Swollen lymph node, rash, nerves

[Natekoe]

In late may I was doing yard work and got bit by something on the ear.  There were 3 distinctive bites with redness and swelling.  For about a month my lymph node was swollen and my ear was constantly peeling, red and itchy.  I went to the doc at a month about the lymph node and a needle sample was taken by an ENT doc- it was just WBC/lymphocite tissue.  After a round of antibiotics, my node went down, but has come back up/down since then. The rash on the ear has persisted and is now spreading onto the face- it is slow moving.  It is somewhat like a raised line moving outwards.  None of the docs I've seen have really said anything about the rash.  It seems like the rash on the ear is in a 4 day cycle where it peels new skin every 4 days.  This morning my node is swollen and my lip on the same side as the node is moving involuntarily.  I'm not sure what I should do next. I've tried Cortisone cream, antibiotic ointment, Nystatin and this morning I applied a jock itch cream.  I'm thinking that once I treat the insect bite/rash that maybe the node will go down.  What should I do next?

[Natekoe]

Thanks much for your reply.  I'm pretty sure my ear is not infected since it is not constantly red/itchy- more in cycles. I'm going to a different doc in 2 weeks and hope to get some relief.  This just reaffirms my belief that I should hire someone to do the yard work for me!

[ggreg]

When the rash area moves towards the body, with that kind of streak delineation, this means your insect bite has gotten infected.  The antibiotics should have taken care of it, but sometimes they just don't quite work, so another kind should be tried.  Hydrogen peroxide poured on a cold damp wad of tissue can be wiped over just the place where you were bitten, then wash the whole area with soap and water, then put lotion over the whole area, do this daily.  But antibiotics are needed since I do believe your bite(s) have gotten rather infected, which also explains how come that lymph node is staying swollen, it's a sign your body is fighting infection.  So, go back to the doc and since he may not realize your symptoms are is a sign your bite has become infected, you can tell him that it's your understanding that when a rash moves towards the body like yours is, that it means infection.  Yah, I'd be freaking out, too.  By the way, the little spasm you have at the corner of your mouth, only you know this, but if you haven't been sleeping all that great and you are quite stressed about this whole thing, that can cause this nervous tic sort of thing, altho spreading infection is an irritant, too.