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Have Dandruff, Lumps Behind Ear, Pale And Bleeding Nose. Should I Be Worried For Cancer?
Question: I am a healthy 24 year old male. I feel fine and don't believe I have a fever. I have been a vegetarian for eight years and I haven't gained or lost weight recently. I have had dandruff for a few years now. Usually I try to treat it naturally tea tree oil shampoo and a diluted XXXXXXX cider vinegar rinse. A few times I've also used head and shoulders shampoo. The flakes are waxy and sometimes they are in my ears/sideburns/eyebrows. I have always had heavy wax production in my ears, but so does my mother. Two days ago a hard immovable lump popped up on my left mastoid bone (behind my ear) it feels like a bone spur and is slightly painful when it's touched. Yesterday, a few inches below that lump another lump appeared in my neck. There is a chain of tender tissue going down the back/side of my neck. The pressure point behind my left ear is also sore when touched. Today my scull about four inches above my left ear is sore to the touch.I don't know if the dandruff is related to my problem but that was one of the things I saw online. A few times in the past few months my wife has told me that I have looked pale. I had a nose bleed about a month ago (I've probably only had a few nosebleeds in my entire life) but our house was dry this winter. In your opinion do you think I need to be worried about cancer? Thank you for your help.
Hi,
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
With the description of your symptoms, it seems you are concerned about these following things.
1. Dandruff.
2. Lumps behind the ear.
3. Paleness and nose bleeds.
4. Worry about cancer.
Well, I start with your dandruff problem. It is a common problem and it is due do many conditions like fungal infections like Tenia capitis, seborrhea, and some times a manifestation of scalp psoriasis.
Dandruff is usually aggravated by stress, and by applying oil and keeping the scalp wet.
In your case, dandruff is looking to be of a fungal scalp infection or seborrhea, but physical examination is important by a Dermatologist to come to a conclusion.
Dandruff lesions in the scalp will get secondarily infected with bacteria and lead to pustules, pyoderma followed by the inflammation and enlargement lymph nodes of the corresponding draining area.
And by using medicated shampoos containing anti fungal drugs will treat your scalp condition.
Antibiotics both oral and local, are required to treat the secondary bacterial infections of the scalp
Coming to the second issue of lumps, these lumps are looking like resulted from enlargement of lymph nodes in the area behind the ear,due to the secondary bacterial infections of the scalp.
So these lumps are due to enlargement of post auricular lymph nodes which is due to the secondary bacterial infection of the scalp.
The redness, pain to touch lumps suggestive of inflammation.
These lumps will respond to antibiotic therapy.
Pallor is due to presence of anemia which may be due to many reasons like iron, vitamin deficiencies, and due to blood loss.
The nose bleeds are due to local reasons like dry nose, nose pricking, or may be due to underlying bleeding disorders.
So paleness and nose bleeds requires further evaluation with a complete blood picture, blood clotting studies after the examination by your doctor.
Nothing to worry about cancer and just presence of paleness and nose bleed is not suggestive of cancer, but they require further investigations to know the causes.
Therefore I advise you to consult a Dermatologist for the scalp problems and a Physician to evaluate for pallor and nose bleeds and for the treatment.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
With the description of your symptoms, it seems you are concerned about these following things.
1. Dandruff.
2. Lumps behind the ear.
3. Paleness and nose bleeds.
4. Worry about cancer.
Well, I start with your dandruff problem. It is a common problem and it is due do many conditions like fungal infections like Tenia capitis, seborrhea, and some times a manifestation of scalp psoriasis.
Dandruff is usually aggravated by stress, and by applying oil and keeping the scalp wet.
In your case, dandruff is looking to be of a fungal scalp infection or seborrhea, but physical examination is important by a Dermatologist to come to a conclusion.
Dandruff lesions in the scalp will get secondarily infected with bacteria and lead to pustules, pyoderma followed by the inflammation and enlargement lymph nodes of the corresponding draining area.
And by using medicated shampoos containing anti fungal drugs will treat your scalp condition.
Antibiotics both oral and local, are required to treat the secondary bacterial infections of the scalp
Coming to the second issue of lumps, these lumps are looking like resulted from enlargement of lymph nodes in the area behind the ear,due to the secondary bacterial infections of the scalp.
So these lumps are due to enlargement of post auricular lymph nodes which is due to the secondary bacterial infection of the scalp.
The redness, pain to touch lumps suggestive of inflammation.
These lumps will respond to antibiotic therapy.
Pallor is due to presence of anemia which may be due to many reasons like iron, vitamin deficiencies, and due to blood loss.
The nose bleeds are due to local reasons like dry nose, nose pricking, or may be due to underlying bleeding disorders.
So paleness and nose bleeds requires further evaluation with a complete blood picture, blood clotting studies after the examination by your doctor.
Nothing to worry about cancer and just presence of paleness and nose bleed is not suggestive of cancer, but they require further investigations to know the causes.
Therefore I advise you to consult a Dermatologist for the scalp problems and a Physician to evaluate for pallor and nose bleeds and for the treatment.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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