Swollen Lymph Node near Ear - worried it is cancer

[SmellyKipper]

I have a swollen lymph node of about 1cm, feels like a rubbery pea I think it can move a tiny bit. It is where the ear joins the skull if that makes sense. I have had it a while and it isn't going so after some Googling I have manged to talk myself into having cancer.

There are other reasons for it though, right? My ear on that side has felt slightly full but never painful for a few weeks and I can also hear my heartbeat in that ear quite loudly at the moment. Also have some Sinusy pressure going on. Just need to be talked down from my Google related cancer panic.

I will try and phone Doctor on Monday but as far as I know they still are not doing face to face appointments so not sure how useful it will be.

GPs are seeing people who need to be seen face-to-face - you just have to have a phone appointment with a GP first so they be sure a F2F slot is clinically justifiable.

Even if your surgery is one of the very few currently unable to see patients, they can give you an urgent two week wait referral over the phone should they need to.

As in behind the ear? I've had a lump there on one for a few years, it gets bigger sometimes and hurts. I had an MRI scan which picked nothing up. They put it down to inflamed lymph node, nothing to worry about. It still flares up now and then.

I've had this for about 6 weeks now, it's on the front of my ear, just where the ear joins onto the face. I had Lumps on both my ears at first but one side has shrunk

My GP has been absolutely crap, I've been ringing up about it for 6 weeks.

For some reason theyve decided 2 weeks of nasal drops might shift it no face to face appointment

I'm still annoyed about them robbing me off and have said to DP if I'm seriously I'll I want you to let people know I rang them numerous times!

Yes constant it sounds like yours is in exactly the same place as mine is. Front of ear were it meets skull. I hope you get answers soon it is very frustrating when you feel fobbed off by Doctors!

My DP (who acts like the font of all knowledge but who has no medical expertise to speak of) keeps telling me I don't need to worry because it is soft/ movable and if it was cancer it would be hard. I am not sure how much comfort to take from that.

I get this when I'm under the weather or due a nasty cold but you should get it checked out just in case

Thanks, I am very anxious especially about cancer after losing both my parents to it a few years ago. I keep Googling but I know it won't help me I just need to bite the bullet and call GP on Monday.

Please try not to worry, one of mine came up when I was 17 and 25 years later, it’s still up!

My lymph nodes pop up now and again too, often for a few weeks at a time, normally accompanied with either a sore throat and/or sinus pain. I think it’s just when I’m run down or maybe fighting off an infection of some sort.

could be an infection or a reactive node. Try not to worry. Call the doctors and see if they'll see you. I had one come up on my neck not long ago and very quick ultrasound showed it was fine.

I had one that popped up in the same place and it worried me, Dr said it was just inflamed and I had a high temp. It eventually went but comes back when I'm run down /ill.

SmellyKipper Do you have any other symptoms? I felt really drained and run down the first 2/3 weeks of mine and I have a suspected nasal polpy.

Mine hurts sometimes and is painless other times. I dont think its cancer ( although google told me otherwise and I got scared too )

It's called the preauricular ear node.

If your GP does see you and treats you please let me know what they say it is as my GP is utterly useless

I have PCOS and I'm struggling to conceive, I went last year and she just printed off the NHS PCOS page and gave it to me

I want to change GP's but I'm not sure they'll accept new patients with what's going on atm

No other symptoms really, just a slightly clogged feeling in ear. It is completely painless too. I heard if they are tender it is a reactive node. My GP is rubbish too so I don't have much hope either but I will let you know.

You do need to see your GP to be sure but try not to worry. I had this for years and years, nothing sinister, and then one day I noticed it wasn't there anymore, it had resolved. No idea why!

I had this prior to lockdown and ended up being referred to a neck lump clinic. I work in a lymphoma ward so although I knew I didn’t fit the profile, it was still on my mind. I had an examination and a neck ultrasound, and was given the all clear. It turned out to be a combination of position of the node, a sneaky infection underneath a heavily filled tooth, and my hair dye!!
Get it checked out of course, but try not to worry yourself too much. The fact that it’s mobile is reassuring, cancer is usually accompanied by other symptoms, and lots of people walk around with 1cm lumps and never notice

Maybe an ear infection as your ear feels clogged? If you try some antibiotic ear drops, (Otomize - prescription only), the lump should get smaller as the infection subsides. I speak from experience, altho my lump was behind the ear. (and keep ears dry)

SmellyKipper

How is yours now?

I was squeezing blackheads earlier and had a look at my ear. I very very gently squeezed it and it exploded. Mainly blood. I still dont know what it is but the lump is half the size it was now. It must of been ready to burst as I barely touched it!