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Anxiety, Movable Bump Behind Ear. Whats The Reason, Advsie?
Question: Hi, I have severe anxiety so I should preface this before continuing.
I have severe health anxiety, and I have been very worried lately about a variety of issues.
Namely I have been concerned about a small moveable bump behind my ear, which is about half-way up my ear in between the skull and where the ear connect.
It's very small...about like if you put the head of a pin behind your ear (even a little smaller). It doesn't hurt and I had to really check to find it. It doesn't have any color. It's sort of hard but squishy and moveable.
With my health anxiety they give me experience tests everything time i have something so i am trying to avoid going in if possible.
I have severe health anxiety, and I have been very worried lately about a variety of issues.
Namely I have been concerned about a small moveable bump behind my ear, which is about half-way up my ear in between the skull and where the ear connect.
It's very small...about like if you put the head of a pin behind your ear (even a little smaller). It doesn't hurt and I had to really check to find it. It doesn't have any color. It's sort of hard but squishy and moveable.
With my health anxiety they give me experience tests everything time i have something so i am trying to avoid going in if possible.
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query. It will be very helpful for me in understanding your condition better if you could answer some of these questions:
1) Is the lump soft to touch or hard in consistency?
2) Is the lump preceded by any viral infection or bacterial infection?
3) Is the lump mobile or painful to touch?
4) Is there any white or cream discharge from the lump?
5) Are you having any dental pain or infection?
Such kind of lump can be swollen lymph node, boil or abscess, cyst or a benign skin growth. For the confirmation of diagnosis, you need to get this lump examined from a doctor and get a MRI scan for any soft tissue growth and a FNAB (fine needle aspiration biopsy) done.
FNAB is aspiration of the material of the lump which is done by a fine gauge needle (22 or 25 gauge) and a syringe. This will confirm the diagnosis as most likely this lump is due to an infection causing an abscess, swollen lymph node or a benign or malignant growth.
Swollen lymph node is often caused by an infection, allergic reactions, cancer, metabolic diseases, and an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). If you had any infection recently then swollen lymph node is an important possibility.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Thanks for posting your query. It will be very helpful for me in understanding your condition better if you could answer some of these questions:
1) Is the lump soft to touch or hard in consistency?
2) Is the lump preceded by any viral infection or bacterial infection?
3) Is the lump mobile or painful to touch?
4) Is there any white or cream discharge from the lump?
5) Are you having any dental pain or infection?
Such kind of lump can be swollen lymph node, boil or abscess, cyst or a benign skin growth. For the confirmation of diagnosis, you need to get this lump examined from a doctor and get a MRI scan for any soft tissue growth and a FNAB (fine needle aspiration biopsy) done.
FNAB is aspiration of the material of the lump which is done by a fine gauge needle (22 or 25 gauge) and a syringe. This will confirm the diagnosis as most likely this lump is due to an infection causing an abscess, swollen lymph node or a benign or malignant growth.
Swollen lymph node is often caused by an infection, allergic reactions, cancer, metabolic diseases, and an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). If you had any infection recently then swollen lymph node is an important possibility.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
1) Is the lump soft to touch or hard in consistency?
Upon further investigation, the bump may be part of the bone. When I rub my skin against it it just feels like it's mobile and soft, but what I am feeling is skin?. It's a very small bump (size of the pin=head) so I cannot tell the difference. It's on my skull bone halfway up my ear.
2) Is the lump preceded by any viral infection or bacterial infection?
No.
3) Is the lump mobile or painful to touch? No
4) Is there any white or cream discharge from the lump? No.
5) Are you having any dental pain or infection? I have linctus planus on my gum.
Upon further investigation, the bump may be part of the bone. When I rub my skin against it it just feels like it's mobile and soft, but what I am feeling is skin?. It's a very small bump (size of the pin=head) so I cannot tell the difference. It's on my skull bone halfway up my ear.
2) Is the lump preceded by any viral infection or bacterial infection?
No.
3) Is the lump mobile or painful to touch? No
4) Is there any white or cream discharge from the lump? No.
5) Are you having any dental pain or infection? I have linctus planus on my gum.
Hello,
Thanks for writing back to me.
Behind the ear there is skin, fat, cartilage, bone, nerves, blood vessels, Lymph nodes, and salivary gland tissue (a portion of the parotid salivary gland extends behind the ear). A bump can develop from any of those structures, and could be due to a tumor (benign or not), an infection (Lymph node or skin), a swollen muscle or salivary gland, etc.
My suggestion would be to wait it out for a few weeks to see if it changes in size. If it gets smaller then there is nothing to worry, but if it increases in size then you should get it examined and a CT scan of the area or a FNAB done.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Thanks for writing back to me.
Behind the ear there is skin, fat, cartilage, bone, nerves, blood vessels, Lymph nodes, and salivary gland tissue (a portion of the parotid salivary gland extends behind the ear). A bump can develop from any of those structures, and could be due to a tumor (benign or not), an infection (Lymph node or skin), a swollen muscle or salivary gland, etc.
My suggestion would be to wait it out for a few weeks to see if it changes in size. If it gets smaller then there is nothing to worry, but if it increases in size then you should get it examined and a CT scan of the area or a FNAB done.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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