Pea sized lump on back of ear

If you have noticed a lump behind your ear, there’s no need to immediately panic. Many different conditions can cause a lump, most of which are relatively benign. Let’s examine some of the most common causes of lumps behind the ear and when you might need to seek medical care.

Common Causes of a Lump Behind the Ear

• Pimples can appear anywhere on your body, including behind your ear. Sometimes larger pimples can form under the skin and feel more like a lump. Acne can often be treated with over-the-counter topical medications. If those don’t work, a dermatologist can prescribe stronger medication.
• Lipomas are fatty lumps of tissue that are benign skin growths. They are soft and movable. Even though they are harmless they can sometimes cause discomfort. In cases where the discomfort becomes especially bothersome, you can have the lump removed.
• Cysts are noncancerous sacs of fluid and dead skin cells. They are soft, and usually painless unless they become infected. If an infection occurs antibiotics can treat it. Otherwise, most cysts go away on their own.
• Infections. If you come down with a cold, flu, strep throat or other infection the lymph nodes behind your ear may become swollen. Depending on the cause or severity of the infection, prompt medical treatment may be needed.

 Should You See a Doctor?

Several infections, like the common cold, clear up on their own and often don’t require medical attention as long as symptoms don’t worsen. A few days spent taking it easy and having your partner pick up a bowl of your favorite soup at Wildflower might be all you need to recover.

In other cases, you might need to see a doctor to prescribe antibiotics and/or to prevent the infection from worsening. If you notice any of the following symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor.

• The lump behind your ear is red, swollen, painful or hard and immovable
• The lump gets bigger or doesn’t start to go away in a few weeks
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss

In certain cases, untreated ear infections can result in a serious infection called mastoiditis. This affects the mastoid bone behind the ear and can cause a lump. Mastoiditis requires immediate treatment, so if you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

• Ear drainage and pain
• Headache
• Redness around the ear
• Trouble hearing or hearing loss
• Fever

Could a Lump Behind the Ear Be Cancer?

While tumors can occasionally form behind the ear, cancerous tumors are not common in that location. However, if you are concerned, you should see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Cancerous lumps are more likely to be:

• Hard and fixed in place
• Uneven or irregular in shape

Make sure to tell your doctor when the lump first appeared, and about any additional symptoms you are experiencing.

Have you ever felt a lump or swelling behind your ear that you’re certain wasn’t there before? While a bump behind your ear may be cause for alarm, often these are harmless. But what are they and how can you treat them?

What caused my ear lump and how can I treat it?

In some cases, a lump is caused by an abscess or a sebaceous cyst. An abscess is a walled-off infection in the tissue of a particular area of the body. It may respond to antibiotics, although on occasion a drainage procedure may be necessary. A sebaceous cyst is when epithelial components that produce keratin are trapped under the skin, forming a cyst that is filled with white, cheese-like material.

Frequently, infections involving the ear or sinuses can lead to an inflamed or swollen lymph node behind the ear. These can be viral, although most are due to a bacterial infection, especially ear infections in children. Most of these infections respond to antibiotics or treatment, but some may persist. If they are of less than two centimeters, though, they are of no concern.

Another cause is a lipoma – or lump of fatty tissue – although those are rare in this area of the body.

In less common cases, a lump behind or around the ear may be a tumor involved the parotid gland. Most of these are benign, although approximately 20 percent are malignant. These usually present either just below the ear or in front of the ear, though.

Self-checking an ear lump

Feeling around your ear is a good way to help determine what the lump might be. For example, if it is soft, it is probably a lipoma or something benign. If it is hard, grows quickly, or is fixed, it is possibly something worrisome, CEENTA ENT doctor Timothy Kelly, MD, said.

If it is tender or painful, it is most likely an infection – either an inflamed lymph node or an abscess. Associated symptoms, such as fever or chills, may also raise the concern of an infection.

Of course, seeing a physician is best, especially if the lump persists or has worrisome characteristics. Usually, reassurance is all that is needed, however, an evaluation, especially early in the course, may allow treatment of a more serious condition when it is still curable.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your physician. Dr. Kelly sees patients in our Fort Mill and Rock Hill offices. To make an appointment with him or any of CEENTA’s ENT doctors, call 704-295-3000. You can also schedule an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.

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