I have three crusty skin lesions on one ear. On the cartilage or skin just above where the lobe ends. These haven’t responded to a week of amoxicillin. The first GP I saw thought they went along with a middle or inner ear infection, because when they appeared my ear lobe was swollen and so was the skin under my ear. She prescribed the amox.
They aren’t obviously responding to flucloxacillin either. The second GP I saw thought they were a skin infection - eg. Staph / MRSA.
I don’t really want to post a photo. They aren’t nice to look at and are crusty and oozing, a bit like impetigo would be. But I don’t think they are impetigo, because they hurt a lot and came along with considerable ear pain and skin swelling. Docs have considered and ruled out shingles. There was no cut on the skin before they appeared.
I was walking at altitude last week and my ear did hurt more the further up climbed, which would suggest a problem with the ear canal to me, but I am not a doctor.
Has anyone got any good signposting suggestions? I see on the Internet that neck skin problems are a thyroid symptom. I had a very similar looking rash on the right side of my neck two years ago. Also painful and itchy. Doctors didn’t know what it was then either.
I have an open referral to see an ENT, for a different neck problem, so if necessary I can bypass the GP. (I don’t want to take a third course of pointless antibiotics!), but am not sure whether ENTs treat skin complaints like this one.
thank you.
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I have had a similar skin issue before and had no positive diagnosis then either.
I did - in fairness to the NHS - go private after the NHS let me down, and didn’t get a positive DX there either, but by then my worst symptoms had receded.
Some kind of allergic reaction perhaps? Were you wearing a hat at altitude? What was it made from?
And just thinking—when you say they ruled out shingles—how did they rule that out? With tests? Because shingles on the ear is definitely a thing and you said you’ve had something similar before—which could also have been shingles
Thanks for replying! I thought it sounded a lot like shingles - and felt like it (from descriptions on the web of nerve pain in the area and radiating out, too). But because it didn’t look like liquid filled vesicles - it looked more like a crusty, dried, oozing wound (you can see why I didn’t upload photos - she said it wouldn’t be shingles. She said that once three days have passed from the symptoms showing you a) can’t give out anti virals and b) get a positive test result.
But it’s true about it being too late for antivirals.
I think the benefit in testing would be in not throwing stronger and stronger antibiotics at something that may not respond. Plus you’d know for another time that you are prone to shingles. But maybe it’s an expensive test and that’s the reason she doesn’t want to go there?
Shingles can go from just slight bumps, increased red rash, and the vesicles getting very obvious around the third day. But then there is the possibility of a bacterial infection of the damaged skin developing.
(Don't worry, I'll not upload photos!)
I found that an anaesthetic such Lidocaine or Benzocaine creams helped a lot at this stage.
Shingles can cause ear and hearing problems. Mine flashed up for a very short time across my ear and towards the crown of my head - but that bit was very mild and resolved very quickly. The rest didn't!
You may be better with something applied topically if it's affecting the outer ear or ear canal. Maybe a spray or drops that the GP can prescribe. I was given an antibiotic/steroid spray for something similar which I think the Dr was treating as 'swimmer's ear'. You can Google this and see if your symptoms fit. You don't have to be a swimmer! It's to do with water and shampoo etc affecting the area so best to keep it dry.
Try a natural route possibly , topical application of diluted 50/50 apple cider,water vinegar.(with mother )dabbed on this ailment, ,might sting..eek at first,will surely recover, after, gently wipe & a application of castor oil or coconut oil to moisture ..
I take lugol iodine daily orally..worth a try. I also put it on any lessions.if they are oozing it is infection iodine is brilliant...and will dry them up asap .I had mastioditis. GPS did nothing. Get a natural nutritionist
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