about 2 months ago i came down with a pretty bad cold...my sinuses were all stuffed, soar throat, etc...at the same time the area around my ear started to hurt and felt swollen...and i found a "lump" in that area near the bottom of my earlope, toward the front...i got better after a few weeks, but the lump remains...at times it seems much harder than others {and i do admitt that i am touching quit a bit}, it's about the size of a pea, smooth, and seems to move {but very little}...my friend who is a g.p felt it and felt that it was a swollen lymph gland...but that was weeks ago, and the "lump" remains...everyone i show it to thinks i am nuts...am i?
like i said, the thing hasent really changed in size {if anything it MAY be smaller} but it also seems to get quit hard, could this be from touching it?

p.s i just wanted to add that i did make an appointment with my g.p {for later today!} but any other advice would still be nice...

Hi Bri

It is most probably a lymph node. Do keep us informed.

Best wishes
Vinod

went to the dr...he said in was a somewhat swollen gland, and didint seem very concerned about it...he gave me some antibiotics to see if that might help. and told me not to touch it anymore! he also looked in my ears, mouth, nose,etc...and saw no reason to be concerned...he also said it may never go down to total normal size, and that i really shouldent worry unless it gets bigger, or lumpey, or something else comes up...

thanks for your input doc...take care everyone...for most of my life i,ve worried about my health in one form or another...your stories have really been helpful...if i ever do have to face anything close to what many of you have i will take heart in the fact that it can be faced and delt with...

p.s i mentioned before that i had a tobacco habbit , but quit...if anyone ever needs some advice or help quitting i would be more than happy to lend a hand...just post. i check this board out from time to time...

peace.

Hello Bri

Hope the lymph node swelling goes down. Perhaps you could offer advice to Sue Platt about giving up smoking.

Best wishes
Vinod