What is the red ear syndrome? Everything you need to know about this disorder

Red ear syndrome is extremely painful due to red earlobes, which cause terrible discomfort, followed by bouts of pain that can last for hours. It can affect one or both ears and can be unbearable at times.

Rubbing the ears, heat or cold can be the primary causes of the condition. It's not something to worry about, though, and can be treated easily, but it's not known what causes red ear syndrome.

In rare cases, it can indicate serious skin infections like cellulitis. So, let's know more about ear redness:

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Types of red ear syndrome

#1 Primary RES

This is very common among children, teens and young adults - and is more common in male children, who often get migraines and headaches because of the condition. It affects both earlobes in most cases.

#2 Secondary RES

It usually affects one ear - old people and female adults seem to get the condition - and it can be linked to cervical spine nerve, spine problems (mainly upper spine), cluster headaches, etc.

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What are the causes?

Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause the red ear syndrome (Image by freepik)

The main cause of the condition is unclear, but it can happen because of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias as a result of dysregulation in the brainstem.

It can also arise because of irritation in the cervical spine nerves, as nerves in the earlobes often reach back to the upper cervical spine and brainstem, which are the source of sensations perceived to be painful.

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Erythromelalgia - a condition that causes heart, redness and pain in the hands and legs - can also cause RES, but there's not enough evidence about that.

Triggers like heat, exercise, chewing, brushing your hair, having a bath, touching or rubbing the earlobes can also cause the condition. Exposure to UV rays can even make you have red and itchy ears.

Flushing can also lead to red ear syndrome and face reddening because of excess blood flow (Image by Freepik)

Because of an emotional reaction - like anger or embarrassment - there is flushing, which can increase the blood flow in the face and ears, resulting in RES.

Flushing can happen even because of drug or alcohol use, changes in weather or hormonal changes. Cellulitis, a skin infection caused by bacteria can also leave you with red ears.

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Treatment

Medicines can help in treating red ear syndrome. (Image by Freepik)

There's no particular treatment, but you can use ice packs to get some relief at home. Medicines that are used to treat migraines can be used to treat RES too, which include - Amitriptyline, Gabapentin and Indomethacin.

If you have red ears because of flushing, they usually go away on their own. For cases related to sunburn, the affected individual can use aloe vera or any soothing cream.

Bacterial infections will need antibiotics, and for some people, non - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to treat these infections.

Wear sunscreen and wash your face and hands often to stay away from red ear syndrome (Image by Freepik)

There's no way to prevent red ear syndrome, but you can take precautions by wearing sunscreen when you go out and washing your hands and face often with a face wash or soap.

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More research is needed to understand the condition, but if you get red ears and the episode lasts for a long time, visit a doctor for immediate treatment.