# I have a lump behind my ear **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932 "2009-10-24T02:42:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purple\_haze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@purple\_haze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_haze)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/1 "2009-10-24T02:42:31Z")
What next? If it’s not one thing, it’s another. It’s behind my left ear behind my ear lobe on the very top of where my neck meets my ear. It feels like a marble, and hurts when I touch it. I guess I need to have the doctor look at it. Great. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/2 "2009-10-24T02:48:58Z")
It’s probably a cyst or boil, and no big deal. But yeah, go to the doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/3 "2009-10-24T04:00:25Z")
Have you tried a warm moist compress on it? Just get a washcloth damp, nuke it until it’s almost too hot to touch, and hold it against the lump for about 15 minutes, or until the washcloth cools. Put some antibiotic ointment on the lump between compresses. Do this about four or five times a day, sometimes it will help the cyst/boil come to a head, open, and drain on its own. This assumes that it’s not too big or painful, of course. And that you’re not running a high fever. But it’s something to do on a Friday night when you don’t want to go to the ER for a cyst. If you DO start running a fever, or if the lump starts showing red streaks around it, you probably should get to an ER as quickly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/4 "2009-10-24T18:10:23Z")
It may be a swollen lymph node. The ones behind my left ear swells up when I’m fighting off something. It makes wearing glasses tons of fun. [![](https://www.nhlcyberfamily.org/images/head.jpg) ](https://www.nhlcyberfamily.org/images/head.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![purple\_haze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@purple\_haze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_haze)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/5 "2009-10-24T18:30:21Z")
Thanks! I’ll try the washcloth routine - maybe it will help until I can see the doctor. ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/6 "2009-10-25T00:05:08Z")
> [@purple\_haze](#): > > Thanks! I’ll try the washcloth routine - maybe it will help until I can see the doctor. Or a hot water bottle.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/7 "2009-10-25T01:08:49Z")
Seconding the lymph node thing. I had a bad ear infection a little over a month ago, and that sucker swelled up. Felt like a marble under my skin and took weeks to go down. That was nto fun. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/8 "2009-10-25T03:58:50Z")
Uh, it’s called a “head.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/9 "2009-10-25T21:18:33Z")
I had a painful lump behind my right ear last week. It’s shrinking now. I don’t know what it is with my vascular system (?) ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/10 "2009-10-25T21:35:12Z")
hot compresses should help it feel better and help it come to a head and perhaps burst on its own. The last lump that size I found behind my husband’s ear shot out a fountain of purple pus, not once but three times after I lanced it.It healed rather quickly after that. ---
**Author:** ![Gesturing\_Mildly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@Gesturing\_Mildly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gesturing_Mildly)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/11 "2009-10-26T18:04:10Z")
I frequently get swollen lymph nodes behind my left ear. Doctors have said it’s no big deal, so I like to tell people that I’ve been abducted by aliens and that’s my implant. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/12 "2009-10-26T19:47:04Z")
Are you sure that it, in fact, isn’t a marble? I mean… maybe that’s where marbles come from. I had the sore spot on the head thing last week. Hope yours disappears as fast and completely as mine did. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/13 "2009-10-26T23:57:14Z")
Of course, if it pops before you make it to the doctor’s, you’re obligated to share the story with us…it’s been awhile since we had a good zit/boil thread. (Seriously, good luck with this thing.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/14 "2009-10-27T00:12:04Z")
Are you missing time? May I suggest an alien implant. Now I thought of the tracker globe they pulled out Arnold’s nose on Total Recall. Ew!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/15 "2009-10-27T01:33:54Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > Of course, if it pops before you make it to the doctor’s, you’re obligated to share the story with us…it’s been awhile since we had a good zit/boil thread. Or if the doctor lances it, you have to tell us the story. Really, anything involving shooting/erupting/oozing pus has to be told. We have been deficient in zit/boil/abscess stories around here. While this may indicate improved health and hygiene among Dopers it has been a loss of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/16 "2009-10-27T02:47:15Z")
Do you have a video camera? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/17 "2009-10-27T12:28:25Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > It may be a swollen lymph node. The ones behind my left ear swells up when I’m fighting off something. It makes wearing glasses tons of fun. > > [nhlcyberfamily.org](http://www.nhlcyberfamily.org/images/head.jpg) Aww, darn, **PunditLisa** , I thought the pic would be your head! \*yeah, we need more zit/boil threads! ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/18 "2009-10-27T13:03:57Z")
Ticks behind the ear are fun, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/19 "2009-10-27T23:07:47Z")
\*\*purple haze \*\*–any report on the Alien Ear Parasite? ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932/20 "2009-10-27T23:40:08Z")
Last spring a friend of mine had a lump behind his ear just like yours. Turned out to be mumps. MUMPS! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-lump-behind-my-ear/514932.md?page=2)