!! i.e., I'll listen to a song with two ear-buds in and a whisper will happen. Then I'll think "wow, no tickle!" Then it starts. I hate that!! Also I cannot use high-end ear phones because my side tickles immediately. One time I wore Bose headphones (I was dying to hear what songs sounded like on real headphones) and the only way I could enjoy them was by rocking back and forth for the whole 2 songs and slamming my tickling back against the couch repeatedly. It was a little hard to enjoy the songs this way.

I used to have the lower part of my head shaved as a teen, and the razor near my right ear was torture. My friends would just laugh at me. I feel like no one has ever really believed me. After reading this I just called out to my husband in the other room "I found it, I finally found other people with the exact same problem!!"

I too have trouble enjoying a massage. It depends on how the masseuse touches me though. I can't have people chewing or whispering near my ear. The worst is being seated somewhere and you can't leave - I was once meditating and some lady was constantly swallowing next to said ear. It nearly KILLED ME. I had to stop a family photo moment yesterday at my mom's birthday because she was moving her lips too loudly in the old right ear! Had to ask her to go to my left side.

I also recently started getting it when lying down at night. If on my left side (my favourite side) and if I start to hear that ear swoosh in my right ear, (sounds like your heart beat) the tickle starts and I need to roll on the right side to stifle it. I do notice this worsens if I take any tylenol with codeine.

I tried looking this up for the millionth time tonight after realizing the tattoo I plan to get on my upper back will likely never happen, as the razor noise from those needles will surely cause me to jump all around and ruin the job. Boooo.

I also have a fear that has lurked in the back of my mind for 20yrs: tinnitus. Think about it fellow sufferers - a condition where there is permanent noise in your bad ear!! If that happened I fear I would be trapped in a permanent state of tickle, which (all humour aside) would be torture and would drive probably drive you nuts.

It's interesting what someone was saying about Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm not able to rub carpet or material on my palms or bottoms of my feet (makes me sweat thinking about it), I feel heavy sadness if it's dark indoors during the day, like if the blinds are drawn or if the furniture is too dark, and I reach an odd level of irritation/agitation when forced to endure repetitive sound or noises. I also do not like being touched much. I've never understood what is comforting about being touched when crying - it seems to jar me too sharply out of whatever emotion I'm in and just adds to the awfulness. Very, very interesting stuff!!

Anyways, I am so glad I have finally found other people with this ear tickle!!! Now if only medical science would believe us enough to look into it further. I do appreciate the doctor on here, who seems to believe us about this total pain in the ass condition. I hope there is an answer one day.View Thread

Posted bymishmash88

63 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Sound from ear causes back tickle I have been searching for others that have this since I was 8! I'm 34 now. Every time I...

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