Long before the sharp ear pain of December 2025, my oral health journey had already been complicated.
In 2016, I was diagnosed with Oral Lichen Planus (OLP), a chronic, non-contagious inflammatory condition that can cause white lacy patches, red inflamed tissues, or painful ulcers inside the mouth, including the tongue, gums, and inner cheeks. OLP affects roughly 2% of the population and is more common in women over 50. It is considered an immune-mediated disease with no cure, often managed with topical steroids and other treatments designed to reduce pain and inflammation.
Over the years, I underwent several biopsies to monitor my condition, and some of my Oral Lichen Planus lesions were found to be precancerous.
Because of that history, I was already familiar with oral pain, lesions, and the uncertainty that can come with chronic inflammatory disease. But even with that background, what began happening in late 2025 would prove to be something far more serious.
In December 2025, my journey took a frightening turn when I began experiencing a sharp pain in my right ear.
At first, I brushed it off. Like a lot of people, I figured it would go away on its own. But it didn’t. As the pain lingered, I scheduled an appointment with my primary care physician (PCP). He believed it was likely an ear infection and prescribed ear drops along with antibiotics.
I followed the treatment plan, hoping for relief.
Nothing changed.
After more than a week on antibiotics, the pain was still there. Worse, getting back in to see my PCP was nearly impossible because the Christmas holiday was approaching and appointments were fully booked.
As the pain intensified, I went to my local emergency room.
There, they performed a swab test and diagnosed me with strep throat, explaining that the ear pain was likely connected to the infection. Once again, I was prescribed antibiotics.
I took them exactly as directed.
Still nothing changed.
With no improvement and no answers, I tried urgent care near the end of December. Once again, they swabbed me. Once again, I was told it was strep throat, despite already being diagnosed and treated for strep just 10 days earlier. This time, I received an antibiotic shot and was reassured that my ear pain was related to the strep infection.
But deep down, something didn’t feel right.
By January 2026, I finally got back in to see my PCP.
He referred me to an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist). When the ENT examined me, he immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation and referred me to a head and neck specialist surgeon.
I waited for their call.
And waited.
But no one ever contacted me.
I called multiple times myself, but reaching the office directly was nearly impossible. The provider only had a switchboard, and despite repeated attempts, I never received a callback.
Meanwhile, one day while eating, I experienced a sudden sharp pain on the right side of my mouth.
At that point, I started wondering if maybe this wasn’t my ear at all. Maybe it was dental. Maybe a tooth abscess.
So I went to a dentist.
The moment the dentist saw the lesions in my mouth, he immediately referred me to the Dental College in my area.
I was scheduled for January 28, 2026.
Then another delay hit: an ice storm forced the Dental College to close, pushing my appointment into February.
Finally, on February 12, 2026, I made it to the Dental College.
They wasted no time.
They immediately referred me to a Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon… and got me in to see him that very same day.
He immediately got me scheduled for biopsies on the lesions inside my mouth. That was on 02/19/2026. He informed me that there was an 80% chance that it was Cancer.
I visited the surgeon on 02/24/2026 for the results of the biopsies and was told that it was Squamous Cell Carcinoma and that I would need surgery to remove the spots and see actually how far the Cancer had spread.
After months of pain, misdiagnoses, delays, and dead ends, I was finally beginning the process of getting real answers.
Looking Back
What makes this journey especially frustrating is that I already had a documented history of Oral Lichen Planus and precancerous lesions.
For years, I had lived with a chronic inflammatory condition that required monitoring, biopsies, and ongoing management.
Yet even with that medical history, my earliest warning signs were repeatedly treated as routine infections.
For a long time, my primary symptom was ear pain.
No one initially suspected something more serious.
What started as “probably an ear infection” or “just strep throat” turned out to be far more significant.
This long, exhausting ordeal taught me how critical it is to advocate for yourself and trust your instincts when something feels wrong. Persistent pain without answers deserves deeper investigation, especially for those already living with chronic oral health conditions.
If sharing my story helps even one person push for answers sooner, it’s worth telling. Sometimes the symptom you least expect can be the first sign of something life-changing.
More in my next post. Thanks for following 😉
Timeline of My Diagnostic Journey
December 2025
- 12/12/2025 – PCP Family Medical
- 12/19/2025 – Emergency Services
- 12/29/2025 – Urgent Care PLLC
January 2026
- 01/08/2026 – PCP Family Medical
- 01/14/2026 – Allergy ENT
February 2026
- 02/12/2026 – Dental College / Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon
- 02/19/2026 – Biopsies performed on lesions
- 02/24/2026 – Was told it WAS Cancer and I needed surgery to remove it and see how far it had spread
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