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Painful Ears With A Red Rash, Fluid Filled Blister In Ear Canal, Swollen Neck. What These Symptoms Suggest?
Question: what could this mean? painful ears, with a red rash with fluid filled blisters inside right ear canal and at tragus, with lymph glands in front of the right ear and towards the front of the right neck swollen. I feel the room spinning, when in bed.
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. The first condition that needs to be ruled out is XXXXXXX Hunt Syndrome (Herpes Zoster Oticus).
2. Involvement of the vestibulocohlear nerve near the geniculate ganglion may give rise to vertigo.
3. Herpes occurs due to the reactivation of dormant chickenpox virus which may have caused chickenpox in childhood.
4. Treatment includes immediate administration of antivirals (oral and topical) and supportive medication.
5. It may also be an otitis externa. Did you attempt to clean your ear yourself?
6. Please get yourself examined by an ENT Specialist (who can see the eardrum) and a Skin specialist at the earliest.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. The first condition that needs to be ruled out is XXXXXXX Hunt Syndrome (Herpes Zoster Oticus).
2. Involvement of the vestibulocohlear nerve near the geniculate ganglion may give rise to vertigo.
3. Herpes occurs due to the reactivation of dormant chickenpox virus which may have caused chickenpox in childhood.
4. Treatment includes immediate administration of antivirals (oral and topical) and supportive medication.
5. It may also be an otitis externa. Did you attempt to clean your ear yourself?
6. Please get yourself examined by an ENT Specialist (who can see the eardrum) and a Skin specialist at the earliest.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your answers. I will see a dermatologist and an ENT. I had chicken pox as a child, all of these symptoms are happening only in the right ear: pain, ringing, and the red rash with fluid-filled blisters in the right ear canal. Will this spread to my left ear? Is that the reason for my lymph glands to be swollen in front of the right ear and the right front neck? I also have a scant clear runny nose. I know I should stop smoking, I have COPD. I am going to look up Herpes Zoster Oticus.
Thank you for your time,
John
Thank you for your time,
John
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. Herpes zoster oticus is common in the sixth decade.
2. This will not spread to the other (left ear). The infection spreads along the route of the infected nerve (dermatome). It may start separately on the other side, but this is very rare.
3. The lymph nodes are swollen due to this infection and inflammation.
4. Smoking and COPD have no direct link with Herpes zoster oticus. However you should reduce or stop smoking. In my experience, a herpes reactivation many a times signifies some stress or weakness in the body which allows the dormant virus to surface again.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. Herpes zoster oticus is common in the sixth decade.
2. This will not spread to the other (left ear). The infection spreads along the route of the infected nerve (dermatome). It may start separately on the other side, but this is very rare.
3. The lymph nodes are swollen due to this infection and inflammation.
4. Smoking and COPD have no direct link with Herpes zoster oticus. However you should reduce or stop smoking. In my experience, a herpes reactivation many a times signifies some stress or weakness in the body which allows the dormant virus to surface again.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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