mystery lump/mass behind ear

[ebtbmom]

Yes, this is a medical inquiry!! And I've already made an ENT appt but they can't see me until 3/6 and it's driving me nuts!!

So I noticed a few weeks ago that I had pain behind my rt ear, I felt a smallish hard bump that I had irritated by wearing sunglasses on my head. Well I left it alone, the next day it wasn't hurting and I forgot about it.

On Tuesday I was tucking my hair and I noticed that now there's a rather large, hard lump on the bone behind my rt ear, I guess it never went away! It's bigger now, very hard and immobile. It feels like it's attached to my mastoid bone and I honestly don't think it's lymph node. I had shingles on that side in November so I'm pretty familiar with what enlarged lymph nodes feel like, this is rock hard like bone.

Anyone have any ideas? I am otherwise asymptomatic and it only hurts if I mess around with it. Though today I swear I had right ear pain but I wouldn't r/o it being in my head since I'm kind of weirded out by this mass.

 

[Zooshoveller]

I would go to your primary care doctor ASAP. Your doctor may be able to either diagnose it or get you into a specialist that day or the next.

 

[IheartMickey]

It could be mastoiditis, I've had that. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Calcium deposit, maybe??? I agree with PP, try to get into your PCP and go that route.

 

[ebtbmom]

I would go to your primary care doctor ASAP. Your doctor may be able to either diagnose it or get you into a specialist that day or the next.

This would be a good idea, but my regular primary care has actually left and I haven't seen the replacements yet. I wonder if it would help to call the replacement and see if they can see me sooner. It's just kind of awkward with a doctor that you don't know at all, and honestly I'm not even sure that I've been reassigned yet! Maybe I can call tomorrow and see where I'm at with that.

 

[penn19]

Not sure if it's the same thing or not, but I have what sounds like the same thing. This is bad, but I have had it for a little over 30 years.

My Dr told me it was a cyst. Maybe a Pilonidal cyst? Can't remember what type. Anyway, said it might "pop" one day and "stuff" will come out. 30 years later still sitting there.

You should of course get it checked out just in case.

 

[ebtbmom]

It could be mastoiditis, I've had that. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Did you have pain or drainage from your ear or fever? I really haven't had anything like that, well until I noticed that mass now of course I'm having pain probably mental!

This area looks like a raised lump and the skin over it is white, DS took a pic for me. Is that what yours looked like?

 

[IheartMickey]

Not sure if it's the same thing or not, but I have what sounds like the same thing. This is bad, but I have had it for a little over 30 years.

My Dr told me it was a cyst. Maybe a Pilonidal cyst? Can't remember what type. Anyway, said it might "pop" one day and "stuff" will come out. 30 years later still sitting there.

You should of course get it checked out just in case.

A pilonidal cyst, also referred to as a pilonidal abscess, pilonidal sinus or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris.

 

[runsandjumps]

It might be a cyst. I knew someone who had new glasses that were too tight and it created a cyst next to her ear.

 

[penn19]

A pilonidal cyst, also referred to as a pilonidal abscess, pilonidal sinus or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris.

Just remembered that! I have one of those also! I was told that when I got an epidural. The thing behind my ear is some sort of cyst. Just can't remember the type.

 

[ebtbmom]

A pilonidal cyst, also referred to as a pilonidal abscess, pilonidal sinus or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris.

Hold on people, I said my right ear!!

With the sensitivies about medical topics on the community board no way would I discuss buttock cysts!

 

[IheartMickey]

Did you have pain or drainage from your ear or fever? I really haven't had anything like that, well until I noticed that mass now of course I'm having pain probably mental!

This area looks like a raised lump and the skin over it is white, DS took a pic for me. Is that what yours looked like?

I had pain and drainage from my ear, but I always have drainage because I have eczema in my ears, it's called 'weeping'. The lump wasn't too noticeable by looking at it but it was very painful to the touch. They did a CT scan of my head to make sure the diagnosis was correct and that it hadn't spread. I was on two different antibiotics and ear drops for two weeks.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Hold on people, I said my right ear!!

With the sensitivies about medical topics on the community board no way would I discuss buttock cysts!

Snort!!!

 

[badblackpug]

Hold on people, I said my right ear!!

With the sensitivies about medical topics on the community board no way would I discuss buttock cysts!

...but, sadly, you wouldn't be the 1st.

It's probably a cyst. Sebaceous cysts behind the ears are pretty common.

 

[EMom]

...but, sadly, you wouldn't be the 1st.

It's probably a cyst. Sebaceous cysts behind the ears are pretty common.

I got one of those in college. Basically a knot. The dr. had me put warm compresses on it. It went away. It's come back a few times over the years. but it always goes away on its own.

 

[beaucoup]

I just had a cyst removed from my scalp today. Numbed, sliced open, removed, & stitched up. Can't wait until I can wash my hair tomorrow!

I've also had a cyst removed from inside my eyelid a couple years ago by the same office.

 

[phorsenuf]

...but, sadly, you wouldn't be the 1st.

It's probably a cyst. Sebaceous cysts behind the ears are pretty common.

Ewwww.......I remember that story.

 

[kimblebee]

Ewwww.......I remember that story.

Well, now we need a link. I made it through pet enzymes, I can handle whatever this is LOL

 

[wdwmom0f3]

My daughter had this once and I freaked, but it turned out to be swollen lymph nodes. It really felt like a bone because it was so hard. It has happened a few times since then too, but it always goes away.

 

[ebtbmom]

My daughter had this once and I freaked, but it turned out to be swollen lymph nodes. It really felt like a bone because it was so hard. It has happened a few times since then too, but it always goes away.

Was she sick or feeling bad at the time? I don't have any cold symptoms, but this area isn't too far from the lymph node that swelled when I had shingles. Hope that's not about to happen again .