In most cases, a hard lump behind the ear is not painful, irritating, or uncomfortable and is therefore not usually a sign of something dangerous, just a sign that can appear with simple situations such as acne or a benign cyst.
However, a lump may also be due to infections in the area, requiring more attention and proper treatment, so if the lump causes pain, is slow to disappear, has a very irregular shape or increases in size, it is very important to consult a dermatologist or general doctor to identify the cause and begin treatment.
As noted, a hard lump behind the ear may have possible causes in the mane:
The lumps behind the ear can be caused by throat or neck infections, such as pharyngitis, cold, flu, mononucleosis, otitis, conjunctivitis, herpes, cavities, gingivitis or measles; this occurs due to inflammation of the lymph nodes in the area, which increase in size as the body fights infections.
When this happens, it is important not to touch the swollen area to help with recovery, as the lymph nodes slowly return to their original size as soon as the underlying infection has been treated.
Acne occurs when the pores of the skin are blocked due to the overproduction of sebum from the sebaceous glands at the base of the hair follicle, the sebum produced by these glands is mixed with dead skin cells, and then this mixture forms a grain that can swell. and become painful.
In rarer cases, acne can also affect the skin behind the ear, causing a lump that can go away on its own.
The sebaceous cyst is a type of mass that forms under the skin and is composed of a substance called sebum, which can appear in any area of the body, is usually soft to the touch, can move by touching or pressing it, and usually does not. hurts unless it is swollen, sensitive and reddish, becoming painful. A dermatologist may recommend minor surgery to remove the cyst.
A round, soft lump in the skin can also be a lipoma, a type of benign tumor composed of fat cells, that must also be removed by surgery or liposuction.
Mastoiditis is a bone infection behind the ear that can occur after an ear infection, especially if it has not been treated properly.
This condition is most common in children under 2 years of age, but can occur at any age and present other symptoms such as headaches, decreased hearing capacity and fluid outlet through the ear.
Lipoma is a type of mass that produces no pain or other symptoms, it is a proliferation of fat cells that can appear anywhere in the body and grow slowly.
What sets lipoma apart from a sebaceous cyst is its constitution. Lipoma is made up of fat cells and the sebaceous cyst is made up of sebum; however, the treatment is always the same: surgery to remove the fibrous capsule.
Lymph nodes, also known as lymph nodes, spread throughout the body and, when they increase in size, usually means infection or inflammation of the area in which they appear, can also swell due to autoimmune diseases, drug use or even head and neck cancer, or lymphoma, for example.
The bumps usually have mild and temporary causes, are a few millimeters in diameter and disappear within about 3 to 30 days; However, if they continue to develop, they last longer than 30 days or if you have other symptoms such as weight loss. fever, it’s important to see your doctor for appropriate treatment.
It is recommended to see your doctor if the lump appears suddenly, does not move to the touch, lasts long, or has other signs and symptoms such as:
In these cases, your doctor may examine the lump based on its appearance and response to touch, as well as evaluate other symptoms such as fever and chills, which may indicate infection; if the lump is painful, it can be a sign of abscess. or a shin.
Treatment depends heavily on the origin of the lump, which can go away without treatment or require antibiotics or even surgery.