Pea size lump on ear lobe

[Choices]

I noticed a couple days ago this very hard, pea sized lump on the bottom of my ear (where people generally get their ears pierces). It's painful to touch and all I can see on the surface is a little purple dot. Doesn't itch or sting, I had my ear pierced when I was a kid but it's long since healed up, the lump isn't even near the piercing spot..
I'm debating on whether to go to the doctors or not, any idea on what it might be? If you come up with some serious suggestions then I'll go to the doctors

[mhop111]

hi,

i got a few of those a couple of years back at different times, they hurt like hell. they eventually went away on their own so i never went to the dr, but ever since then i've been getting recurrent lesions on my ears is various places. i told my doc about it and he just told me to try putting bacitracen on them, which helps in the moment but they always come back.

i hope you find out what it is - if you do make sure to post here, i'd like to know too!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Actually a subcutaneous skin nodule—the size of a pea and firm, is usually due to a neurofibroma (connective ad nerve tissue), a ganglion cyst or a lymph node. All these can be painful too. It can be a small boil too.
It is difficult to diagnose on net. While the condition may not be alarming,  consult a doctor please to find the cause.
Take care!

[BluCrystal]

I still think it is a pimple, because a small abcess (pimple) that is located in the earlobe will not become 'raised' or produce a 'head' until it's ready to 'go'.  It's just the location that makes it different.

[Choices]

Hmm this isn't a pimple...it's inside the earlobe, there is no lump on the outside of it, from just looking at it you wouldn't see it, a pimple is usually at the surface of the skin yes? this isn't...plus I've already tried that incase it was, nothin came out

[BluCrystal]

Sounds like a pimple to me.  You can drain this on your own by piercing it with a sterile needle (just hold the needle in a lighter flame until it turns black), then poke it and give it a good squeeze.  Get ready for a mess.  You may have to help it to drain by squeezing it more than once.  It should heal on its own after that.  Use alcohol to disinfect it while its open.  Otherwise, if you can't do this, wait until it drains on its own, without your help... that takes longer, and may be more painful in the long run because of the pressure building up in it.  Last resort, go see your doc and he will drain it for you.