Question: Hi after becoming very ill last Oct, I have experienced consistent ear pain and node swelling (behind my ears) about a week before I ovulate and a few days before my period and periodically throughout the month. I also get bad headaches (back of head up to right eye), experienced vertigo a few times and when symptoms are really bad many times the right side of my throat will hurt. My ears pop a lot and most of the time feel very plugged. Any ideas what I may be experiencing?

Is it possible to get an infection like you are talking about in both ears? pain and swelling is much worse on the right side but I do have some pain and swelling on the left side as well. I also have lots of neck pain and when I move my neck I hear like crunching, or like sand, its hard to explain. Also, like I mentioned all these symptoms started after becoming very ill. I first thought the illness was a kidney infection (used to have chronic kidney infections when I was younger) but I had a urinalysis at the ER and was told there was no infection. But the pain was very bad in my back near my kidneys, I had body temp issues (fever, then low temp), it eventually caused pain in my chest, vision issues, and pain in my head and neck. I felt better after almost 2 weeks. It was awful, but some of the symptoms stayed and different symptoms started over time. The other weird symptom that I have experienced about the last 6 months or so is muscle soreness, and muscle twitches. Probably 30-50 a day all over my body, twitching that is. I know extreme anxiety can cause this, but really I haven't been that anxious (not on any medication). I know I sound like a paranoid rambler, but I am just really tired of feeling like this. Some days its completely debilitating.
Also, I should add. I do not always run a fever, but when I put my temple thermometer behind my right ear where the swelling and pain is, it shows that back there the temperature in that area is always over 100 degrees.