Lump/Bump behind Right Ear Under Skin

[phils87]

Hello!

ME:
I am 20 Years old. Have hair thats probably 3 inches long. I smoke about 2-5 cigarettes per day, it varies on how much work I have. I don't exercise as much anymore. I think I may be 15 or less pounds over weight. I just started working out because of fear!

SYMPTOMS:
I currently have a small maybe smaller then a pea shaped bump under the skin and right above I think a bone. And its directly behind my ear lobe. I know its under the skin because when I move my skin around its still in its original place and moves lightly. Its pretty sensitive and right now my ear is just popping.

http://www.surgerystudios.com/myearbump/problem.jpg

That is exactly what it looks like. and yes I am a 3d designer. So thats exactly where the bump is and how big it is right now.

I think I have a mild migraine that I usually have every single day and I am used to it. Lately I have had a lot more work to do so I have been eating 2 meals per day and I dont drink energy drinks or drink coffee so I drink coke.

Lets see I skateboard once in a great while and I surf twice a month. Which is literally all the physical activity I have had lately but I am working out to get healthier but that started today once I noticed this bump because I thought if its an infection I thought my better health my help fight it.

I read that it could be a sebaceous cyst (something like that) or a swollen lymph node.

I don't have health insurance because I am a freelancer :(. I have never had anything like this before and I have never been hurt or sick enough to go to a doctor so I never bothered with health insurance.

So I am asking this community to help because I have no insurance. If I need to go to a doctor does anyone have any idea what the costs might be?

Thanks in advance!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad the post was of some help to you.

It would be difficult to say anything about the costs involved as that would depend on the investigations asked for and the eventual treatment plan.

Your investigating physician might be able to give you a rough idea after a clinical examination.

Let us know if you need any other information.

Regards.

[phils87]

Hello Thanks for the response. I am just wondering if you or anyone had an idea of what the costs of a diagnosis and treatment might be. If anyone can ballpark that figure.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be mastoiditis, cervical lymphadenopathy or parotitis.

Have you seen an ENT specialist or your doctor for your symptoms? Do you have any associated symptoms of pain, discharge, fever, etc?

'Mastoiditis is an infection of the mastoid process, the portion of the temporal bone of the skull that is behind the ear. It is usually caused by untreated acute otitis media (middle ear infection) .'

You could read more about the condition at the following links -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastoidectomy

and

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic306.htm

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Post us about what your doctor advises.

Regards.

[phils87]

Just to add onto what I already wrote. I have not been sick at all in the past few months.