lump behind ear - cancer ? (Page 1)

I also found a lump behind my ear and I will soon be going to the doctor.

This is the research and info I found on the web and in the forum. Hope it helps. Please send me something back if you get anymore info thank you!



Asked on august 11, 2004, at 5:14 pm.
Should you be concerned about a bony fixed lump on one side behind the ear which is painful to touch?




Answer by anonymous contributed on november 09, 2004, at 9:10pm. Last updated on november 10, 2004, at 11:58pm.
This is probably a swollen occipital lymph node. It is usually a sign of infection elsewhere in the body and occurs when your immune system is trying to fight the infection.


Although it seems bony it isn't actually bone, it is just the abnormal swelling which makes it feel like this. Try putting "occipital lymph node" into a search engine for more information.



See your doctor to make sure it is nothing serious, if it doesn't go down within a few days. If you also have a fever, consult your doctor as soon as possible.

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lymph node swelling in the occipital area (behind the ears) is a very reliable sign of fungal infection if combined with the finding of two or three other signs. The signs are

occipital lymph node swelling
scalp scaling
scalp itching
hair loss
researchers found that children with one or two findings rarely tested positive for fungal infection, but those with three or four signs almost always tested positive for the trichophyton tonsurans fungus. Archives of pediatrics and adolescent medicine, 1999:153:1150-53
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retroauricular nodes : behind ear
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structure: retroauricular nodes.


Location: posterior to the ear.


Afferents from: lymphatic vessels from the ear and side of the head.


Efferents to: superior deep cervical nodes.


Regions drained: scalp overlying the posterior parietal region; skin of the posterior surface of the ear.


Notes: retroauricular nodes are 1 or 2 nodes located at the insertion of the sternocleidomastoid m.:
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http://ehealthforum.Com/health/topic5215.H tml

Hello, I am writing for anyone out there that has ever gotten a painful swollen lymph node behind their ear. I experiences this for the first time 2 weeks ago and was scared stiff. What was this thing behind my ear? I work out 5 times a week, eat right and in great shape, why is this happening to me?
Well the worst thing I could do was look it up on the internet, everything I found was bad. Unfortunately with this subject the only things that are posted are the bad things.
I am hear to change that. I went to 4 doctors and each one told me that it was a swollen lymph node and not to worry and they sent me on my way (apparently if the lymph node hurts than that is a good sign). One even gave me a prescription for levaquin. I did not fill the prescription right away being in the past I had been allergic to cipro, which is in the same family as levaquin.
After a week out of work I was still in pain and becoming very depressed from it.
Well, after about 2 weeks I filled the prescription and took it. Who cares if I got a rash from it? Well I have been on levaquin for 5 days now, 500mg, once a day. I am happy to report that they lymph node is going down and the pain is less and almost gone completely.
If you are wondering what that painful bump is behind your ear, rest assured that it is a lymph node and it is fighting off an infection, it is in fact, doing what it was put there to do. It is a slow painful process and it will not go away over night. Be patient and ride it out.
:d (of course see your doctor immediately after discovering the swollen node because there is the chance that it could be something much worse.)

I have something like that now; but it's not directly behind the ear. It is behind ear, with a small space between bump and ear. It is on the bone directly behind. It doesn't really hurt, but is slightly sore when touched.

I'd like to add that I've just noticed it. I had been wearing reading glasses, and the part that goes over the ear was a little tight. It was rubbing on that area where I found the bump. I'm wondering if that could have caused it?

It isn't warm or painful, but it worries me a little! I didn't notice it before a week ago. I noticed it when the part of the glasses that goes over the ear was pushing too hard on skin over that bone.

Please anyone who finds a lump or has unexplained back pain, go see a doctor asap. If you are satisfied with the diagnosis go until you find out. Why am I saying this. I am not trying to scare anyone. Just a coupld of weeks ago a good friend of the family died from spinal cancer. For years she thought she suffered from back pain and her doctor told her there was nothing wrong with her back or her. Then she developed breast cancer and was told by another doctor that the cancer had spread. She started a malpractice suit against the first doctor, but she will never see the money, but at least her family will get something even though they will never see her smiling fact again. I hope this helps people to see a doctor asap even if they suspect something. Merry christmas to everyone and have a happy new year.

Hi there all the symptons you explained, I have - lump behind ear, itchy scalp, mostly hairline, loss of hair and a little scaling. I have also had hives on my body for the past five days - on and off. I did go the hospital yesterday and they said they said it probabley is fungal, yet perscribed me pretazone for 10 days. I also have noticed when I wash my hair and wrap it in a towel, the towel looks like I beached it, I have tried this three times just to make sure I am not mistaken. I have used a blue, red and purple towel and you can even see finger marks where I was drying my hair. This was before predazone, I only took that last night and I have washed my hair twice before that and once after. Any suggestions? I called the tele health nurse and she said she does not have a clue....

I have the exact same thing so would love to know what it is iv been to doctors and they said my scaley scalp is psoriasis and that the lymph node behind my ear is swollen cos of the scalp issues they gave me a steroid fluid to clear up the psoriasis but that's just made my head sore and break out in spots my towels r bleached too but I never really gave it much thought till I read your comment ! If I find out wot it is I shall let you know, and vice versa if u find out x

Hello:) i have all of the symptoms you have; however, when i wash my hair it does not look like i bleached my towel. I now it has been a while since you wrote this but if you see this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me what it ended up being!! i am terrified!!

I just got home from the hospital today after having been quarantined for 4 days after taking radioactive iodine (i131) to kill off any remaining thyroid cancer tissue. Two days before I went in I woke up with a painful bump behind my left ear (couple fingers width behind ear lobe). It's been 6 days and it's still there although a bit less painful now. The surgeon who performed the operation also removed a lymph node which was found to contain cancer cells. Naturally I am very concerned and will keep you guys posted on the progress.

I have a lump behind my ear too, I didn't know it was a lympth node until i told my mom about it haha. I thought it was just bone or something. =/
the problem is, it doesn't hurt. at all.
it's been here for a month, give or take a few days. My mom won't take me to the doctor because only really ever does if i'm dying on my bed or going for a check up.
I've researched some stuff online and it's scary what i'm finding.
but yeah.
help?

I have the same problem. About 2 months ago I found a lump behind my right ear. I have 1 behind my left ear but its much smaller. Mine doesnt hurt either and its fixed, just like a little bone. I went to the doctors but they didnt seem to take me seriously and just gave me antibiotics. These didnt help so I just kept going back. I am now being referred to the ENT department. I have also been researching this online and i know what u mean about finding it scary. You really should go to the doctors, if your mum wont take u, find someone that will. You never can be too careful.

Hi Katie. I see I t has been some time since you posted. What did the ENT say and what is going on now? Thanks

thanks.
I'll probably force her to take me soon, yesterday and today I had a really low fever. =/
when i told her about it she said she'd have my aunt look at it who's coming home this weekend. My aunt is a neonatologist so i'm pretty sure she'll blow it off-she's just like my mom. :/ Then again, my aunt had very mild melanoma so maybe she'll take me seriously a little.
If my aunt doesnt tell my mom to take me to the doctor i'll make her take me.
I've looked up a lot and a ton of people who have had lymphoma or something say there general doctor blew it off. I'll feel stupid if he blows it off. I don't know how to explain haha.

Katie and Woahxx - I am a very healthy 39 year old female. I too have done some on-line research recently and am finding the word cancer everywhere. I just went to see my doctor last Friday and he too told me it was just a swolen gland and not to be alarmed. I told him that I've had it for several weeks now, but that didn't seem to bother him either. One thing that I have that I have not seen anyone else talk about is that I seem to have what my husband refers to as a few "pimples" around the lump. The lump does not hurt and the few pimple-like things around the lump only hurt if I pick/scratch them from my head.
Katie -I am very interested in finding out how your visit with the ENT goes. Please post the results of your visit at your earliest convenience. Hopefully, it's nothing and we can both sleep better at night. ~WW

Just like WW I have a couple smaller pimple-like bumps near the main lump. I looked at a pic of lymph nodes, looks like it's either the retroauricular or occipital lymph nodes. The painful lump is hard and dime sized, on the 3rd finger width behind the right ear. It does not move. The other smaller bumps are itchy and a bit scabbed from scratching. They are on the skin. My neck is stiff and hurts to turn it. But the interesting thing is, if I follow the sore muscle down my neck from the lump, I find another lump, mid sized and not tender, about 3 inches up from my collar bone. There are lymph nodes in that region too, but deeper I think. My husband thinks the lumps follow my carotid artery, but I just had blood work and all my levels and cholesterol are good. I'm 42, female. Have a general appt this week, and endocrinologist appt next month in case it is my lymph nodes.

my son had a few lumps on his neck and 1 behind his ear so i took him to a&e they said they were lymph nodes and to go back if they changed that was oct 2007 the ones on his neck have gone but the 1 behind his ear has come back and is very big it doesn't hurt him. im very worried as he is always ill. and his immunity is very low i keep reading about cancer and am terrified he is at the doc's this afternoon but im worried they will fob me off!!!!

I started to notice my neck and jaw was sore today and when I touched my neck I notice the hard painful lump behind my ear/on my neck. A friend last month went in for surgery for cancer in his ear so I went straight to the Urgent Care. The Dr told me it was probably an infection and in my case with a history of severe sinus problems it could be another sinus infection that is has inflamed my lymph node (she also said that one of the sinus groups does drain past or through that node by my ear) or since I have two cats she seemed to want to chaulk it up "Cat Scratch Fever". After some pushing she decided to take a blood sample and will call me in a day or two with the results. She seemed puzzled that only one is swollen and that I have no rashes, no sore throat, no fever. Hopefully the blood test just shows I have an infection somewhere that I'm fighting and a course of antibiotics will fix it. I've never had this before. After checking online I've determined I do not have "Cat Scratch Fever". My cats are indoor, regular flee treatments, just spent a small fortune on dental work for them and Cat Scratch Fever causes oral sores in cats mouth and they have none, and for the teeth cleanings they had blood work done prior also it says online that Cat Scratch Fever ususaly includes a rash and an inflamed node near the bite or scratch. I have no bites or scratches. So that leaves infection or the remote possibility of cancer (doubt it) one poster above said that their Dr said "sore is good" and mine is sore. I'll post the blood test result for you as soon as they call and tell me what's up.

I have a lump behind my left ear close to the top. I have had this for a long time almost a year and a half. Should I be worried about this, no one takes me seriously. I had a operation for a tomer that was bening. Now im scared to death

I've had a lump behind my left ear for as long as I can remember.. I've never thought much about it, until I was just feeling it one day and was wondering about it. It never hurts and I haven't done a lot of research about it. Could it be serious? I know that I've had it for years...

My husband got this bump behind his ear on monday morning.. it has grown to almost 4 times its size to today and this morning he is complaining about his armpit being sore..
does anyone think this is linked to one another. the infection or whatever it is behind the ear infecting the armpit?

Do you have cat(s)? A friend of mine, years ago, did have 'cat scratch fever' and it did effect both his neck/behind ear node and both armpits. Antibiotics cleared it up. If no cat(s) - if it doesn't start improving and/or other lymph nodes get affected, he needs to see a doctor to rule out some things.

hey i need help.. a month back one morning i woke up and had numb, painful feeling in head and thats only the right side of the head. right part of my face and scalp feels numb and painful sometime.. even i have a lump behind my ear thats not painful. can anyone help me. bc m realy scared and my doc. thinks m just too scared and there's nothing to worry about. my right arm and leg also pains sometimes .

I HAVE A LUMP BELOW MY LEFT EAR I HAD THYROID CANCER 11 YEARS AGO AND VISIT THE BEATSON YEARLY I HAVE BEEN SENT FOR A HEAD SCAN, NECK SCAN AND CHEST SCAN IVE TO GO FOR A BIOPSY NEXT WEEK CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THEY KNOW WHY I HAD THE HEAD AND CHEST SCAN.

I had a bump behind my ear for a while now, but only recently did it become swollen. After the next couple of day it became red and tender. Does anyone know if this is right? Someone told me to wait a couple of days cause it will go away. Is there a treatment or a remedy that I could do?

Please help me if you can.

Thank you

I had a bump behind my ear for a while now, but only recently did it become swollen. After the next couple of day it became red and tender. Does anyone know if this is right? Someone told me to wait a couple of days cause it will go away. Is there a treatment or a remedy that I could do?

Please help me if you can.

Thank you