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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes A Swollen And Painful Lymph Node Behind Right Ear?

hi,i have had a swollen and painfull lympth node behind my right ear for months ,along with a heavy feeling on that side of my head/brain ,its making me very anxious as the doctor just sais im fine unless it gets bigger.surely this isnt normal ,im a 30yr old female and a smoker and im worried it could be something sinister,or could it be tooth related as ive had the neck pain before when i had a rotton tooth,although the tooth didnt hurt.
Thu, 29 Sep 2016
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Dentist,  's  Response
Hello,

I can understand your concern. I agree with you that a swollen lymph node behind ear should not be ignored for months. In addition, I would like to clear that decayed tooth cannot cause swelling on the back of the ear although it can cause swelling in the neck.

However, it is possible that you have inflammation in the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) cavity which can also cause the swelling. I suggest that you should do a course of antibiotics first before going to any specialist for extensive treatment.

I suggest that you take Cefixime 200 mg (Topcef) twice a day for 5 days. It will subside ear or TMJ related infection. If the swelling is not reduced or eliminated in 5 days, then an ENT specialist should be consulted for clinical examination and further investigations. You may need to go for blood tests and biopsy then.

I hope this information helps you. Thank you for choosing HealthcareMagic. I wish you feel better soon.

Best,
Dr. Viraj Shah
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What Causes A Swollen And Painful Lymph Node Behind Right Ear?

Hello, I can understand your concern. I agree with you that a swollen lymph node behind ear should not be ignored for months. In addition, I would like to clear that decayed tooth cannot cause swelling on the back of the ear although it can cause swelling in the neck. However, it is possible that you have inflammation in the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) cavity which can also cause the swelling. I suggest that you should do a course of antibiotics first before going to any specialist for extensive treatment. I suggest that you take Cefixime 200 mg (Topcef) twice a day for 5 days. It will subside ear or TMJ related infection. If the swelling is not reduced or eliminated in 5 days, then an ENT specialist should be consulted for clinical examination and further investigations. You may need to go for blood tests and biopsy then. I hope this information helps you. Thank you for choosing HealthcareMagic. I wish you feel better soon. Best, Dr. Viraj Shah