What Causes Small Lump Behind Left Ear?

Posted on Thu, 6 Nov 2014

Question: I have a small lump behind my left ear. I thought it was a pimple, but it has not gone away. It's a hard lump and not painful. It's maybe a bit bigger than the end of a ball-point pen. My ear has felt warm on occasion, but I'm not sure it's related.

Answered by Dr. Robert Galamaga (7 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Considerations

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for sending the question.

This might be a swollen lymph node. Sometimes lymph nodes can swell in response to viral or bacterial infections. I would keep an eye on this for the next couple of weeks. If the area gets larger or 80s somehow painful than it would be reasonable for you to visit with your primary care physician for a good physical examination.

Most of the time lymph nodes that become swollen like this will gradually decrease in size back to normal over a few weeks. Try to make sure that you're taking care yourself and getting enough adequate rest in addition to eating a good well-balanced diet and exercising regularly.

Thanks again for sending her question. Please let us know if you have any additional concerns in the future.

Sincerely,

Dr. Galamaga

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