Strange lump on the head

I am just finishing up a year working in Germany, and I am planning on spending almost 2 months traveling around eastern Europe before I return to the States(I leave for this trip in 3 days).  Naturally, now I am having my first medical problem during this trip.  

One week ago, the left side of my neck and head started hurting.  After a while (that same day), I noticed there were two pea sized bumps right behind my left ear (not on the ear, on the head).  The pain has gradually gone away, but the lumps remain.  They are hard, if you feel behind the ear where the skull ends and the muscle begins, they are right and the end of the boney part.  This all started in my sleep (although if felt as if someone karate chopped me in the back of my head).

I could see a doctor, but it would be a real pain trying to explain what my insurance company requires (my German is still pretty bad), so if it's not something I need to be immediately concerned about, I would rather wait until I get back to the States.  On the other hand, if I should, I would rather see a doctor here than in eastern Europe, where I don't know the languages at all.  So... should I be concerned enough to go to a doctor now?  Any info you could provide would be really helpful.  Thanks.

[Forum-M.D.-DT]

Thank you for visiting the Family Practice Forum.

It is quite possible that you have some type of lymph node inflammation or "Lymphadentitis" which would respond to treatment with antibiotics. Occasionally, after the lymph node inflammation has cleared there may be some residual lymph node enlargement. I cannot give you the reassurance you need here. Any enlargement of lymph nodes ... anywhere ... needs to be investigated further with a blood test and possibly a biopsy of the lymph nodes(s) in question.
I can tell you right now that most doctors are going to prescribe antibiotics to see if this helps reduce the lymph node inflammation and/or infection that may be present. If this does not reslove the problem and the lymph node enlargement persists, one really needs to have a biopsy of the area in question.

[Deekerz]

My fiancee has recently noticed a small bump on her temple. She never bumped her head so we aren't sure what it is. We went to the hospital to have it checked and the doctor noticed a lump on the side of her neck. Can anyone tell us what this might be. We are very worried as cancer runs in her family, thank you so much.

[iamboo64]

I wanted to comment on the answer the person with a "strange lump behind the ear" received from the M.D.  I can't imagine that our lymph nodes are actually located behind the ear on a bone - please correct me if i'm wrong because i know we have a million lymph nodes.... but i'm not aware of any located in or on a bone.....

Thanks!

[sweetbanana]

i am having headaches and i also have  trouble trying to turn my neck to the right i can turn it a little bit if i turn it too far it feels like im gonna get sick and i also have this little lump behind my right ear it is hard but not sore

[Tunky L]

My son is 4 years old and he has 2 small bumps in the back of his ear, He has not fallen or been hurt their. The reason I noticed it is because he keeps scratching behind the ear and i noticed the lumps and I checked the rest of his head and  I also noticed he has 2 more lumps in the back of his head where the skull ends. He does not complain about it hurting, i dont know if that is a good sign or not.

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