Has anyone had a lump behind the ear? I am starting to wonder what it is because it is getting bigger. I only have it on my right ear but it is not painful. Feels like a swollen lymphnode but it is quite harder and as far as I know I dont have infection at the moment. I will be seeing my doctor in two months time so I had thought of getting insights from dear friends meanwhile. Many thanks!
I've had Pilar cysts on my head. They were quite large & had to be removed surgically O/P.
My sister had lump behind her ear in her late twenties. It was described as similar to giles in fish which we develop in the womb but than they disappear but many people still keep them...some all their life with out every knowing. Some like my sister and hopefully you, they do start to feel them and so they remove them...both of them. I guess it is common to have both even if you do not feel both of them. So hopefully something like that!
I also grew nodules or lumps which lead to my diagnoses of SLE. I had lump about size of pea..hard pea but within a month was more the size of quarter for 50cent piece..so Susan b Anthony dollar. So it had more than doubled in size.
IF it should grow fast...so measure it now...like that go in ASAP to your doctor or any urgent care doctor as you need to get them to check it out and set up biopsies. Mine was too hard for needles so had to have surgeries done. I was told that at first with it growing so fast they felt good chance it was cancer of some kind. It was in my collagen...just lupus attacking it..which is what lupus does. This was in 80's no one even really knew much about lupus...so in one way it helped me to get a clear diagnoses. I had over 3 more removed and all grew right back. One thing different was it hurts as growing so i was very aware of it...and still am now when they grow.
Lastly, my brother who also had autoimmune disease(older sister is healthy) but when he was a kid, elementary school age..so 1960's. He also has lump behind his ear on neck. Doctors eventually got rid of it by using a meat tenderizer similar to Accent (which is almost pure MSG). None could ever give my mom a straight answer on what it was or what caused it etc.
By now after 30 years of lupus, i realize that doctors do not have all the answers and in many ways that is positive thing. They tend to know all the things that are going to kill you or make you very sick. So saying they do not know as frustrating as it can be often is a good thing.
So measure it now...if should grow within week or month even get in to any doctor if your's cannot fit you in. Just so biopsies can get going and what other tests they may want to do. Just a good idea if it is growing fast to stay on top of it equally as fast.
If i were you..i call your doctor and leave a message about it and let him/her decide if they feel if you should come in earlier. Rather play it safe as many things if caught early are easily handled.
i hope it is just something like my older sister had...easy to take care of ...nothing at all to be worried about. good luck
Hello Gehlay,
I'm no expert but i'd say 80% a lymph node especially if it's not hurting you and they do get bigger...i had one removed from by my ear on the left of my face, they operated on it twice because it got so big it burst open and it's not a pleasant sight besides leaving an hole in my face and they operated to see if they could get the sack lining out and they could'nt, then it started forming again and when they operated the second time they removed the sack lining besides loads of poision coming out and since last year i've got another one developed by the bone of the ear and also by my jaw.
I'd go and see your GP and get refered to ENT as they deal with these issues because they do get harder as they're getting bigger and lupus also causes these...if it is one they like to get the lining removed it grows in, so it stops another form of growth.
Love Terri xxx
Dear OC Gal, Siskiyousis, Terri, Ann A,
Thank you so much for your valuable insights. I have followed your advice and contacted my doctors back home. They wanted to see me asap for a check up. I am working abroad and far from home. I cannot disclose my medical condition here because Im afraid this would affect my job status. I have been trying to act normal as much as possible. It is such a struggle being far from family and having lupus. Being a part of this online family gives me a sense of comfort that somehow there are friends out there who understand every struggle of a lupus patient. Again, thank you so much for taking time to answer to my concern.
Cheers,
Gehlay
If the job is an American based company they still cannot fire you for having a illness, except the miltary can let you go honorably. But if it just the fish gills things left over from your time in the womb....it is in/out surgery. You not even need to spend the night....but you said it was hard lump.
I know enough about cancer lumps that hard ones are possible cancer lumps. You really should just pay to see some local doctor...go to free clinic give a fake name and hopefully it is not as hard as you think and they can do needle aspiration.
IF you do this, and they say lump is too hard for needle than you really need to get it biopsied asap...just in case it is cancer. Most people do not realize how much they have improved on treating cancer now days...faster they catch it increases your odds to be just fine greatly. Good luck. Also....you might ask around to other Americans where you are at about legal ways around your medical worries of them letting you go...what it that countries legal rights about letting people go with possible and real illness....also my husband just said that he thinks American Countries may not have to follow our laws over seas.....but i remember another person asking this question and some said they do...so you better check it out. IF you are too busy or have no idea how to find it...let me know i will find an answer and just than be under my name . Or if i can even ask about the country you are in....i will help anyway i can. Like he said could bone spur or if you have pierced ears people get lumps behind their ears from them as well.
Let me know...i do check once a week at longest...usually unless i get really bad sick. I will look for your answer. Good luck! lg
Ann A. said:
Dear Gehlay,
I hope that you can find someone you trust to look at what is going on behind your ear and to offer you some sound advice.
Gehlay said:Dear OC Gal, Siskiyousis, Terri, Ann A,
Thank you so much for your valuable insights. I have followed your advice and contacted my doctors back home. They wanted to see me asap for a check up. I am working abroad and far from home. I cannot disclose my medical condition here because Im afraid this would affect my job status. I have been trying to act normal as much as possible. It is such a struggle being far from family and having lupus. Being a part of this online family gives me a sense of comfort that somehow there are friends out there who understand every struggle of a lupus patient. Again, thank you so much for taking time to answer to my concern.
Cheers,
Gehlay
I am really serious...if you would like to let me know what country you are in and if you work for a company in that country or American one...i will try my best to do some research and see what your options are so you can protect your job etc..
Even if you are in military, i can see what they can do ..what would make them kick you out...etc. I realize they live by their own set of rules. But for example if you went in so you could get a college education..i could double check to see if you lose that if they had you honorable discharge.
you are in hard spot....also my nodules(lumps) were not at all like Terri's....mine are hard and it is the same white cells that attack one's collagen as lupus does through out our body. I have only read of few other SLE people getting them like i do ....they go about anywhere in my body and stopped having them removed since all grew back. If they begin to hurt too much or affect nerves than i have them removed. Plus any that showed up in breast or other places that were likely cancer places to just be safe.
If it is not growing....and than i say i would think odds you are safe waiting for your reg doctor. Can you at least call ....are they in a position to recommend a doctor where you are at that would keep their mouth shut to help protect your job? that would be ideal situation. But please ask if you need the help. take care lg
Hello Gehlay,
It's so nice to hear that you have us with you while working from home and we'll always help best possible....do you know how long it will take before you able to get back for the lump to be look at?
Plus how are you feeling besides in your health while working away.
All my love Terri xxx
I have sent you a mail Ma’am! Please check your inbox. /)
siskiyousis said:
I am really serious…if you would like to let me know what country you are in and if you work for a company in that country or American one…i will try my best to do some research and see what your options are so you can protect your job etc…
Even if you are in military, i can see what they can do …what would make them kick you out…etc. I realize they live by their own set of rules. But for example if you went in so you could get a college education…i could double check to see if you lose that if they had you honorable discharge.
you are in hard spot…also my nodules(lumps) were not at all like Terri’s…mine are hard and it is the same white cells that attack one’s collagen as lupus does through out our body. I have only read of few other SLE people getting them like i do …they go about anywhere in my body and stopped having them removed since all grew back. If they begin to hurt too much or affect nerves than i have them removed. Plus any that showed up in breast or other places that were likely cancer places to just be safe.
If it is not growing…and than i say i would think odds you are safe waiting for your reg doctor. Can you at least call …are they in a position to recommend a doctor where you are at that would keep their mouth shut to help protect your job? that would be ideal situation. But please ask if you need the help. take care lg
Hello Terri! Thank you for checking on me. I am just waiting for some documents to be processed then I am flying back home to have the lump checked. You see before i found out that i have the lump in my ear i had this blood came out from my right nostril. Its not nosebleed just blood mixed with a little mucus. Anyways, i dont want to scare myself more. But I am really scared to bw honest. Lupus - i have managed. But another illness coming out of it is a horrifying thought. I’ll keep you updated once Im done with the check up. I pray it’s nothing serious.
Take Care,
Gehlay
Tez_20 said:
Hello Gehlay,
It’s so nice to hear that you have us with you while working from home and we’ll always help best possible…do you know how long it will take before you able to get back for the lump to be look at?
Plus how are you feeling besides in your health while working away.
All my love Terri xxx
Hello Gehley,
When you get back home, you definitely need to be sent to ENT department because the blood and mucus you lose can also be caused by sinusitus as i have what your having also and pressure and swelling to the nose.
It may help you besides to join the TMJ disease group either from the main page and my profile.
Here's a link which i added as i have alot of trouble with issues to do with my nose and reading what i found out regarding info may help you just because it's headed Nasal sore....still read the info i found before replies was added and definitely join the group.
http://forum.lifewithlupus.org/forum/topics/nasal-sores-regarding-lupus
Try not to worry as stress won't help your symptoms one bit where lupus is concerneded and also ask any questions you want because the more you learn about issues the better you are to del with them.
All my love Terri xxx