Neck pain on the left side behind the ear: causes and treatment

Many people have experienced pain behind the ears at least once in their lives. Pain behind the ear on the left often occurs, the causes of which can be very diverse - from inflammatory and infectious processes in the hearing aid to an atypical manifestation of myocardial infarction or angina.

If this kind of discomfort occurs, it should not be ignored under any circumstances; it is important to consult a doctor to make a diagnosis and determine the further course of treatment.

Main functions of lymph nodes

A lymph node is a complex structure of the lymphatic system, which is considered a natural filter in the human body, performing such vital functions as:

Immune function. Lymph nodes actively participate in the process of hematopoiesis, forming lymphoblasts, lymphocytes and prolymphocytes, as well as immunoglobulin. They are also responsible for the differentiation of lymphocytes and the formation of memory cells.
Barrier function. Lymph nodes help stop various pathogenic objects from entering the lymph itself, which makes them constantly function.
Exchange function . This function is responsible for the processes of lipid metabolism, metabolism, protein metabolism in the body, as well as the complete exchange of vitamins and carbohydrates.
Filtration function. Thanks to this function, the entry of various types of bacteria, microbes, foreign cells and particles, toxins and cancer cells into the body is stopped.
Protective function. By producing microphages, they are able to destroy unfamiliar and harmful viruses and microbes that lymph brings.
Backup function. Responsible for storing lymphoid fluid enriched with lymphocytes.

Inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear - what is it?

The lymphatic system is as important to the human body as the circulatory system. Thus, lymph is capable of transporting a huge amount of naturally necessary substances and enzymes for life.

One of the main elements of the lymph node system is the lymph vessels, tonsils, adenoids and spleen. They help cleanse the blood by producing antibodies to fight harmful infections.

In a healthy state, the lymph nodes are soft and small in size. However, when inflammation occurs, they begin to harden, forming large balls. Inflammation is the result of an infection in the human body.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear is significantly affected by diseases such as:

Infections and diseases of the human oral cavity.
Inflammatory process of the internal or external auditory canal.
Colds and various types of infections.
Pathologies.
Malignant tumors.
Damage to the skin and possible suppuration.

Features of pain syndrome

Many diseases of the head, neck, blood vessels, muscles and ligaments of the spine are characterized by the appearance of discomfort in the parotid area.

Inflammatory processes

In case of inflammation of the ear itself (otitis externa), mild pain is accompanied by redness of the skin of the auricle and external auditory canal, discomfort when chewing and pressure on this area. The pain may become more severe when the concha is retracted during the formation and maturation of a boil in the external passage, narrowing the lumen of the canal. With otitis media, the pain syndrome is severe and has a shooting character. Patients, and more often these are children, cannot sleep, complain of severe pain in the left or right side of the head, radiating to the ear, discharge from the ear canal of various types from simple serous to purulent. This condition requires emergency medical attention.

A severe complication and the cause of severe pain reactions behind the right or left ear is mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid process). The pathology is accompanied by suppuration from the ear canal, sharp pain on the right or left behind the ear, especially when tapping on the process, swelling of soft tissues, redness of the skin in this area, hyperthermia (increase in temperature to 39-40 degrees), deterioration in the patient’s well-being, and insomnia. Adult patients complain that the bone behind the ear “hurts.” The disease requires emergency assistance from an ENT doctor and massive antibacterial therapy. Mastoiditis in the worst cases of its development will lead to paralysis of the facial nerve, breakthrough of pus through the molten bone plate into the soft tissue behind the ear with the formation of an abscess or into the posterior cranial fossa involving the meninges, sepsis.

Sinusitis will be manifested by bursting pain in the projection of the corresponding bone sinuses, purulent nasal discharge, increased temperature, and deterioration of olfactory processes.

Lymphadenitis in the cervical and occipital region is characterized by the presence of an enlarged, painful spherical formation that occurs against the background of inflammation of a nearby organ. Inflammation of the node causes headaches, poor health, and an increase in body temperature to 37 -38 degrees and above.

With inflammation (mumps, including epidemic) and the formation of stones in the salivary glands, the pain will be localized behind the ears, accompanied by swelling of the gland, and retraction of the auricle forward.

Joint diseases

A common cause of pain behind the ears on the right and left is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine - cervicalgia (literally “pain in the neck”). Symptoms intensify when tilting the head, turning the neck and head to the right and left, often accompanied by a crunching, “stretching” of the neck muscles. The disease can begin with a “lumbago” in the back of the neck (forced position of the head and sharp pain that limits movement in the cervical spine).

If we are talking about damage to the temporomandibular joint, the pain is not clearly expressed, is felt more in the left or right temple, intensifies with chewing movements, when pressing on the joint, a characteristic “click” or crunch is heard.

Neurological diseases

Pain syndrome with trigeminal neuralgia is one of the most severe among similar diseases. On the left or right side of the lesion, most often in the projection of the lower jaw, numbness and severe shooting pain in the head appear, which is provoked by hypothermia or a stressful situation. Symptoms appear on the right or left in one half of the face, frontal, occipital area, ears, cheekbone and temple area, masticatory muscles. Sometimes a “distortion of the face” (distortion by pain) occurs.

Migraine is manifested by extremely severe pain on the scale of sensations and is caused by poor diet, stress, and hypothermia. The pain affects only one half of the head, is aggravated by touching the hair or skin, noise, bright light, turning the neck and other movements, and is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Other reasons

Pain as a result of dental caries will be associated with involvement of the trigeminal nerve on the affected side. Increasing sensations upon contact with a damaged tooth or pressure on it can indicate a problem with the health of the teeth and oral cavity.

A wax plug is formed due to the difficult passage of thick earwax.
At the time of its formation, there is usually no pain. There is discomfort when pressing on the tragus, a feeling of congestion in the ear canal, and decreased hearing on the side of the plug. In this case, you need to contact an otolaryngologist, but “time is of the essence.” Share the article on social media. networks:

Causes of inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear

In fact, there are many different reasons why the lymph nodes behind the ear become inflamed.

Inflammation itself is not a disease, but only one of the symptoms that there may be an infection, harmful bacteria or various types of tumors in the body. It can occur in both children and adults.

Diseases in which there is a significant enlargement of lymph nodes include:

Pharyngitis is a disease in which there is significant inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat
Otitis is a disease characterized by various types of inflammation in the internal and external passages of the ear.
Oral diseases such as caries (usually the cervical, postauricular and submandibular lymph nodes become inflamed), gum disease and gumboil.
Neuritis is a disease whose characteristic feature is the deterioration of a person’s hearing abilities.
Excessive production of lymphocytes can also cause an enlarged lymph node
Rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and influenza cause inflammatory processes that affect the size of the lymph node
Infectious diseases such as dermatitis,
rash,
purulent formations,
herpes,
development of fungal infection and bacteria.

More serious causes of inflammation of the lymph nodes include diseases such as:

syphilis,

gonorrhea,

tuberculosis,

streptococcus and staphylococcus,

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and pathogenic fungi.

Lupus erythematosus, gout, rheumatism, arthritis and even chronic alcoholism.

Significantly enlarged lymph nodes in the ears and neck may be the cause of a viral disease such as AIDS

Oncological diseases can often cause changes in the size of lymph nodes

Infectious mononucleosis can subsequently lead to lymphadenitis. With the development of this disease, pathological cell formations are present in the body, concentrating in certain areas, including the lymph nodes themselves. One of the striking signs of mononucleosis is an excessive increase in the size of the lymph nodes: their size can reach up to 5 cm

The formation of tumors located in the neck and chest can contribute to an increase in the size of the lymph nodes in the ear area. Sometimes, tissue tumors can be in the lymph nodes themselves - lymphomas.

In fact, there are more than 100 reasons why inflammation and enlargement of lymph nodes may occur, and it is precisely because of this that without proper examination by a specialist it is impossible to determine the exact cause of their enlargement.

However, the possibility of the disease can be determined by its shape and some external signs:

If there are several small inflamed nodes , then this indicates a significantly weakened immune system.
If the contour and edging of the lymph nodes is uneven , but they do not cause any painful or uncomfortable sensations, then this is a good reason to contact an oncologist to diagnose a possible cancer.
Evidence of tuberculosis may be the absence of pain when touched and pressure on enlarged lymph nodes
If the pain increases, pressing on the lymph node, but it is round in shape , then most likely this is a consequence of the inflammatory reaction of the cervical spine and throat. So, for example, if the pain is on the left side, then most likely the source of the pain is also on that side
Also, with painful lymphadenitis, there may be external damage to the skin over the lymph node.

Headache behind the ears: possible causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

There are thousands of reasons for the relationship between ear pain and headaches.
Sometimes the source is a disease of the organ of hearing, in other cases serious pathologies are to blame that require immediate intervention. In any case, the manifestation of cephalgia cannot go unnoticed. In medicine, there are many pathologies in which the head hurts behind the ears simultaneously with other parts of the skull. These may be completely unrelated diseases.

It is very important to observe the systematic nature of the pain, as well as its specific location, sensations when pressed, and its relationship with the weather or with any other external irritants.

Types and main causes of pain behind the ears

Pain behind the ears is a symptom that requires extensive examination of the patient, establishing the cause and selecting treatment. There are 2 types of pain behind the ears:

1) pain arising from direct damage to the organ of hearing; 2) headaches not associated with pathology of the hearing organ.

Pain behind the ears is aching in nature and persistent, can intensify with changes in body position, and be accompanied by hyperthermia, hearing loss, and asthenia of the patient.

Ear pain can be due to various reasons. Among them, the most common are:

Arterial hypertension;
Arterial hypotension;
Cephalgia due to trauma;
Hearing diseases;
Tumors of the brain;
Organic brain damage;
Headaches of various origins (migraine, tension headache);
Cephalgia due to intoxication.

Symptoms of inflammation

Lymphadenitis is the medical term for the process of inflammation of the lymph nodes.

With lymphadenitis, an increase in the size of the lymph nodes is observed, and pain is also present.

The size of nodes during inflammatory processes can reach the size of a pea or a diameter of more than 5 cm.

If there is no pain, then one of the symptoms of inflammation is reddened skin in the area of the lymph nodes.

Redness can be observed on one side of the ear area or on both, and the redness can spread to the nearest lymph nodes (cervical, in the armpit area).

Painful and uncomfortable sensations may be present not only when pressing on the nodes themselves, but also during swallowing and turning the head in different directions.

There are several groups of people who are at risk and may be susceptible to this disease:

People with extremely weakened and unstable immune systems
People suffering from chronic alcohol diseases
Allergy sufferers and those who are susceptible to various allergic reactions
People suffering from thyroid diseases.

Possible diseases

Pain in the head behind the ear can be a sign of a very large number of different diseases. But the most common are the following:

Occipital neuralgia.
Mastoiditis.
Osteochondrosis.
Sinusitis.
Caries.
Inflammation of the temporomandibular joints.
Trinitarian neuralgia.
Otitis.
Excessive accumulation of earwax.
Lymphadenitis.
Mumps (mumps) epidemic.

Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Occipital neuralgia is an inflammation or damage to the nerves running from the spinal cord to the head. This pain is usually piercing, pulsating, similar to an electric shock. Its location can be not only the area behind the ear, but also the upper cervical region, the back of the head. This type of neuralgia occurs as a result of increased pressure on the nerves in the back of the head and irritation by their current inflammation, head injury, and muscle strain. Often, occipital neuralgia remains without identifying the exact agent causing it, since this process is very complex and requires long-term research and observation of a person’s lifestyle.
Mastoiditis is an infectious disease that directly affects the mastoid bone, located in the postauricular area of the head. The highest incidence of this disease occurs in children. Mastoiditis is quite simple and easy to treat, and after it, as a rule, there are no complications. Mastoiditis manifests itself through a headache in the area behind the ear, high fatigue, and temporary hearing loss in the ear on the side where the inflammation occurred.
Inflammation of the temporomandibular joints also causes pain in the head, which is localized in the area behind the ear. The temporomandibular joints are hinges that are located between the lower jaw and the base of the skull, and actually perform a connecting function between these two parts of the body.

This inflammatory disease is caused mainly by dental procedures (jaw straightening, teeth grinding, jaw trauma). Although we cannot exclude stress and arthritis from the list of causative factors.

Stages of development of lymphadenitis?

The cause of specific lymphadenitis is bacteria and microorganisms staphylococci and streptococci, as well as Koch's bacillus, plague and syphilis.

The defeat of several groups of lymph nodes, which are relatively isolated from each other, is considered by experts as obvious symptoms of secondary tuberculosis.

Stages of development:

The development of acute lymphadenitis with an enlargement of one or even some lymph nodes is accompanied by: Painful sensations in the affected area,
Weakness, malaise,
Drowsiness, lethargy and severe headache.
There is an increase in body temperature, sometimes even up to 41°C, depending on the state of the immune system and the severity of the initial disease.

With serous lymphadenitis the following is observed:

The lymph nodes are enlarged and painful, but the skin around them has no visible changes.

The lymph nodes themselves continue their active activity under the layer of the dermis.

Exacerbation of serous lymphadenitis often causes abundant accumulation of pus in the tissues covering the lymph node and the inflammatory process of the surrounding tissue.

It is in this case that the pain becomes sharp and can cause discomfort even in a state of complete rest.

The skin over the lymph node acquires a reddish tint, while the lymph node itself is paralyzed in movement and is felt like one large inflamed lymph node with fluctuation.

This is how serous lymphadenitis turns into the next form - purulent. The process of suppuration can be caused either by ordinary staphylococcus or by the more serious and dangerous tuberculosis bacillus. Therefore, when diagnosing purulent lymphadenitis, it is extremely important to determine the initial source of suppuration and its cause. The further path of treatment and the likelihood of its successful outcome depend on the source of the purulent lesion.

It is important to consult a doctor in time at the slightest suspicion of purulent lymphadenitis, since the likely outcome may be the development of adenophlegmon - inflammation of various kinds near the lymph node, which has no boundaries and can affect nearby organs and tissues. Patients who have developed adenophlegmon suffer from chills, severe headaches, weakness and rapid heartbeat (tachycardia). In this case, the body temperature can reach catastrophically high levels, and the general physical condition of the patient is assessed as extremely serious and even with the risk of possible death. And all this is not in vain, because with such complications there is a risk of complications of thrombophlebitis (blood clots form on the inflamed walls of the vessel), the development of mediastinitis (inflammatory processes in the chest cavities near the heart), the development of peritonitis and the spread of infection throughout the body. This process is similar in type to cancer metastasis, forming purulent lesions both on different organs and tissues in the body, and on individual, intact lymph nodes.

The development of chronic lymphadenitis occurs due to existing infection , and can also be caused by repeated infectious irritations of the lymphatic system after various types of skin damage due to injuries. Also, the cause may be chronic diseases of the respiratory mucosa and otitis media.

Headache on the left side above the ear: causes and possible diseases

One of the most common complaints presented by patients to a specialist during a consultation is a complaint of a headache of one location or another, for example, on the right side above the ear.

As a rule, a person strives to get rid of discomfort on the right or left side of the head by taking a pharmaceutical remedy and forget about the unpleasant situation. But, if a headache behind the ear recurs more than 2-3 times over the last month, and gets worse when tilting the head, this is a reason to be wary and consult a specialist with a comprehensive diagnostic examination.

Many pathologies have become significantly “younger” and complaints that they have a headache on the right or left are made by children 7-10 years old, sometimes the pain radiates behind the ear. It is not recommended to brush aside such complaints from your child - many diseases make themselves felt precisely through pain in the head, and other symptoms appear later.

Types of discomfort

The head in the left hemisphere can hurt in different ways, and depending on the type of illness, the origin of the discomfort and discomfort can be diagnosed. It is necessary to take the issue of treatment seriously.

If it pulsates on the left side of the head, such as the left frontal area or behind the left ear, it indicates a migraine. It is accompanied by nausea, intolerance to loud sounds and bright light.

Sometimes during attacks the skin may become swollen and painful, and the eyes may become watery. In this case, the unpleasant sensations intensify when pressed, the sense of smell is distorted - it can smell like rotten meat or stale linen.

Stress is the main provocateur of all diseases

A frustrating situation entails prolonged pain. A nervous state, clarification of relationships with others and an unpleasant psychological situation provoke tension in the neck muscles.

Pinching of the occipital nerves affects the reduction of blood circulation in the brain. The pain has different strength and character: dull and blurred, girdling and focal. Dizziness and tinnitus may occur.

Doctors recommend relaxing massages to relieve neurosis.

Source: golovaboli.ru

When to see a doctor?

For any signs or the slightest suspicion, it is best to immediately contact a qualified specialist, especially if the child has inflammation, without trying to cure the disease on your own with medications or traditional medicine.

In this case of the development of lymphadenitis, it is necessary to contact a therapist or pediatrician (in the case of a child), who can accurately diagnose the cause of excessive enlargement of the lymph nodes and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Diagnostic technique

In most cases, the size of the lymph nodes increases due to the presence of various types of viral infections and diseases, as well as inflammation of the ear, nose and swallowing organs.

What to do and how to treat

You should not try to cure this symptom on your own. After all, you don’t know the true cause of pain. The best way out is to consult a specialist doctor. After carrying out all the necessary diagnostic procedures, you will be prescribed adequate treatment, which will lead to the disappearance of the discomforting symptom.

Advanced forms of some pathologies require only surgical treatment. So don't hesitate! Go to the hospital immediately. The only thing you can do is relieve the pain until you get to the emergency room of a local hospital.

Thus, ear pain can occur for completely different reasons. It is almost impossible to independently determine the source. The fate of further therapeutic intervention depends on the correct diagnosis: whether it is possible to manage with conservative therapy or whether it is necessary to resort to the use of invasive intervention.

Treatment

Lymphadenitis is a consequence of the original disease, so it is important to cure it first and then the lymphadenitis will disappear.

If the disease occurs as a result of bacterial infection, then the intervention of antibiotics is required, which should only be prescribed by the attending physician.

For fungal infections, antifungal drugs, such as Ketoconazole, are excellent .

For inflammation due to a viral infection (rubella, ARVI, scarlet fever, measles, influenza, etc.), symptomatic treatment is used. If there is a herpes infection, Acyclovir ointment or tablets are prescribed .

If the cause is an allergic reaction, then antihistamines will help by acting on the source of irritation.

Ketoconazole

Acyclovir

Try to avoid self-medication at home:

warm up inflamed lymph nodes,
Do massage,
use bactericidal gels and ointments, as this can lead to the spread of infection throughout the body and may even cause blood poisoning.

If the cause of lymphadenitis is an infection of the oral cavity, then an excellent treatment would be rinsing with a decoction of chamomile and mint, sage and calendula extract, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, it is best to use this traditional medicine only after consultation with a specialist.

When trying to cure chronic lymphadenitis, it is important to get rid of the original source of the disease. Having discovered the source of this disease, the patient is prescribed various types of restorative treatments and radiotherapy.

Also, for chronic lymphadenitis with weakened immunity, it is useful to use decoctions of ginseng and echinacea.

However, if you are at the stage of purulent lymphadenitis, then surgery will most likely be required to remove the pus.

Diagnostics

If a child or adult has such a symptom, you should consult an otolaryngologist. You may also need to consult an infectious disease specialist and a surgeon.

The diagnostic program will include the following laboratory and instrumental examination methods:

blood sampling for general and biochemical studies;
general urine analysis;
radiography;
MRI;
immunogram;
biopsy;
ELISA.

The exact diagnostic program is determined individually, depending on the current clinical picture and the collected medical history during the initial examination of the patient.

Medical examination

The therapeutic treatment regimen in each individual case is developed by a medical specialist.

To establish an accurate diagnosis, the doctor first collects medical history data, which includes all information about diseases and possible injuries to the head, neck, or spine in general.

Complications

The development of foci of inflammation in the lymph nodes can lead to fibrinous, hemorrhagic and purulent formations.

Without proper treatment, serious processes can be triggered, such as:

tissue necrosis,
ichorous disintegration of lymph nodes,
abscess formation and even blood poisoning.

With simple inflammation, the infection does not spread to the lymph nodes, however, with pathological diseases with destructive manifestations, it spreads to nearby organs and tissues, thereby making the affected area larger.

At the nonspecific stage of lymphadenitis, thrombophlebitis may appear with the formation of metastatic sources of infectious disease.

The danger of such inflammatory processes also lies in the fact that it occurs in a veiled manner, without clearly expressed symptoms, weakening the body’s protective function and making a person’s immune system more vulnerable. Some of the possible complications of chronic lymphadenitis are multiple edema, increased connective tissue, impaired lymph circulation and the formation of lymphostasis.

Another dangerous complication of lymphadenitis is the spread of bacteria and microbes, cancer cells , which are transported through the bloodstream and lymph system.

Without a high-quality and correctly selected treatment method, even the death of the patient is possible. Also, a patient who does not receive the necessary treatment at the right time risks remaining disabled for life.

Various complications of lymphadenitis:

Osteomyelitis
Abscess
Encephalitis
Meningitis
Septic arthritis
Sepsis
Cellulitis - accumulation of pus in the subcutaneous tissue
Thrombophlebitis
Periadenitis

Features of pain syndrome

Many diseases of the head, neck, blood vessels, muscles and ligaments of the spine are characterized by the appearance of discomfort in the parotid area.

Inflammatory processes

Sinusitis will be manifested by bursting pain in the projection of the corresponding bone sinuses, purulent nasal discharge, increased temperature, and deterioration of olfactory processes.

Joint diseases

Neurological diseases

Other reasons

A wax plug is formed due to the difficult passage of thick earwax. At the time of its formation, there is usually no pain. There is discomfort when pressing on the tragus, a feeling of congestion in the ear canal, and decreased hearing on the side of the plug. In this case, you need to contact an otolaryngologist, but “time is of the essence.”

Preventive actions

Prevention of lymphadenitis is:

Timely and high-quality treatment of emerging diseases.
Compliance with personal hygiene rules.
Strengthening the body's immune system, as well as avoiding sources of possible allergic reactions.
Hardening.
Timely diagnosis will prevent the sources of infections, cure a viral disease, which, if something happens, can develop from ordinary to chronic and provoke inflammation of the lymph nodes.
Also, in order to prevent the formation of a purulent form of lymphadenitis, it is necessary to promptly and efficiently treat wounds and other damage to the skin.

Lymph nodes are a necessary element of the general system of the body for human life and therefore it is necessary to be extremely attentive to any slightest signs and symptoms of disease and inflammation in order to prevent serious consequences.

Try to eat right, lead an active lifestyle, strengthen your immune system by taking healthy vitamins to maintain your health.

Remember that only a qualified specialist can provide the necessary treatment, having diagnosed the real cause of inflammation and will be able to select a specially developed effective treatment method. Your health is the main prerogative!

about the author
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Otolaryngologist of the highest category and author of the website vdohvidoh.com. For many years she has been successfully helping adults and children get rid of ENT diseases.

Prevention

To avoid infection of the body and the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms associated with diseases, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

Strengthen the body by hardening.
Maintain a sleep and rest schedule.
Eat rationally
Walk more in the fresh air.
Play sports, go to the pool.
Visit the dentist on time to eliminate dental problems.
Keep your ears clean to avoid the accumulation of excess wax in them.
Begin treatment of emerging diseases in a timely manner to prevent the development of complications.

If you have pain behind the left ear, the cause can only be determined by a doctor after examination and additional instrumental diagnostics. Do not self-medicate, it can lead to undesirable consequences.