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Off And On For The Past Two Months I’ve Had

Posted on Sat, 17 Dec 2022

Question: Off and on for the past two months I’ve had the worst pain directly a little bit below my ear (behind the ear though). It feels like I have enlarged lymph nodes under my ear but I don’t. When I’m wearing a sweatshirt and the collar brushes the middle of the muscle it’s painful. Also, when I swallow sometimes it almost feels clogged? Is that a strain muscle or something else? I have no other symptoms besides pain there and sometimes when I wake up I can’t even turn my neck.
If I play with that large muscle, the whole muscle starts to real girt.

Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes it seems muscle strain

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor service.

This seems like a muscle strain to sternocleidomastoid muscle. Although there are other structures nearby like occipital nerve, mastoid and lymph nodes that could be inflamed.
Do you have any problems in the ears?
I will suggest that you get evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon and then proceed for exercises like SCM stretch by a physiotherapist or chiropractor.
I would suggest SCM stretch to be held for half a minute (or whatever tolerated) once a day for 4-5 days.
If there are any ear issues, then a visit to ENT specialist or family medicine doctor should help find diagnosis.

Regards
Dr Vaishalee

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vaishalee Punj (11 hours later)

Would the muscle strain last for this many months? I seem to notice its worse if I continue to press on the muscle or right after the gym.

No problems in my ears besides maybe it feels clogged sometimes.

Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Evaluation needed to find underlying cause

Detailed Answer:
Hi again

If there are any underlying causes for this strain, then that cause needs to be treated specifically. If you do not have any symptoms related to ear and throat, you can get it evaluated by your family doctor or ENT specialist. Refrain from doing any activity that increases the pain especially in gym.
If it was just a simple muscle sprain, it should have gotten better within few days.

Regards
Dr Vaishalee

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vaishalee Punj (9 minutes later)

Thanks so much! Should I be concerned it’s something extremely serious? Thanks for answering my questions.

Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It is benign

Detailed Answer:
Hi

This is not a serious condition. It is completely benign.
However the cause needs to be figured out.

Regards
Dr Vaishalee

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar