Referred otalgia from base of tongue or oropharynx is carried by nerve?
The Jacobson nerve, tympanic branch of glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX) directly innervates the ear but also has pharyngeal, lingual, and tonsillar branches to supply the posterior one-third poion of the tongue, tonsillar fossa, pharynx, eustachian tube, and parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal spaces. So any pathology involving those areas can lead to referred otalgia. Must know: Referred Otalgia: the source of the pain does not reside within the ear but, rather it originates from a source distant from the ear hence it is called as "referred otalgia". Any pathology residing within the sensory net of cranial nerves V, VII, IX, and X and upper cervical nerves C2 and C3 can potentially cause referred otalgia.
Cranial nerve V
Cranial nerve VII
Cranial nerve IX
Cranial nerve X