I had the flu and was coughing so hard that I am 99% sure I damaged the nerve somehow and every since then I have been having problems with pain in my abdomen that acts like the gallbladder is going out .
Symptoms at first were just pain in the neck on the left side and back spasms but it progressed to earache then my voice went deep and hoarse for a week but those most cleared up though my ears do ache now and then since it happened and it hurts a tiny bit to swallow but barely noticeable..
The only real active major symptoms though remaining other than the ear issue are heartburn and pain in the gallbladder area when I eat fatty foods and yellow stool.
No fever, no jaundice in the eyes or skin and the doctor found nothing wrong when he ran an ultrasound, Hida scan nor the CT scan of my abdomen so I am 99% sure its that dang nerve.