Catamenial Synkinetic Retroauricular Pain

A report of two female patients with persistent unilateral retroauricular pain and cranial synkinesis following Bell's palsy. Pain occurred during menses in the first patient and was exacerbated by menses in the second patient. Retroauricular pain often precedes or follows Bell's palsy. Pain normally disappears within 2 weeks from the onset of paralysis. Neurological examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography of the head and cranial electrophysiological testing were performed. The first patient had severe right retroauricular pain during her menses for several years following Bell's palsy. Her brain MRI showed non-specific T2 white matter hyperintensities. On her electromyogram she had facial synkinesis with tonic motor unit discharges on her right orbicularis oris and mentalis muscles during sustained eye closure. The second patient reported hearing a sound over her left ear when she blinked or protruded her jaw after Bell's palsy. She had ipsilateral retroauricular pain, exacerbated during menses. Her brain MRI was normal. Electromyogram showed facial synkinesis. Chronic retroauricular pain, occurring or exacerbated during menses, may be a rare complication of Bell's palsy. It can be associated with facial subclinical synkinetic dystonia and trigemino-facial synkinesis.