Just woke up with painful lumps in front and behind my ear

[Natsku]

My ear itself feels fine but the lumps are sore to touch. The one behind the ear is very hard, like bone (I did check my other ear, there's no bony lump there so I don't think its a normal part of my head that's always been there and I just never noticed before) and very painful to touch. The one in front of the ear is similar but not as big.
I figure behind the one behind the ear could be a swollen lymph node and I'm getting ill but what about the one in front of the ear?

There are lymph nodes in front of your ear too, called the preauricular nodes. Mine get swollen too when I'm run down and coming down with an ear infection or a cold - the main thing that helps is masses of water and ibuprofen for the pain but often I need antibiotics. Can't hurt to see the GP either if they feel really hard or sore as maybe you need antibiotics too.

Hope you feel better soon

Ah so it's a lymph node too, that makes sense then. I don't actually feel ill yet, just got these painful lumps but I suppose I'll start to feel ill in time.

I had this and went to the GP and it was my lymph nodes, she looked in my ear and said I had the start of an ear infection so it does sound like you're coming down with something.... sorry!

Made an appointment as the pain is getting worse all the time and now the whole right side of my face hurts :(

Turns out I have shingles

Poor u! I had shingles across my face and scalp -it’s miserable but glad you could get an appt for drs

Its around my eye, and maybe scalp too as that's sore. Been red and sore there for a few days but wasn't too bad, and didn't see any connection between that and the ear lumps but during the day it just got more and more painful. Got antivirals though so hopefully it won't be too bad.