Swollen Earlobes - Causes & Treatments

If you have ever suffered from swollen earlobes before, you know how agonizing this condition can be. Red, hot and painful earlobes can genuinely steal the joy out of your days. Swelling, redness, and pain in your earlobes can develop due to many causes. Whether a new set of earrings is to blame or some type of injury, knowing how to treat your issue is critical to getting you back on the path to healing.

Find out more here, in our guide to common earlobe swelling causes and treatments.

What can cause swollen or sore earlobes?

As mentioned above, there is no single cause of swollen earlobes. In fact, the possible reasons can be numerous. Here are the most common causes:

How to treat earlobe swelling?

Just like there is no single cause of lobe swelling, the treatments vary as well. However, in most instances, it is probably a good strategy to try and bring down the swelling with a cold compress. If you think a cyst may be the reason for your swollen lobe, a warm compress may be more appropriate.

If you are in severe pain, you may want to try over-the-counter pain medication. However, bacterial infections require treatment with antibiotics, which is why we strongly recommend that you get your ear evaluated by a healthcare professional. Your doctor will either prescribe a topical or an oral form of antibiotic.

Antihistamines and hydrocortisone creams work exceptionally well for insect bites.

As you can see, in the vast majority of cases, you can effectively treat swollen lobes at home. But in more severe cases - especially when fever is also present, and you suspect a bacterial infection - you should not delay getting medical attention. Oozing yellow or green-colored liquid is a definite sign to seek help from a doctor. Abscesses or cysts may also need to be surgically drained.

Prevention Tips

Common sense precautions go a long way to prevent your ears from becoming swollen.

Avoid injury and trauma to your ears.
Follow post-piercing cleaning instructions if you just had your ears pierced.
Wear protective gear during contact sports.
Avoid earrings with nickel if you are allergic.
Keep bug bites clean.
Watch for signs and symptoms of bacterial infections.
Keep your ears clean by using a clean, damp washcloth only on the outside of the ear.

When should I seek medical attention?

You should not delay seeking medical attention if your lobe pain does not subside after a few days of home treatment or your symptoms progressively worsen. If you suspect that you have cellulitis, abscess, or mastoiditis, you should take immediate action and visit a doctor. A healthcare professional can assess the severity of your health concern and recommend the most appropriate solution for you.

How prevalent is selective hearing?

Scientists have not produced enough evidence yet to state the estimated number of people with selective hearing. However, despite the lack of available data, it is widely believed that more men than women have this capability. Some authors hypothesize that gender-specific differences explain why men perform better in studies assessing selective auditory attention.

How to get rid of selective hearing?

As selective hearing isn't a hearing condition or disorder, there's no one fix or 'cure'. However, there are ways of improving your selective hearing so that eventually the problem becomes less of an issue. Here are some methods you can try.

Practice mindfullness and focused listening - Calm the mind to hone in one one source of sound.
Minimise distractions and disruptions - try not to overwhelm yourself.
Proximity and volume - Try moving closer to the person or thing making the sound, or make it louder.

When to see an audiologist

If you are confident that all you are dealing with is selective auditory attention, there is no cause for concern. However, if you suspect that your symptoms may be due to hearing loss (such as sensorineural), you should make an appointment with a hearing professional and get a hearing test done.

A hearing test can determine if there is a cause for concern and if you suffer from hearing impairment.