I had it also. I was told that it was a post surgical effect, related to the disruption of the nerves when they pulled up the flap to remove the nodes of the neck. It has gotten better very slowly. Now, three months post surgery, it is a very mild dull ache which emerges when I touch it, but nothing like the constant ache it was immediately after surgery.

Let's face it, the treatment(s) and the interventions we have gone through disrupt multiple aspects of the head and neck and the consequences are often painful and permanent. As a part of my neck dissection, I have lost all feeling in my left ear (but not hearing thank God)up to the very top. It feels just awful, I think of it every time I bump it or put a phone to it or try (and fail!) to put earrings in. I am tempted to use the mantra of "welcome to the new normal," and forget it, but the new normal has so many difficult and annoying accommodations involved with it that it is hard to know what it really entails. The best news of course is that we are here to write the tale. The one hard and fast rule I know is when the MO, RO and ENT guy discuss complications of treatment with you, they can only brush the surface. Each case is different and each body is different.It does however, really help to have the collective knowledge of this group, to help to realize that you are within the realm of the collective experience of the group. So my hair hurt too, really badly, but who wants to listen to that except up. Hope it feels better and I hope your ear is not affected.

Best wishes,

Bonnie Glen