8 months of chronic neck, trapezius and jaw pain + clicking sound in ear when swallowing – looking for experiences or recovery stories
Hi everyone,
I’ve been dealing with ongoing symptoms for almost 8 months now, and I’m starting to feel quite desperate. I’m a 30-year-old woman and it’s significantly affecting my daily life.
My symptoms:
\- Sharp pain in my trapezius (front and back)
\- Neck pain and pain around the base of my skull
\- Tense jaw muscles (TMJ-like tension)
\- A clicking/creaking sound in my right ear when swallowing
The symptoms are not constant, but tend to flare up with stress, tension, and fatigue, and usually get worse throughout the day
What has been checked:
\- CT scan: no abnormalities found
\- GP suspects stress/anxiety/“burnout-related” tension
What I’ve tried so far:
\- Physiotherapy (multiple rounds)
\- Chiropractic treatment
\- Acupuncture
\- Botox in trapezius and jaw
\- Cupping
\- Dry needling
\- Various relaxation and stress management techniques, breathing, supplements
Unfortunately, nothing has provided lasting relief.
What I struggle with:
Because this has been going on for so long without real improvement, I’m starting to wonder if it’s really only stress-related. At the same time, I notice that anxiety and worry clearly make the symptoms worse, creating a frustrating cycle.
I’m mainly looking for:
People who have experienced something similar
Recovery stories, even if it took a long time
Any insights or things that actually helped you
Some hope that this isn’t necessarily permanent
Any experiences are really appreciated. Thank you so much for reading.