Martha
You may have shingles in your ear, this can be serious.
Look up Ramsey Hunt syndrome.
I had cataract surgery, in both eyes lost taste the day after the first surgery, about 4 weeks after second one my right ear became painful, followed by a "cold sore" on the upper outer part of my ear, pains were shooting through the whole side of my head, ear was so painful I couldn't stand to touch it.
I looked up the symptoms and found that it was indeed shingles in my ear.
I told the doctor I knew what it was and after he said he had never heard of it and I told him to go look it up on the internet he examined my ear and confirmed it was shingles in my ear.
Stay away from any steroid treatment it lowers your immune system and could even make it worse.
I think the steroid drops I used in my eyes after surgery caused this condition.