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What Causes Lump On External Auditory Canal?

Posted on Mon, 21 Apr 2014

Question: I have a small, beebee like bump under the skin of what I think is my external acoustic/auditory meatus of my left ear. I noticed it because I was getting reoccurring slight sensations of hair wisps coming from that ear. When I press on it, it doesn't hurt, but it is a little uncomfortable and after I am aware that I messed with it and there's a slight soreness to it. It doesn't appear to have any discoloration or anything else to it. The skin does not ooze or bleed or anything, but I understand there might be a gland under the skin there that produces ear wax and I'm concerned that if there is a gland there, it is hard now. The best way I can describe where the lump is: If I put my finger in my ear, with the pad of my fingertip pressing against the back part of the opening of my ear- it would be right in the middle of my fingertip pad. I feel the small bone under it, so it is not that. Also, if I press on it, even if I press on it hard and pinch that part of my ear by putting my thumb behind the crease of the back of my ear and pushing up, I cannot feel any mass of it from behind at all, no matter how hard I try to feel the other underside of it.

Answered by Dr. Vidya KR (4 hours later)

Brief Answer: cartilage. Sweat & sebaceous glands present.NSAID Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXX, I went through the query and understood your concern. External auditory canal is formed partly by elastic cartilage. This elastic cartilage forms the outer third of the canal. It also known to contain sweat and sebaceous glands. The mass that you feel can be from either of these structures. It is more likely from the glands. At this instance since the lump isn't painful, doesn't bleed and has no oozing, I wouldn't be very concerned. I would watch the lump for few days and accordingly decide to consult a doctor. I hope this information helps you. Feel free to ask if any further queries and I will be glad to answer them. Wish you good health and faster recovery. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Vidya KR (10 hours later)

I spent last night trying to get more information on what might be going on with my ear. There are many things this could be. You say the cartilage forms the outer third of the canal....this bump is right to the side of the ear opening. I also felt around more deeply and this bump is smooth, the size of a small beebee, may be a little ovoid, but not much (perhaps egg shaped) and may be attached to bone or cartilage. When I pinch the cartilage, I cannot feel the bump from the back no matter how far in I press. Also, it has very distinct borders and does not appear to blend in with or be attached to the surrounding tissue. At this point, I have made the surrounding tissue sore, but the lump doesn't hurt more, even though I did poke at it a lot and press on it quite a bit last night. There is still no oozing, no signs of anything on my skin (no flaking or crusting or ulceration at all). If there are no changes, should I still consult a doctor, or just let it be? Could it be something like a pimple or old blackhead that has gone deep in to the pore and been covered over? Of course, online I'm reading about all these rare ear cancers and their 50% survival rates so I want to make sure I do exactly as I should. What indications should send me directly to the doctor beyond oozing/ bleeding or marked growth?

Answered by Dr. Vidya KR (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Wart or skin tag Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for follow up query. With your description I can think of two possible condition. Which you need not have to worry. First one would be wart, viral infection of skin resulting in small lump.which can be confirmed through examination of lesion. excision is the line of management if you need it for cosmetic purpose. Second one would be extra growth of normal skin, skin tags. Ear cancers are very complicated ones, and growth will have many associated symptoms. so now you need not have to worry about it. Hope I answered your query. Feel free to ask further treated query. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Vidya KR (3 hours later)

Neither wart nor skin tags. These cannot be seen in any way on the surface of the skin. My external skin looks completely normal. This is under the skin, it is hard and smooth and roundish/ovoid. It does not appear to be connected to surrounding tissue, but there is either bone or cartilage under it and I cannot get under it to see if it is attached to that. You said it might be a sebaceous gland rather than a d ceruminous gland...my concern is this: if a gland is hard, not just swollen, but rock hard, doesn't that mean cancer?

Answered by Dr. Vidya KR (8 hours later)

Brief Answer: Can be benign tumor. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXX, Leaving apart the cartilages, with the description, the chances of swelling can be due to any of the gland - sweat gland, sebaceous gland or ceruminous gland. I will not consider cancer as the primary suspect, however it may be a benign tumour. The other possible conditions that may occur specifically in outer external auditory canal are related to ceruminous gland. These are very rare though The cancer usually very rare and if develops the growth will be very fast, the border cannot be smooth and ill defined, since it is subcutaneous the growth of mass is clearly seen and ulceration can develop. The mass can press the surrounding tissue and can cause other symptoms. You don't have all these. So be relaxed. Plan a visit to your ENT whenever feasible. Let him/her have a closer look at it to confirm the condition. It is least likely to be cancer, so you can talk to your doctors with least apprehension. Rock hard of gland need not be cancer. As you plan the appointment you can spend 3-4 days without handling it and keep a watch on the growth. Hope this information helps you. Wish you good health. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Vidya KR (11 hours later)

Thank you very much. I just have one final question. You said, "The cancer usually very rare and if develops the growth will be very fast, the border cannot be smooth and ill defined"... mine is VERY DEFINED and smooth. Were you saying that cancer can be very defined or not?

Answered by Dr. Vidya KR (35 hours later)

Brief Answer: Benign condition Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for follow up query. No, cancers will have ill defined margins. As in your case its defined margin, its a benign condition. Hope I answered your query.Feel free ask further related query.. Wish you a good health. Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T