Wow I too am in shock over how many people are trying to get info on the red hot ears. My seven year old has just started having this problem. He does not have any pain on the inside of the ear, but the outsides get red and hot.... What is causing this??? any ideas???
Hi Lisa, My 7 year old also his this problem, usually just in one ear. Sometimes it turns red for no apparent reason, other times it's while he's doing his homework or reading to me. It makes me wonder if it's a physical symptom of stress or anxiety. Has anyone else noticed this connection?
i have not been able to find anything else out,though recently my sons ear is getting worse and i noticed that his cheek is doing it as well only stay for about a 1/2 usually its been happening since he was 2 and starting happening more recently sinced we moved into our house,but his does seem to do it more when he runs around the house or jumps on the bed,so I dont know... I didnt know there were so many kids with this problem,I havent talked to his dr. yet
Well you guys don't have to feel to bad, I'm going on 32 and I've had it from time to time for years. In the last week or so almost every day I have had my cheeks feel warm, my wife says they are a little red but not much. (I'm white but the like 1/64 indian I am keeps me pretty tan if I'm in the sun at all) So I wouldn't call me fair skined. Anyone have an awnser?
I am 32 also and seem to have one red hot ear (left). It usually occurs during mid-late afternoon and/or evening. It typically happens either when I'm stressed, tired, or both it seems. Some weeks are better than others but the red ear happens least once a week. I've probably had it for a couple of years now. Not really painful but just uncomfortable. I don't suffer from ADHD and consider myself in good health. I don't seem ot be allergic to any foods.
I noticed that you mentioned that you do not have ADHD. Is the red ear a symptom of ADHD? My 7 year old son has just been diagnosed with ADHD and also has one red ear on a regular basis.
My four year old son also suffers from red ear syndrome, usually just one, his left and it seems to occur in the evening or when he is tired. We just assumed he got this from my husband as he also gets red ears, especially when he gets angry or has a few drinks. I am surprised how many people suffer from this and will keep reading this website on a regular basis.
This just started happening to my son (usually left ear, sometimes both), he is two. I am very concerned about it. He is allergic to dairy. His cousin who is almost 4 also has this, he is autistic and allergic to practically everything.
My 5 year old son is experiencing this same hot ears. He is very smart and understands things around him that will be cool to his ears. He started a few weeks agao and it was after he ate White Tortilla chips. You can see them get flaming hot and they are hot to the touch. The only ingredients are white corn, soybean oil, sunflower oil and salt. He will now not eat white chips since it is so painful. But he is still experiencing the symptoms especially around bedtime.
Intresting to hear that he was eatting white tortilla chips, what kind were they? That's a type of chip I eat all the time. You mentioned his was painful though, Personally I feel no pain assosated with it, I just have warmth, does he has one ear hot the other cold?
My 13yo daughter has been getting the red, hot, painful ear for about 8months. She claims she started getting it when she started swimming lessons, but she has a weird memory.
Anyway, check out phenol allergy and the feingold diet. I am getting ready to try this with my daughter. Also, as for the phenol allergy, it is associated with a lot of our fav foods, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, oranges, etc...there seems to be an enzyme you can put on the food that will stop the phenol effect.
I am in the very early stages of investigating this, so sorry I don't have any definitive info on this.
BINGO! reading up on phenol allergy and food intollerance seems to answer both my mother's Red Hot Ear and my son's systemic mastocytosis symptoms (tests came back neg. for masto but the symptoms were right). The culprit in both cases seems to be tomatoes (and possibly an apple chaser). We will experiment with my mother's diet. We will not take any chances with my son, he goes straight to anaphylaxis.
So I just finished up reading quickly and noticed several common things, and wonder if any one has input. Mostly Boys! Neck Issue. ADD or ADHD, eczema, asthma. My son has all of it. Has anyone had good results with Chiropractic? Maybe we need a new one....
my son has ADD, asthma and allergies and is lactose intolerant he gets this in both ears and get very hot in the face he is 13, I thought this was a new problem but looking back he has always gotten really hot and red in the face, with so many other issues he tends not to complain until lately when he plays his drums or gets overheated his ears burn bad and he peels his shirt off when its cold out he will play basketball with a thin tank top, to control the burning.
Interesting....I am a 53 year old woman and it seems that every fall I get a red, itchy ear....usually the right ear but sometimes the left, and sometimes both! This fall it has been almost constant. l First the right ear...(the pinnea), that cleared, then it was the left ear lobe, now, it's both. The itch is so intense, and almost internal...the little scratch now and then is gratifying but quickly intensifies redness, swelling, and spreading. It would probably only last a couple days if I could just leave it alone. I alternately apply hydrocortisone cream and benadryl topical spray...some relief. The main reason I am commenting is that I had severe childhood asthma, had occasional eczema and have been diagnosed with ADD. Good Grief! Could this all be intertwined? Additionally, I had chili last night for dinner.... tomatoes? I've always figured that it was some type of allergen in the environment, hair spray or different pillow....foam? feathers? Don't know, but it is very irritating for sure. Hanna
Debbie, My son has the red ear syndrome which flared up tonight. As we were reading your comments we realized that my son had eaten tomato soup and an apple. Have you found anything else out about this combination of food and the correlation to the red ears?
Tamara, My mom has been watching her diet and so far no more "Red Hot Ear". I talked to my son about it and he hasn't had an "attack" for a couple years, but he will be watching his diet. I knew when he was young that he was sensitive to tomatoes (his face would break out in a rash whenever he ate spaghetti). Good Luck
wow! My son is 4, and has been having this problem for a couple of months now, had a flair up tonight, and had eaten salsa, and tortilla chips... maybe there is something to this...
My son also has this issue with his ears. Tonight was extreme. By any chance did the Feingold Diet work? If not has anything seemed to help? Would greatly appreciate any direction.
Hello, Did you ever find anything out on the swimming and what type of water was she in. My son started to get hive after going to the YMCA pool, which is saline water. Now he has hot ear. Just happened first time tonight. could anyone please tell me what they have learned.
I was just at my friend's house when I noticed that one of my ears was bright red. I had not been touching it or anything. She said that, for years, she had noticed that when she, her husband, or one of her 3 kids had a fever, the one in question always had one red ear. So I asked her to take my temp. and, sure enough, it was elevated. I had never heard of this and don't know if it will help anyone, but I thought I'd share. I could not find anything to support this theory on the net.
I will have to check my temp next time I have an "episode" have not had one for a little bit, very strange that I had it so much for a little bit and it went away. Crazy stuff. Have fun guys and keep me posted. Will let you know about tempp next time it happens.
So funny! I have been experiencing red, hot ears for as long as I can remember. All of my siblings and my mother have the same problem. Sometimes it happens when we have had alcohol, are stressed, hot, and sometimes when we are completely relaxed. It's not painful at all. I can't figure it out. My mother and sister are European. My brother and I are European decendant. I've mentioned it to my Doc and he has no idea. I've never done a temp check. Will do next time.
I actually do. Most recently in my hips. But I have experienced joint pain off and on in other areas. Why do you ask? RA maybe? I had a lot of foot pain and had x-rays that came back completely normal...
Yes I have joint pain but not related to the ear thing, just old age. (32 years old :-) ) Ok so not old age just feel old. :-) Had quite a spell there for a little while of Flush face and one ear thing (not always at same time) but not so much lately (sorry, spelling). Nothing intresting to report. Have not check temp due to not having one.
My son had the flu a few months ago and then a problem where the virus moved into his hip causing intense pain. He also has eczema. Yesterday morning he woke up with a red hot itchy ear. I thought it was where he had slept on it, but it was still there at bed time tonight.
look into RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS OR CHONDRITIS, it is very rare but affects cartilage and joints it is usually painful and just check with your Rheumatiologist, it usually affects people in the 50's but my 6 year old was just diagnosed with it. All my 6 year old has is continuous red swelling of right ear and redness of left ear. rarely a fever, high energy and it just seems odd for a child to have this but, he was just diagnosed so i am looking into it more. I just came across this web site. good luck.
Hot red ear gives me a migraine on the opposite side of head. Not my own dx of migraine, but the neurologist. My son gets same thing, red, hot ear then migraine. I just read in a medical journal that doctors think migraines are an. Autoimmune disease. Remember, you do not have to have a headache to have migraines. That is 1 symptom. Usually people do, but not always. You mentioned joint pain. Possible RA?.. If so, maybe the read ear is from migraines.
My daughter has joint pain all over & the one hot ear. She also has eczema (sp?). She has not been in to see the Rheumatologist yet, but I wonder if it's simply a form of eczema. I hope it is not arthritis of any kind for you.
I first noticed my red ear issue when I was in my mid 20's (now 44). It seemed to happen when I was extremely stressed or angry (which was often, at least when I worked for Walgreen's as a Pharmacist in Milwaukee). The ear (rarely both) turned bright red, began to throb, and was hot to the touch. No sweating occurred. Friends and co-workers found it highly amusing, but the severe unilateral headache that followed was nothing to laugh about. I have had classic migraines since the age of 7, and Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania (CPH) since 27 years of age. I have severe cervical disc disease and believe that nerve impingement has a lot to do with my difficulties. What a mess! It's a rare day that I DON'T have a headache of some sort. I feel sorry for the loved ones who feel sorry for me!
I was diagnosed by a nurologist with red ear syndrome about 5 or 6 years ago. At that time about 37 reported cases..people with history of migraines, TMJ and cervical disc problems. Triggers include cool breeze (bad with air conditioner) Causes severe trigeminal pain...left side of my face. Treatment with gabapenten helped but side effects...treatment with ibuprophen worked but developed an ulcer. I find blocking the stimulus to be the best treatment. I use a single ear muff. My doctor co wrote a paper with physician at Mayo Clinic.. was loking for it tonight ..his name Dr Purdy.
My co-worker just today mentioned that both my outer ears/lobes/rims were bright red. I thought he was joking til I looked in the mirror. The are quite warm/hot to the touch. This is a first for me at 45 yrs. of age. You know, a few days ago I started bleeding from my uterous(mis-carraige? change of life?)but not sure yet what the exact cause is. More tests to be done. Anyway, they put me on ALPROLOZAM (?) for anxiety. Do you suppose all these things could some how be connected? Weird.
My son has been getting red hot ears (usually one) for years. It is due to a sensitivity to salicylates. Any tomatoes, berries, oranges and others will cause it. Salicylate sensitivity can also cause eczema too. Go to feingold.org and you can read more about it.
We kept a food diary and whenever he ate something with a high salicylate content his ear would get red hot and swollen. Since eliminating them he has been fine. He also no longer has to take meds for ADHD. The salicylates cause hyperactivity too.
Yeahh, me and my dad have it, and it doesn't hurt it just feels like it's burning and sometimes itchy, and I get joint pain in my knee sometimes. But it doesn't hurt and I can handle it, I just need ice held to it! Glad I'm not the only one
I too have this problem. Had it quite a bit more in my late teens(now 30). Back then, quite a few girls I talked with had it also. None of the guys I knew did though. Alcohol may have been the factor back then. Now I have noticed that it happens when I am exposed to chemicals or paints. Any time I paint (even low VOC) it would happen. I used to remodel houses and so this happened quite regularly. My husband thinks I am crazy, but obviously he can see the bright red ear! 2 weeks ago our basement flooded. In the process of drying it out, we got a mildew smell. So I sprayed the floors with bleach. Not sure if it was the bleach or mildew. But the red ear lasted on and off for several days. This time my ear was itchy (never happened before) and started to get dry, to the point of having to put lotion on it. I haven't read of anyone else here, although I didn't read all posts, who had the reaction to chemicals and paints. Anyway I try to stay away from toxic stuff, seems to help!
I get this too, very often. I have discovered that I have a sulfite intolerance. Ingestion of sulfites makes my whole face, ears included, turn red and hot. Even now that I'm watching sulfites, though, I am often plagued by one or both ears turning bright red and hot.
Sulfites are in most corn-containing products, as well as soy containing products. Modified corn starch, corn syrup, etc.: all sources of sulfites. They are an ingredient, of ingredients; they are not normally listed anywhere on the food labels.
It's entirely possible that, in spite of my efforts, I'm still getting some sulfites at least 3 or 4 days a week. I have noticed that, on those days I thrown sulfite cautions to the wind, I typically suffer the hot ear(s) to a far greater extent--painfully so--than I do on days where I'm careful.
Children can develop sulfite intolerances, some theories claim, by sulfite containing foods that have not been fully digested entering into their circulatory system. The food requiring more breakdown is considered an invasion and the body mounts an immunoresponse. This leaves the child with antibodies to sulfites, similar to the mechanism used to inoculate against other types of infections.
An interesting connection that someone drew between these facts was that all soy based baby formulas he researched, contained sulfites. Children given soy based baby formula are typically given it due to digestive difficulties, making it all the more likely that some of the food may not be digested fully.
I was raised on soy milk because of stomach problems resulting from the constant antibiotics taken for ear infections. Of course, I also have severe ADD...
Comment
Wow I too am in shock over how many people are trying to get info on the red hot ears. My seven year old has just started having this problem. He does not have any pain on the inside of the ear, but the outsides get red and hot.... What is causing this??? any ideas???
Parent comment
Hi Lisa, My 7 year old also his this problem, usually just in one ear. Sometimes it turns red for no apparent reason, other times it's while he's doing his homework or reading to me. It makes me wonder if it's a physical symptom of stress or anxiety. Has anyone else noticed this connection?
Replies
i have not been able to find anything else out,though recently my sons ear is getting worse and i noticed that his cheek is doing it as well only stay for about a 1/2 usually its been happening since he was 2 and starting happening more recently sinced we moved into our house,but his does seem to do it more when he runs around the house or jumps on the bed,so I dont know... I didnt know there were so many kids with this problem,I havent talked to his dr. yet
Well you guys don't have to feel to bad, I'm going on 32 and I've had it from time to time for years. In the last week or so almost every day I have had my cheeks feel warm, my wife says they are a little red but not much. (I'm white but the like 1/64 indian I am keeps me pretty tan if I'm in the sun at all) So I wouldn't call me fair skined. Anyone have an awnser?
I am 32 also and seem to have one red hot ear (left). It usually occurs during mid-late afternoon and/or evening. It typically happens either when I'm stressed, tired, or both it seems. Some weeks are better than others but the red ear happens least once a week. I've probably had it for a couple of years now. Not really painful but just uncomfortable. I don't suffer from ADHD and consider myself in good health. I don't seem ot be allergic to any foods.
I noticed that you mentioned that you do not have ADHD. Is the red ear a symptom of ADHD? My 7 year old son has just been diagnosed with ADHD and also has one red ear on a regular basis.
My four year old son also suffers from red ear syndrome, usually just one, his left and it seems to occur in the evening or when he is tired. We just assumed he got this from my husband as he also gets red ears, especially when he gets angry or has a few drinks. I am surprised how many people suffer from this and will keep reading this website on a regular basis.
This just started happening to my son (usually left ear, sometimes both), he is two. I am very concerned about it. He is allergic to dairy. His cousin who is almost 4 also has this, he is autistic and allergic to practically everything.
This happens to me a lot too ... the good thing is that normally it doesn t happen at school =D
My 5 year old son is experiencing this same hot ears. He is very smart and understands things around him that will be cool to his ears. He started a few weeks agao and it was after he ate White Tortilla chips. You can see them get flaming hot and they are hot to the touch. The only ingredients are white corn, soybean oil, sunflower oil and salt. He will now not eat white chips since it is so painful. But he is still experiencing the symptoms especially around bedtime.
Intresting to hear that he was eatting white tortilla chips, what kind were they? That's a type of chip I eat all the time. You mentioned his was painful though, Personally I feel no pain assosated with it, I just have warmth, does he has one ear hot the other cold?
My 13yo daughter has been getting the red, hot, painful ear for about 8months. She claims she started getting it when she started swimming lessons, but she has a weird memory.
Anyway, check out phenol allergy and the feingold diet. I am getting ready to try this with my daughter. Also, as for the phenol allergy, it is associated with a lot of our fav foods, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, oranges, etc...there seems to be an enzyme you can put on the food that will stop the phenol effect.
I am in the very early stages of investigating this, so sorry I don't have any definitive info on this.
Good luck!
BINGO! reading up on phenol allergy and food intollerance seems to answer both my mother's Red Hot Ear and my son's systemic mastocytosis symptoms (tests came back neg. for masto but the symptoms were right). The culprit in both cases seems to be tomatoes (and possibly an apple chaser). We will experiment with my mother's diet. We will not take any chances with my son, he goes straight to anaphylaxis.
So I just finished up reading quickly and noticed several common things, and wonder if any one has input. Mostly Boys! Neck Issue. ADD or ADHD, eczema, asthma. My son has all of it. Has anyone had good results with Chiropractic? Maybe we need a new one....
my son has ADD, asthma and allergies and is lactose intolerant he gets this in both ears and get very hot in the face he is 13, I thought this was a new problem but looking back he has always gotten really hot and red in the face, with so many other issues he tends not to complain until lately when he plays his drums or gets overheated his ears burn bad and he peels his shirt off when its cold out he will play basketball with a thin tank top, to control the burning.
Interesting....I am a 53 year old woman and it seems that every fall I get a red, itchy ear....usually the right ear but sometimes the left, and sometimes both! This fall it has been almost constant. l First the right ear...(the pinnea), that cleared, then it was the left ear lobe, now, it's both. The itch is so intense, and almost internal...the little scratch now and then is gratifying but quickly intensifies redness, swelling, and spreading. It would probably only last a couple days if I could just leave it alone. I alternately apply hydrocortisone cream and benadryl topical spray...some relief. The main reason I am commenting is that I had severe childhood asthma, had occasional eczema and have been diagnosed with ADD. Good Grief! Could this all be intertwined? Additionally, I had chili last night for dinner.... tomatoes? I've always figured that it was some type of allergen in the environment, hair spray or different pillow....foam? feathers? Don't know, but it is very irritating for sure. Hanna
Debbie, My son has the red ear syndrome which flared up tonight. As we were reading your comments we realized that my son had eaten tomato soup and an apple. Have you found anything else out about this combination of food and the correlation to the red ears?
Tamara, My mom has been watching her diet and so far no more "Red Hot Ear". I talked to my son about it and he hasn't had an "attack" for a couple years, but he will be watching his diet. I knew when he was young that he was sensitive to tomatoes (his face would break out in a rash whenever he ate spaghetti). Good Luck
wow! My son is 4, and has been having this problem for a couple of months now, had a flair up tonight, and had eaten salsa, and tortilla chips... maybe there is something to this...
My son also has this issue with his ears. Tonight was extreme. By any chance did the Feingold Diet work? If not has anything seemed to help? Would greatly appreciate any direction.
thanks
Leigh Ann
Hello, Did you ever find anything out on the swimming and what type of water was she in. My son started to get hive after going to the YMCA pool, which is saline water. Now he has hot ear. Just happened first time tonight. could anyone please tell me what they have learned.
I was just at my friend's house when I noticed that one of my ears was bright red. I had not been touching it or anything. She said that, for years, she had noticed that when she, her husband, or one of her 3 kids had a fever, the one in question always had one red ear. So I asked her to take my temp. and, sure enough, it was elevated. I had never heard of this and don't know if it will help anyone, but I thought I'd share. I could not find anything to support this theory on the net.
I will have to check my temp next time I have an "episode" have not had one for a little bit, very strange that I had it so much for a little bit and it went away. Crazy stuff. Have fun guys and keep me posted. Will let you know about tempp next time it happens.
So funny! I have been experiencing red, hot ears for as long as I can remember. All of my siblings and my mother have the same problem. Sometimes it happens when we have had alcohol, are stressed, hot, and sometimes when we are completely relaxed. It's not painful at all. I can't figure it out. My mother and sister are European. My brother and I are European decendant. I've mentioned it to my Doc and he has no idea. I've never done a temp check. Will do next time.
Do any of you have joint pain?
I actually do. Most recently in my hips. But I have experienced joint pain off and on in other areas. Why do you ask? RA maybe? I had a lot of foot pain and had x-rays that came back completely normal...
Yes I have joint pain but not related to the ear thing, just old age. (32 years old :-) ) Ok so not old age just feel old. :-) Had quite a spell there for a little while of Flush face and one ear thing (not always at same time) but not so much lately (sorry, spelling). Nothing intresting to report. Have not check temp due to not having one.
My son had the flu a few months ago and then a problem where the virus moved into his hip causing intense pain. He also has eczema. Yesterday morning he woke up with a red hot itchy ear. I thought it was where he had slept on it, but it was still there at bed time tonight.
I have joint pain,muscle pain, i hurt all over cant slee most of time,doc. has no clue. my ear burns like it is on fire it hurt extremly bad. HELP
look into RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS OR CHONDRITIS, it is very rare but affects cartilage and joints it is usually painful and just check with your Rheumatiologist, it usually affects people in the 50's but my 6 year old was just diagnosed with it. All my 6 year old has is continuous red swelling of right ear and redness of left ear. rarely a fever, high energy and it just seems odd for a child to have this but, he was just diagnosed so i am looking into it more. I just came across this web site. good luck.
Are you taking nexium or some other type of PPI drug for GERD?
Hot red ear gives me a migraine on the opposite side of head. Not my own dx of migraine, but the neurologist. My son gets same thing, red, hot ear then migraine.
I just read in a medical journal that doctors think migraines are an. Autoimmune disease. Remember, you do not have to have a headache to have migraines. That is 1 symptom. Usually people do, but not always. You mentioned joint pain. Possible RA?..
If so, maybe the read ear is from migraines.
My daughter has joint pain all over & the one hot ear. She also has eczema (sp?). She has not been in to see the Rheumatologist yet, but I wonder if it's simply a form of eczema. I hope it is not arthritis of any kind for you.
Interesting, my son(5) has had eczema for a number of years and for the last few weeks he is now complaining of a hot ear???
I first noticed my red ear issue when I was in my mid 20's (now 44). It seemed to happen when I was extremely stressed or angry (which was often, at least when I worked for Walgreen's as a Pharmacist in Milwaukee). The ear (rarely both) turned bright red, began to throb, and was hot to the touch. No sweating occurred. Friends and co-workers found it highly amusing, but the severe unilateral headache that followed was nothing to laugh about.
I have had classic migraines since the age of 7, and Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania (CPH) since 27 years of age. I have severe cervical disc disease and believe that nerve impingement has a lot to do with my difficulties.
What a mess! It's a rare day that I DON'T have a headache of some sort. I feel sorry for the loved ones who feel sorry for me!
I was diagnosed by a nurologist with red ear syndrome about 5 or 6 years ago. At that time about 37 reported cases..people with history of migraines, TMJ and cervical disc problems. Triggers include cool breeze (bad with air conditioner) Causes severe trigeminal pain...left side of my face. Treatment with gabapenten helped but side effects...treatment with ibuprophen worked but developed an ulcer. I find blocking the stimulus to be the best treatment. I use a single ear muff. My doctor co wrote a paper with physician at Mayo Clinic.. was loking for it tonight ..his name Dr Purdy.
Betty
N.S, Canada
Hi Betty,
I get migraines, red ear syndrome and have lupus. But I never thought about my neck. I have a compressed disk and no curve in it.
My co-worker just today mentioned that both my outer ears/lobes/rims were bright red. I thought he was joking til I looked in the mirror. The are quite warm/hot to the touch. This is a first for me at 45 yrs. of age. You know, a few days ago I started bleeding from my uterous(mis-carraige? change of life?)but not sure yet what the exact cause is. More tests to be done. Anyway, they put me on ALPROLOZAM (?) for anxiety. Do you suppose all these things could some how be connected? Weird.
My son has been getting red hot ears (usually one) for years. It is due to a sensitivity to salicylates. Any tomatoes, berries, oranges and others will cause it. Salicylate sensitivity can also cause eczema too. Go to feingold.org and you can read more about it.
how do you know its salicylate sensitivity? any form of testing?
We kept a food diary and whenever he ate something with a high salicylate content his ear would get red hot and swollen. Since eliminating them he has been fine. He also no longer has to take meds for ADHD. The salicylates cause hyperactivity too.
Yeahh, me and my dad have it, and it doesn't hurt it just feels like it's burning and sometimes itchy, and I get joint pain in my knee sometimes. But it doesn't hurt and I can handle it, I just need ice held to it! Glad I'm not the only one
I too have this problem. Had it quite a bit more in my late teens(now 30). Back then, quite a few girls I talked with had it also. None of the guys I knew did though. Alcohol may have been the factor back then. Now I have noticed that it happens when I am exposed to chemicals or paints. Any time I paint (even low VOC) it would happen. I used to remodel houses and so this happened quite regularly. My husband thinks I am crazy, but obviously he can see the bright red ear! 2 weeks ago our basement flooded. In the process of drying it out, we got a mildew smell. So I sprayed the floors with bleach. Not sure if it was the bleach or mildew. But the red ear lasted on and off for several days. This time my ear was itchy (never happened before) and started to get dry, to the point of having to put lotion on it. I haven't read of anyone else here, although I didn't read all posts, who had the reaction to chemicals and paints. Anyway I try to stay away from toxic stuff, seems to help!
I get this too, very often. I have discovered that I have a sulfite intolerance. Ingestion of sulfites makes my whole face, ears included, turn red and hot. Even now that I'm watching sulfites, though, I am often plagued by one or both ears turning bright red and hot.
Sulfites are in most corn-containing products, as well as soy containing products. Modified corn starch, corn syrup, etc.: all sources of sulfites. They are an ingredient, of ingredients; they are not normally listed anywhere on the food labels.
It's entirely possible that, in spite of my efforts, I'm still getting some sulfites at least 3 or 4 days a week. I have noticed that, on those days I thrown sulfite cautions to the wind, I typically suffer the hot ear(s) to a far greater extent--painfully so--than I do on days where I'm careful.
Children can develop sulfite intolerances, some theories claim, by sulfite containing foods that have not been fully digested entering into their circulatory system. The food requiring more breakdown is considered an invasion and the body mounts an immunoresponse. This leaves the child with antibodies to sulfites, similar to the mechanism used to inoculate against other types of infections.
An interesting connection that someone drew between these facts was that all soy based baby formulas he researched, contained sulfites. Children given soy based baby formula are typically given it due to digestive difficulties, making it all the more likely that some of the food may not be digested fully.
I was raised on soy milk because of stomach problems resulting from the constant antibiotics taken for ear infections. Of course, I also have severe ADD...