Symptoms
Depending on the cause of the swelling behind the ear, you may experience pain in the area of the swelling, but also headaches, earaches or painful movements of the head. Fever or malaise may also occur in case of mastoiditis or abscess. However, a swelling behind the ear can also be completely asymptomatic and only become noticeable through the swelling.
Diagnosis
For the exact clarification of the swelling behind the ear, the doctor will first ask some general questions, for example, whether there has been a cold recently or whether there is pain or other discomfort. He will then take a closer look at the swelling, palpate it and check its consistency and mobility. If necessary, an ultrasound can also be performed.
If mastoiditis is suspected, he will also examine the ear and eardrum more closely with an otoscope. If the suspicion of mastoiditis is confirmed, it is usually necessary to admit the patient to hospital, where blood is taken and checked for inflammation, and a smear is taken from the ear to check for possible pathogens. If necessary, an x-ray or CT scan can also be performed to confirm the diagnosis and to detect complications such as melting in the bone at an early stage.
However, due to the radiation exposure of small children, x-rays or CT scans are usually not performed. In the case of a positive finding, therapy with antibiotics is usually started, in some cases surgical treatment is also necessary. In the case of an atheroma or lipoma, it is possible to wait for the results or to perform a surgical excision.
In the case of a swollen lymph node, the neighboring and other large lymph node stations are also examined and, if necessary, a blood sample is taken. If there are no other abnormalities, a spontaneous reduction can be waited for. If the swelling shows signs of a skin tumor behind the ear, a referral to a dermatological or ENT clinic is usually necessary for further clarification and fine tissue examination.
