What causes cramps behind the ear?
Recently, I have been experiencing occasional muscle spasms behind my ear, with a sensation as if a tendon is pulling and causing pain. The episodes have become frequent. What could be causing this?
Doctor's answer (1)
Cramp usually refers to muscle spasms. Muscle spasms behind the ear may be caused by muscle tension, psychological factors, trauma, neurological factors, or ear-related diseases.
The sensation of "cramping" behind the ear is generally not referred to as cramping in medical terms, but rather may be a phenomenon of muscle tension or spasm. This sensation could be caused by excessive tension, fatigue, or poor posture in the neck or head muscles. Sometimes, stress, anxiety, or lack of sleep can also lead to such symptoms.
Trauma is also a common cause of this type of pain, especially from direct or indirect impact. For pain caused by trauma, ice packs can be used initially, followed by heat application after 48 hours to promote blood circulation and relieve pain.
Neurological dysfunction and peripheral neuritis may also cause cramp-like pain behind the ear. In such cases, medications that nourish the nerves, such as Oryzanol tablets or Mecobalamin tablets, may be needed to alleviate symptoms.
In daily life, maintaining good posture, regularly stretching muscles, avoiding prolonged fixed positions, and appropriately relaxing and reducing stress can all help reduce the occurrence of such symptoms.
