A bump behind ear could be as a result of many reason. It could be ear piercing or cyst behind your ear. The bump can be located on neck or the earlobe. At times you may notice a bumpy rash behind ear. Why a bump behind your ear hurts or gets painful? The article bellows provides in detail the causes, pictures and how to get rid a bump behind your ear. How you can treat is also explained.
Bumps behind ear can be caused by a number of thing, it can be due to swelling of the lymph nodes or an ear infection. Depending on what is causing the bumps, it may be harmless or not. At times the lumps may be caused by acne or epidermoid cyst which are caused by the swelling and infection of the pores on skin which are then filled by sebum from the glands secretion.
Diagnosis, medication and treatment of the bumps involves identifying the cause of the pain, reducing the pain and irritation caused and preventing infection which might be life threatening. This will include infection such as cancer, meningitis and loss of hearing. Bump behind ear should not be taken lightly, it is not an infection on its own, but a sign of an underlying medical condition. Please visit a health care provider is the pain, irritation and swelling fails to go way within a week.
Related articles:
2.Swollen Earlobe Causes and Treatment
3.Swollen Lymph Nodes behind Ear Causes and Treatment
Images, Pictures of Bump behind Ear
Below find an image of a lump behind the ear. This is for illustrative purpose and help you identify the cause of your symptoms. More pictures are added throughout the post for visual aid and understanding each cause described including the symptoms and treatment.
Possible Causes:
Having painless or bumps behind ear that hurt can be caused by allergies, infections, lipoma, certain kinds of cancer or bone overgrowth. These bumps can be small or large and some are either soft or hard. They may really not cause any concern, but it is important to understand the reason for a swollen lump behind ear. While some are harmless, others are more serious. Below, find the possible causes of bumps behind the ear.
1. Lipoma
Lipoma are harmless skin lump that can appear anywhere. It is common among old people and rarely among children and teenagers. It is the growth of fatty tissue that develop beneath the skin. They are non-cancerous and cannot be transmitted from one person to the other.
Lipoma lumps can in most case be confused for the other, however the difference is, whereas, cyst are closed to the skin surface, lipoma are deep under the skin. The other possible distinction is cyst are hard to touch whereas lipoma lumps are soft and mobile.
The possible symptoms associated with lipoma include but not limited to;
- The bumps move easily when touched
- The bumps are painful
- The bumps are soft to touch
- A bump behind ear
A simple ultrasound can be helpful in identifying the lipoma. They are harmless and thus no medication is required. However if they become painful and inflamed, a surgical procedure could be used to get rid of them. Also there are procedures that can be used to treat lipoma, including liposuction where a syringe is used to drain the fatty tissues and steroid injection, this will shrink the lipoma and allow them time to heal on their own.
2. Acne and pimple
Acne and pimple on face whenever hair follicles or pores become blocked. With blocked pores, sebum and dead tissues accumulate forming bump behind ear and around the affected hair follicles. The bumps can be painful and grows into a hard lump with time.
This kind of lumps maybe harmless and non-cancerous, but it could be a beauty nightmare for some people. Home remedies such as popping the cyst can be helpful but this leaves you prone to skin infection.
Acne is not life threatening. The bumps caused can heal on they own with time, so no medical treatment is required. However if the lumps become too painful, you could try anti-inflammatory and anti-itching creams and lotion. A simple cold compress can also be helpful in soothing the skin and allowing the lumps to heal on their own without popping them. Visit a dermatology if this is not the case.
3. Mastoiditis
Mastoiditis is a bacterial infection that affect the mastoid bone behind the ear. It occurs when an ear infection is not properly treated, or treated in time. The condition is common in children, but also people of all ages can be affected with the disease. The common observable symptoms of mastoiditis include;
- Bump behind the ear
- Painful swelling behind the ear
- High fever
- Possible hearing loss
- Headache
Mastoiditis is a chronic infection. Once diagnosed, treatment should commence immediately. The available treatment option include the use of antibiotics, this can be given as both injectable of inform of oral pills and syrup. If the mastoiditis is serious, them your health care provider might recommend a mastoidectomy, this is the removal of part of the mastoid bone.
4. Cancer
A bump behind ear can also most likely be caused by cancer. According to a research cancer.org, most cancer start in the skin and spread through the lymphatic system to other parts of the body. The lumps are usually tender or painful. Also this kind of cancer are larger than normal.
Depending on the stage and type of cancer causing the bumps behind ear, it is also possible to experience the following symptoms;
- A possible hearing loss
- Periodic nose bleeding
- Headache
- Your face may become numb
- Possible vision problems
- The lump behind ear maybe painful or painless.
Cancer is a chronic condition, if appropriate medical attention is not taken, then you risk having all of your body infected. Once diagnosed, treatment option will include, radiation therapy which uses high energy rays to destroy the cancer cells. Chemotherapy which uses strong chemical medicine to kill the cancer and surgery where the cancerous tumor is cut open from the body.
5. Swollen lymph glands
A bump behind ear can again be as a result of swollen lymph node behind ear. Our bodies has a network of glands that help in fighting infection causing pathogens together with the immune system. These nodes are responsible for transporting interstitial fluids, pathogens and proteins.
A swollen gland is a pea sized bump that can heal on it is own. For those with weak immune system for instance those infected with HIV, this can take time before the gland regain their normal state. No medication is required if the cause of the swelling is the glands swelling.
Swollen lymph gland can be treated at home. You need to drink a lot of fluids. You need to rest and if it does not help, over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory can be helpful, try paracetamol or ibuprofen
6. Ear infection
Other possible causes of bump behind ear are infection. Infection such as mastoiditis, excess wax and injury can cause bumps to grow behind ear. Even though some of the infection might be mild and harmless, you need to have the doctor check on them to diagnose so that the infection does not recur in the future.
If left unattended most ear infection could lead to you losing hearing capabilities. The closer proximity to the brain should also be a cause to worry. You should avoid self-medicating, over-the-counter medicine should be avoided at all costs.
7. Bump behind Ear Piercing
Ear piercing could also be the cause of bump behind your ear. The bump could arise from ear piercing infection. A wrong jewelry that could cause allergic reaction to your skin could easily develop into a bump.
Bumpy Rash behind Ear
A bumpy rash behind ear could mean a number of possible reasons. There are numerous skin conditions that could cause a bumpy rash behind your ear. They include:
- Atopic dermatitis
- Contact dermatitis
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Scalp psoriasis
- Skin infections
Any of the above mentioned skin disorder could cause a bumpy rash behind the ear. Treatment depends entirely on identifying the underlying causes. There are over- the- counter medications and home remedies that can help with rash behind treatment
Painless Bump behind ear
You might be wondering, if a painless bump behind ear should be a cause of worry. The truth of the matter is yes. A painless bump could be a good sign of tumor or cancerous cell growing on your cheek behind the ear. If you have had the lump for a week and it fails to go away, you need to rash to your health care provider and have them diagnose you for cancer.
Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled division and growth of abnormal cells in part of your body. According to the American Cancer society they are over 100 type of cancer. According to UK Cancer research, most of the symptoms can also be visible in other infection and disease, therefore the symptoms provided are not conclusive of cancer, the symptoms to watch out for will include;
- A hard lump behind ear
- A painless swelling
- Unexplained swelling
- Heavy night sweating
- Sores that won’t heal
Cancer is chronic, and when diagnosed immediate medical attention should be given. This will be helpful in avoiding the spreading of the cancerous cells to other part of the body. In most cases the treatment option will include chemotherapy where strong medicines are used to kill the cancerous cells and tissues, radiation therapy which uses high energy to destroy the cells and finally depending with how severe the type and spread is, your doctor may use surgery to get rid of the cancerous cell.
Hard small Lump behind ear swollen lymph node
Most cases of swollen lymph nodes behind ear are not cause for concern. The glands can swell when you have cold or simple sore throats. However, if this is not the cause of the swelling, then it could be possible for them to be enlarge due to serious infection such as dental problems, auto immune disorder, ear infection, face injury or cancer in some cases.
Lymph glands are an important part of our immune system and anything affecting them is dangerous to your health since it leaves you susceptible and prone to an infection attack. When affected the nodes become firm and tender, swollen and at time they may start to appear red. It is also possible for you to have fever.
Mild cases of swollen lymph nodes can be treated at home. A simple cold compress around the swelling, over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin and daily intake of apple cider vinegar is useful in soothing the pain and ensuring the nodes heal properly.
Pea Sized Lump behind ear
Pea sized lump behind ear can be normal and harmless. For many having this kind of lump anywhere near face can be a beauty nightmare. What then could these lumps to appear behind ear? Depending on what symptoms are exhibited it can be possible to identify the reason for the lumps, for instance, if the lumps are reddish, hard and filled with blood and pus, then it can be conclusive to say it is in fact, a sebaceous cyst or Acne.
The other possible cause of the pea sized lump could be chicken pox. Chicken pox, is a skin disorder caused by a virus. The lumps caused by chicken pox are highly contagious and can be transmitted from person to person though contact. The other symptoms accompanied with chicken pox include fever, general feeling of unwell and the skin become itchy and painful. If you have had chicken pox before, then you cannot contact it again, your body develops antibodies that fight future attacks.
Finally, if above causes are ruled out, then the cause could be shingles. Shingles is a skin disorder caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox-varicella zoster virus. Once infected with the virus, it remains dormant in the body even after the symptoms are gone. The body develops ant bodies that prevent future attacks of chicken pox, but it is possible for those who had chicken pox to develop shingles.
You need to see a doctor to identify the actual cause of the lumps to facilitate medication. Your health care provider will be able to diagnosed you and prescribe the medication including antibiotics and painkillers.
Bump behind Ear Painful, Hurts
A bump behind ear can be painful and cause a lot of discomfort. The close proximity to the brain makes it even more serious. The bump can be caused by a number of things. It should not be taken lightly. A possible cause of this could be cancer, which if no early medication is not taken it could lead to it spreading to other part of the body. The lump caused by cancer can be painful or painless at times depending on the type and stage of the infection.
When you visit a health care provider and cancer is ruled out the other possible cause could be a simple ear infection. Depending with other symptoms observed such as hearing loss, night sweating, headache and fever then the doctor will be in the best position to prescribe medication for you.
In brief, painful bumps behind your ear could be caused by any of the following:
- Abscess– bumps will be painful when they become infected. The body responds by sending white blood cells to the affected ear. As a result, pus will build up in bumpy form behind the ear. Abscess are usually warm and hurt when touched.
- Dermatitis – build-up of dead skin cells can be accompanied by inflammation and redness around the ear.
- Mastoiditis – mastoid is a bone found behind the ear, and can get infected leading to swelling and formation of bumps behind ear. Fever, headaches and pain are some of the symptoms.
- Swollen lymph nodes – swelling of lymph nodes can cause small bumps behind your ears. They are usually soft, tender and painful. Health issues such as strep throat, viral sinusitis or common cold are the likely cause.
- Acne – acne or pimple behind the ear can be caused by either stress, hormonal changes, or staph infections.
- Otitis media – this is an infection on the ear that generally result to swelling in bump or lumpy form.
Antibiotics and over-the-counter prescription should be avoided unless the underlying cause of the bump is known and established.
Small soft Bump behind right ear
Small soft bumps behind ear should not trouble you. This is a normal and harmless condition most of the time. The bumps will heal and go away on their own possibly after a week. What you need to do however, is have a professional health care provider look at them.
Simple home remedies such as cold compress will be helpful in relieving the pain and itching caused. Anti-inflammatory creams and gel can also be used. Avoid rubbing the bumps or scratching. If the bump are painful and cause of sleep you can use chamomile tea which is said to be a soothing cream and induces sleep and relaxation.
Treatment for Bumps, Lump behind Ear
The treatment for bumps behind ear depends on what is causing the bumps in the first place. Once diagnosed, the treatment of the underlying cause of the bumps can then be treated. When the cause is not known, then the only thing you will be treating are the symptoms, which should not be the case.
Please refer above for the treatment of individual causes, however, for common symptoms you could try the following to improve the condition;
- For headache, you could use, aspirin such as Bayer and Naproxen (Aleve)
- Behind ear itching, try anti-itching creams and lotion containing camphor, menthol or benzocaine.
- Swelling and inflammation, you can try nonsteroidal anti-itching drugs such as Aleve or Naprosyn
- High fever you can use acetaminophen or ibuprofen
If a bump on ear is making you uncomfortable or causing you pain. Do not squeeze it or pop the lump with a needle. This is not a good idea. Visit your healthcare provider if you notice other symptoms that you may not able to explain.
How to get rid of Bump Behind ear-Home remedies to cure
As we have seen, most of the skin infection are harmless and not life threatening. In cases of mild to tolerable itching and pain as a result of bumps behind ear, you can apply simple home remedy, which can be helpful in easing the pain and healing the bumps over time. NOTE, if after use of the following remedies the pain and symptoms persist, you need to seek medical attention.
The remedies are;
- Have enough rest and drink a lot of fluids, water, tea etc
- A cold compress to sooth the skin around the ear twice in a day will help reduce the pain caused
- For bumps caused by acne, baking soda can be an excellent exfoliator of the dead skin cells and clean the pores.
- Coconut oil, is rich in fatty acids that absorb and moisturizes the skin. It also contain anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities helpful in reducing the swelling and redness of the skin behind ear.
- Yogurt containing lactic acid helps reduce skin dryness and excesses keratin that could cause sebaceous cyst. You only need to apply a tea spoon of yogurt on the affected area for 20 minutes before rinsing it off, do this daily for a week and the result will be optimal.
- Apple cider vinegar has strong ant-inflammatory qualities helpful in preventing infection and helps in cleaning the skin.
- For mild ear infections, you doctor will prescribe antibiotics. A mixture of strained boiled olive oil and garlic oil is another effective home remedy.
Reference
- http://www.healthline.com/health/skin/lumps
- http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mastoiditis/Pages/Introduction.aspx