One hot ear

I too suffer from the red hot ear thing. I also thought it was just a wierd thing that I alone experienced. But it is happening alot more often and starting to hurt, so I thought I would try to find out about it. I too thought it was from high blood pressure, but my pressure was always normal. I think it happens alot when I am tired. And when my ears are red and hot I feel so out of it. Almost like I am not thinking straight. Maybe thats the tiredness. Does the tiredness cause the red ears or does the red ear cause me to be so tired? I know after they go back to normal, I am wiped out. I have had this happen for a long time. Usually just one, but sometimes both.

Hello, I have had a red-hot ear from time to time as long as I can remember. At the age of 2, I split my left ear open and it was stitched up. This is the ear that gets hot. Perhaps there is something to the blood flow issue mentioned in an earlier posting. Seems our ears are trying to release heat from the body? (dogs don't sweat, they pant). Anyway, no ADD, ADHD, ODD, etc. Could be affected by drinking, hadn't thought about that until I read these posts. Hope this helps!

hey, i started to noticed this hot left ear two weeks ago, and the worst thing is when i notice it i started to feel different like shy or something then it will go into my face but never will reach into my right ear i dont like it coz i cant face people when im so red, im 7 months pregnant now and i was thinking its porobably because im pregnant or im a little bit stress coz i cant sleep during the nights.I also feel it when i talked to people and it will make my face red coz i will begin to be shy becoz of it, my husband told me maybe becuase im really shy but i said how can i be shy talking to people i already know? it doesnt make sense and most of the weird thing is when we sleep i felt it too my ear is getting warm this time my face wasnt included coz its probably I am not facing someone.Its bothering me now coz this very new to me im so happy that a lot of people are having it too i thought im starting having mental problem. but if anyone could really whats going on, i still think its part of the changes in me because im preganant i hope this is the reason then it will dissapear after having the baby, i hope someone could clarify this new strange feeling.

my son gets red ears from time to time. he's been diagnosed with add, but the phenomenon seems to be related to temperature. when he gets overly warm, his ears will turn red, but not all the time, and this is when he's not sweating.

Only my left ear gets hotter than 1,000 suns, and I was diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago, but have had it all my life. I am a 31 year old female. I have never been pregnant, and am in excellent health. All except for this left ear... boy is it annoying!!! My symptoms occur when I am tired/possibly stressed. (maybe from nursing school) I don't FEEL stressed, but I think I am and dont know it. I don't have time for stress. So anyway, add me to the "left ear-ADHD" group. Cheers!

Gosh, I can't believe so many ppl have the same thing going on with that one ear of them.

I've been having this "red hot left ear" for two months now and it happens almost at the same time every afternoon. I'm not diagnosed of anything and just curious to know what the reason is.

Mine has been happening mostly in my left ear.

I am not a highly stressful person. I've had it happen when tired and well rested. Infact the occurence this evening happened after a good restful nap. I'm not a drinker or smoker. I do have hypertension. Possibly ADHD/predominently inattentive - never been "officially" diagnosed, but don't know how that would have anything to do with this. I am not on any medications. I've had it occur when I'm hot and when I'm cold. Its happened morning, afternoon or evening. When I in company and alone. I don't have migraines, I'm not embarrased easily.

It began occuring about 1 - 1.5 yrs ago. There is no set time for the occurences. Sometimes I'll go days - weeks without an occurence. Today I have had two. Mine is not so much painful as it is annoying. Also, it sometimes itches.

I get episodes of Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.I break out in hives, swell, turn red like a big red radish, asthma, tongue and throat swells and ITCH ITCH ITCH!!!! These episodes are far and few in between. I have had an episode for 2 years and 2-3 years prior to that one. I have never had this problem or asthma before then BOOM they started when I was around 27 yrs old. I've always had allergies. I'm 38 now. I have had approximately 5-6 episodes in the 11 years.

I always just thought there was some sort of correlation between the red hot ears and the anaphylaxis. Possibly some sort of allergic reaction - but to what, I don't know?

I also noticed just starting this winter that when my hands get cold they turn real red, swell and itch real bad, then subsides. When this happens it brings to mind when I have an episode of anaphylaxis.

I don't know - anybodies guess is as good as mine - I've always just accepted that they happen and just thought I was a "freak of nature" :). I was surprised to see it's so common.

Mine has been happening mostly in my left ear.

I am not a highly stressed person. I've had it happen when tired and well rested. Infact the occurrence this evening happened after a good restful nap. I'm not a drinker or smoker. I do have hypertension. Possibly ADHD/predominantly inattentive - never been "officially" diagnosed, but don't know how that would have anything to do with this. I am not on any medications. I've had it occur when It has happened at different times of the day. When I am in company and alone. I don't have migraines, I'm not embarrassed easily.

It began occurring about 1 - 1.5 yrs ago. There is no set time for the occurrences. Sometimes I'll go days - weeks without an occurrence. Today I have had two. Mine is not so much painful as it is annoying. Also, it sometimes itches.

I get episodes of Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. I break out in hives, swell, turn red like a big red radish, asthma, tongue and throat swells and ITCH ITCH ITCH!!!! My last episode was about 2 yrs ago and had not had a episode for 2-3 years prior to that one. I have never had this problem or asthma before then BOOM they started when I was around 27 yrs old. I've always had allergies. I'm 38 now. I have had approximately 5-6 episodes in the 11 years.

I also noticed just starting this winter that when my hands get cold they turn real red, swell and itch real bad, then subsides. When this happens it brings to mind when I have an episode of anaphylaxis.

I just thought these were somehow related. Possibly some sort of allergic reaction - but to what, I don't know?

I don't know - anybodies guess is as good as mine - I've always just accepted that they happen and just thought I was a "freak of nature" :). I was surprised to see it's so common.

Sorry for the two posts...

iam 23/male... iam suffering form hyper tetnsion...iam having high B.P for last one year and now aim taking medicine for that to control it...it was ok till last month..but from last week onwards i noticed that my either right or left getting red and hot!actually this is for the first time in my life happened...its more at night while i go to bed just after having my dinner...i want to just know that is it a danger sign or is it a symptom of stroke? pls do help me by giving a right reply if anybody outthere with the same problem....

I have been suffering from Red Ears and TERRIBLE hot flashes for years. I have mild hypertension, panic disorder, but am otherwise a healthy 29 yo male. It is usually my left ear that gets red and so hot I sometimes put ice on it. At times, my entire face becomes flush and hot. So much so that I think of sticking my face in the freezer. I can almost feel it throb and it my left ear will sometimes turn purple. Often headaches and extreme fatigue follow and episode. Anyone know what I should do? Also, I saw someone mention a correlation to Trigeminal Nueralgia. My dad suffered from TN for years until it went into remission.

I am a 60+ woman who has had what I call hot ear syndrome for years. It's usually just my right ear that gets hot in the evening, although there have been times both ears were hot. Usually lasts from 1-2 hours. No other symptoms, although sometimes I feel my BP is up and when I check and it is. I do have hypertension and I am on a beta blocker and ace inhibitor. I believe the hot, red ear may be related to hormones, but no proof. I do have hypothyroidism and the hypertension and hypothyroidism began about at the same time. Maybe there's a link. My doctor doesn't know why my ear gets red and hot, but he's had other patients with the same thing. I'm glad I found this site. I've never been embarrassed about my ear problem and would encourage others not to worry about what others think. After all, some people sweat excessively, have bad breath and like problems. A red ear isn't so bad socially.

I am concerned about my daughter, who is 8 years old, and suffers with red hot ears in both ears. Any suggestions on how to make her feel better?

Hello there Ms .Anonymous,

Well,I just pack some crushed ice into a small piece of Linen and then allow (my daughter who also suffers from Hot ears too)to hold the pack against her ears until the hotness subsides.or about for 5 mins .For now she just complains about one hot ear at a time so not so much probs..but would love to know the real reason why..I do believe it is Hormonal imbalances which occur at times..maybe during a stressful period.But it is also neuralgic I do believe.
Also give her some Paracetamol for any pain.
Hope this helps

Hi it's me again..do have a check on this website which I found.
Maybe it could be of some help for some of you out there.
Best of Luck
http://www.carcinoid.com/index.jsp

How funny that I come across this as my I was inquiring on the web to find out why my left ear was all of a sudden turning hot red.....

I have been having "red ear syndrome" for about 15 years (i'm a 25 year old male). I asked the doctor years ago and he said it was nothing, all in my head. It is in both ears and I get it everyday. I purposely make them red when I get off work so I can go out later and not worry about them turning red in public. (it has never happened more than once in one day). A few things that cause them the most are stress/nervousness in front of others, hot weather, and sometimes drinking alcohol. The only way I have found to control this if it starts to flare up is cold water or cold weather, so I am constantly having to go outside or go to the bathroom to splash cold water on them. I have even resorted to licking my fingers and basically licking my ears to keep them cool. I even grew long hair once just to cover them up. In a way it controls my life but I have dealt with it for so long I can control it, sometimes. I would still like to find some kind of medical explanation for this so I can live a normal life. It sometimes prevents me from doing things with my friends, like in hot weather when I know I can't control it. Any help would be fantastic. Thanks.

I get it after eating sugar usually or Caffine

Interesting posts, but what about hot ears that don't turn red? I've had this problem for 5 months now, several times daily. It feels like my ears are red, they are so hot, but they look perfectly normal! I can't connect anything to this -- food, stress, etc.

the red and hot ear syndrome started with me since 2 weeks. i am 65 yrs old and i have no hbp or any other disease except i am mildly diabetic.
i have tried keeping ice on my both ears and find it soothing for a while and i donot get much cold feeling on the part where it is hot and red, but when i touch the ice to other part of the ear then i feel much colder.
i expect some medical reply on this syndrome and how to treat this.

My ears randomly get red and hot, one at a time usually. Is there anyone else who suffers from this but doesn't have any other health problems? I'm having trouble targeting the problem because I don't have high BP or diabetes or ADHD or other diseases/syndromes. Could it possibly be due to poor/excessive blood circulation?

I have just started getting red hot ears, and face and sometimes my neck. I haven't read all of these blogs but can't wait. I definitely see connections that I was already thinking of. 2 1/2 months ago I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and now with a mild low blood pressure which I appear to have had for a few years, but my symptoms are worse now. There is a link between low blood sugar and low blood pressure, and links to both of these are allergies. I always get allergies during spring (now in Southern Hemisphere) so I'm thinking there's a connection to this, and that it's worse now that I have these conditions. I also have been told that both conditions have probably been caused or onset by stress. I have had big stress in the last 2 years, I try not to but it doesn't always work! I also work at the computer and find I get a lot of tension. I'm just listing my symptoms in case you get this too. Maybe they're all connected. I'm now going to record types of food reactions as no doubt I have one that is the biggest underlying cause, I have been told. I'm guessing dairy. If I find out soon I will post the results.

Ever since I was a child, when I reach a certain level of physical fatigue or sleep-need tiredness, one or the other, or both, my ears will seem to me to be HOT. Sometimes they actually are redened and warm to the touch; other times I experience a sensation of heat but they are cool / normal to the touch. This will happen if I stay awake too long, or if I just haven't had as much sleep as I need; always happens in the evening. I have no medical conditions that are known- I see a doctor for regular checkups. This has been going on for over 50 years. Sometimes I may splash a little cool water on them; this helps. Another thing that used to happen when I was a kid, but doesn't any more, is that my knee joints would feel sore at the same time my ears felt hot. Possibly some kind of inflammatory thing triggered by "sleep toxins?" - those substances that build up in the blood when someone is sleep deprived to one degree or another? Who knows. I'm not worried that this is an indication of some dreadful ailment, I'll just keep my glass of icewater handy..... ;-)

I just thought of something- I seem to recall I had some frostbite on my ears when I was around 4. (Living in Wisconsin, you're bound to get a little frostbite here and there, especially kids playing in snow.) It wasn't severe frostbite at all, but maybe that's when this started. I can't say for sure. So maybe there's some vascular injury and it flares up when I'm tired, for some reason.

I started noticing the red hot ear a couple of years ago (I'm 40 now). Now the redness has extended to my face. The doctor thinks it's rosacea, but I question that diagnosis since I have no acne, just redness. The doctor ran blood work for carcinoid because I suffer with IBS along with the flushing. The tests came back negative, but I'm struggling to accept the results. Most blood work for carcinoid is at best 75% accurate. Every time my ears and face get red it reminds me that something more serious may be occuring. I also have TMJ and O blood type. I notice that my autistic son also suffers with the red ear and sometimes cheeks. I wish I could just accept this as a non-serious condition and stop worrying. The possibilty of this being a carcinoid syndrome haunts me. As you can tell, I stuggle with anxiety. The flushing occurs primarily in the afternoon to evening and I've tried various food eliminations with no success. For awhile I was even eating just applesauce and rice and still flushing. I question the correlation with yeast. I have chronic yeast problems and have been on nystatin and difflucan for a long time. My doctor also checked my thyroid and hormone levels to make sure I wasn't in perimenapause. I sure wish there was a definitive answer as to why this occurs.

what is my famili doing right now

OMG I thought I was a freak or something! The right red ear thing has been happening to me for a long time now. I associate it with stress. I dont drink alcohol but I do smoke cannibus, which helps with some stress, however the red ear thing doesnt even go away when I apply ice!!! love to all

Well I have the same problem, and it is good to know that I am not the only one. My doctor does not know what is causing me this but he always tell me that it is stress. I also have other symptoms like blinking eyes, in my hands sometimes I feel also like a blinking, dizzieness some times, headaches and palpitations. Does anyone has other symptoms other than red or hot ears? Maybe this is a start to knos if everyone that participate in this forum suffers the same and what is causing it.

It’s a relief to know It’s NOT “just me”! I’m 55 and this has been happening for at least 2 years. I drink a glass of wine a few times a year, so it’s not the alcohol. I have never smoked or done any drugs, so that’s out. I don’t drink Caffeine. I’m not ADD or ADHD. Blood pressure is low to normal. I had a radical hysterectomy at 39, and have been on HRT since then. I’ve considered requesting a change in type, or dosage, of HRT medication, but now I’m not so sure that’s what it is.
I do have Rosacea, and the heat from my ear triggers the Rosacea, so it’s annoying in that respect also. It had ALWAYS been my right ear, but the last month or so it has been only the left, and it itches on the outer top part of my ear, when it heats up. The right ear never itched.. I don’t really mind the “red”, just the HEAT and itching! I have it in the afternoon, and when I first get up in the morning almost daily. I sleep fine and I get plenty of sleep.
I don’t know if I get hot because of the weather or the fire on my ear! I can’t stand the pillow on my ears, so I’ve been using a ‘Buckwheat” pillow. The down pillows make my ears too hot. I sleep with a fan on my face to keep my ears cool, and turn the thermostat to 66 at night. In a hot car I have the air conditioning trained on my ears or “ear ignition” is guaranteed! Last night I bought a “rechargeable” fan to carry with me (This is getting annoying!)
I will start keeping a journal of foods to see if there is any correlation. It’s become a daily affair and you would think there is SOMETHING that could be done! The last couple of days I’ve taken Benadryl…I thought that might help the itching. AND, I think it’s helped.
Thanks for all the posts and to Peterbe.com for providing the forum!
Good luck to all!
Holly

Hi all,

I have been struggling with red, flushing ears for a year now. I have rosacea.. it has been diagnosed for several years now, so I'm 99% sure my red ears are just an off-swing of my rosacea. But no dermatologist has a solid idea of what to do for it. I have started a standard rosacea treatment... Noritate (Metrogel counterpart) and doxycycline antibiotic in hopes it will help my ears as well. I'll letcha know!

Might as well add me to the list... For me it lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour!
Ear gets really RED, gets hot, slightly annoying... mostly my right ear, rarely the left but has on the rare occasion been both.

Alcohol plays a factor here as well, but I don't need a beer for it to happen either... It just happens when it wants to happen!

Will consult DR. on this sometime this month about it!
Nice to know I'm not alone though... shame they have no real clue though as to what this is from the looks of it!

My 5 year-old-son just got done having an "Ear fit" a few minutes ago, so I got on the computer and Googled "ear burning" and here I am! He screams that his ears are burning and this happens periodically before bedtime. He is O+, and could very well be ADHD (hyperactivity). When this happens, I get him warm wet wash cloths to hold on his ear(s). He'll cry for a little while, but it usually subsides within a half an hour. I am going to print out this site and take it to his pediatrician. It's such a shame that doctors don't LISTEN to their patients! If they don't know what it is, then it's just "In our heads", and I am SICK of it. I don't personally suffer from the red ear stuff, but I have had my share of doctors letting things go on too long and having to suffer my whole life for things that actually DID pan out to be true, and not just in my head. I am GOING to find SOME doctor out there to LISTEN about MY son so he doesn't have to suffer his whole young life in pain like I did. So, let's ALL print this site out and take it to our doctors and MAKE THEM LISTEN AND HELP US!!! Good luck to all of you!!! And let's all keep each other in our prayers that God will show some doctor out there the answer and cure all these red ears! Thanks! Jill

I have had hot ears for at least 15 years. The left is related to blood sugar; when it is low the ear is hot, when it is normal the ear temp is normal. Others with hypoglycemia have said they had the same experience. However my hot right ear is another matter. It seems to be related to anxiety. If the ear is hot, most always in the late evening but sometimes in the afternoon, I will be unable to sleep. This has kept me awake for up to 5-6 hours. Xanax dealt with the anxiety and the hot ear goes away; first time every time. Well most times, I have been so stressed that .75mg of Xanax and a Ambien CR will not let me get to sleep; usually another .25mg of Xanax solves this problem. I have always had a high tolerance for pain killers and the like; most others find much smaller doses of Xanax very effective. I would say that anything that reduces stress, at least for me, reduces my hot ear problem. Since I've had this so long it doesn't appear to be a physical illness, but other things can also cause the same problem. Hope this helps someone.

I thought I would share my experiences. Last Dec./06 I got a swollen, painfully sore right ear. I was put on antibiotics. Then a couple of weeks ago my right ear flared up again. I was put on more antibiotics. While taking them my left ear flared up and got so painful I went to emerge. They put me on IV antibiotics. I went back for several days getting more of the drip. They arranged for a home nurse to come to my house with a pump for the IV. After 4 days of this I decided this was nuts and why treat me with antibiotics when they don't even know what it is. So, come Saturday I asked the home nurse to unhook me and did a lot of net searching.
Anyway, google gout of the ear. I realize this is what I have and explains the mysterious joint pains I've had over the last couple of years with absolutely no cause. The physio therapists have been mystified. They insist I must have twisted my ankle working out but just don't remember. I guess this means I can't drink wine the way I have been. I just wanted to share this in case it is an answer for somebody where there hasn't been one.

Both my children aged 9 and 7 get incredibly red and hot ears.Ssometimes one ear often both. The older child has aspergers and the younger doesn't.Both have mild Inattentive deficit disorder BUT even though some other people on the site report this condition alongside the hot ears I just don't feel it is connected .There are so many people out there with hot ears who don't have these conditions.The condition reduces them to tears.It is incredibly painful and so hot that a cold compress will become hot to touch in seconds.Like one other mother here I almost felt a fear at first that they could combust !Stress and fatigue certainly seem to exacerbate the condition but then sometimes it doesn't. One of my children has a perfect diet rich in fruit and vegetables and natural produce and lean meat.He is slim and fit The other I'm afraid loves junk food and eats no meat ! He is chubby .(and yes I try to monitor this as much as able) Yet both suffer the condition.All I know is the impact is awful and I'd give anything for a cure.Doctors I've been to react as if I'm mad !

I've noticed that myself and others who suffer from this condition are mostly somewhat red/auburn haired, with a light European complexion. Is this consistent with most of you on here that suffer with this?
At least I haven't noticed it yet with anyone that has anything but light complexions.

Mine is always in the left ear. Every afternoon between 3pm and 7pm. Never in the morning or at night. The left ear gets blazing hot and red and there's a slight stiffness in the neck; usually lasts about two hours I was wondering if it was somehow RSI related. It's worse if I'm angry or stressed. Alcohol is also a trigger. Great to know I'm not alone though! I'd love to have the answer!!!

My ear flushes come almost every day. Not every day, but most. They are very sensitive to eat, and otherwise they ALWAYS occur between 6pm and 10pm. very frustrating.

my son is seven, has been having red burning ears since he was about 3, not every day. i often notice him putting his ears on the cold floorboards or on the steel frame of our lounge. Seems to be more frequent lately. the first time i remember it happening was after he bumped his ear when he fell over. i would really like to know what it is but haven't taken him to the docs as i don't think they could do anything without seeing it and since it doesnt happen at any certain time, this could be difficult.

I'm sure this only applies to some, but ear flushing can be a symptom of rosacea. There are derms in TN and AZ that are able to perform botox on the ears to stop ear flushing, with apparently great success.
http://www.tennesseelaserandskinrejuvenation.com/about_us.html
http://www.arizonaveininstitute.com/
Worth the look if you have rosacea and hot ear flushes.

Ray Penko writes in part, "diagnosed as having migraines, with a particular type of neuralgia that sensitizes the trigeminal nerve " and also possible allergy to dust mites. I do use a down pillow, but I can't find connection here. However, it is very interesting, Ray, as I have been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. I also have developed tongue dystonia which no dr. can tell me why. Maybe I tried 'the tongue trick' one too many times!! LOL Anyway, I take Lyrica for the TN and it helps some. Odd that I don't have RES any where near as often now. And in response to another post, yes I have light hair and complexion. Is anybody documenting all of this? Can we find a common thread? Send us all a survey!!!
I haven't posted in a while, but still read comments
J

My son is now 13 and he has had severe abdominal pain attacks since November 2006. He was hospitalized 3 times this year with stays of 10 days each. We have been in to emerg over 20 times.This all began in November when he a very high fever for 8 days of over 39 degrees which was the onset of the attacks which were so severe he doubled over and was given morphine and other pain killers to stop the attacks. That eventually didn't work either as he became allergic to the morphine. One thing that always preceded the attacks were burning red hot ears, they actually turned purple. This has now been linked to abdominal migraine which only children can get. He is on gabapentin and amitryptaline (anti seizure medication) which has finally after many months of mis- diagnosis worked to make the attacks stop. He missed 5months of school with this and it took a lot of effort to get the doctors to realize what this was. If your child has severe pain attacks in the abdomen please get them to check everything, we have also been tested for carcinoid syndrome and every other organic disease out there. After a almost 2 months pain free, he is now getting the burning hot ears again and I am so worried it will begin to come back. I sure wish that the doctors knew more about the brain and why it works the way it does. All we can do is put cold cloths on, ice cubes etc. They also mentioned neuropathic pain which is some mis firing in the brain that sends pain signals out. That could also be due to the high fever. I hope this helps anyone who has been going through the similar thing.

Mom wrote....."They also mentioned neuropathic pain which is some mis firing in the brain that sends pain signals out. "

I believe this may be the underlying cause for the red ear pain in many of us. I have been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia, which is exactly what you said, a misfiring of nerve signal from the brain. I get severe headaches, toothache like pain, stabbing pains in my eyes and part of my face. I am on Lyrica, the third med we've tried and it seems to be working. Haven't had red ear since taking it. Thank God!!!

God bless all who suffer from this condition - it can be very painful.
Janet

Since I have had this problem for abt more than 8 yrs, i know how much it hurts. It starts in winter part. when I come from some cold place like from outdoors to a hot room. It started when i was in 9th grade, so it definitely shook my confidence and self-esteem. Actually i also have TMJ problem. However for me unfortunately, this is connected with a slight form of rheumatoid arthritis. I have gone to many Allopathic doctor but they are of no use. They dont even consider this as a problem. However just recently i found two ways to reduce the burning (These arent exact solutions but they work temporarily)

1) Put some Almond oil drop in both ears before the ears get hot. In my case i know this is usu. in the evening or in closed rooms during winter. This helps since Almond oil is not bad for ears health. I think the reason behind its working that oil keeps cool inside so it keeps the ear cool as well. This was actually told by an expert in Herbal medicines in Pakistan.

2) [Contributed by Mark] This is better but this will have side effects later on. Take two aspirin/dispirin with a few drops of lemon. It works amazingly for a few hrs but i dont use it too much since Aspirins affect Liver adversely.

Hope this helps. If u know of any treatment, please do let me know. Good Luck. Take care. Bye

I have been getting red, hot ears for a few years now. It's usually not both at the same time, sometimes it will start in one ear, get back to its regular temperature for awhile, and then rotate to the other ear. I don't get headaches or anything like that, so I'm not really sure if its red ear syndrome. I've read that a lot of people get hot ears after drinking alcohol, but I don't drink at all. I haven't asked my doctor about it, since I didn't think it was abnormal. I'm in college now, so I have a roommate, and when she saw it she seemed concerned and wanted me to do some reasearch on it. Can anyone help me here? Thanks!

what to do??????? same problem here,temperature is the main couse but...everything can affect...

I have the same problem, although only occasionally. I have read up on this condition extensively, and although there are a few (very rare) disorders that can cause flares in the ears, the explanation is most likely one of the following: 1). A food allergy can present as redness and heat in the ears, so see if there is a correlation between anything in your diet and the red ears; 2). Core body temperature is tightly regulated, and sometimes the body needs to release excess heat for whatever reason (stress, hormones, weather etc), and the body avoids a fever by radiating heat through the skin, particularly on the face and ears.

The cause for each individual will, of course, vary, but odds are that one of the two above reasons is the culprit (as evidenced by the enormous number of people who experience this problem). My best advice is to closely monitor what you are doing when the ears start to go hot. If it is triggered by diet, this is easy enough to change. If it is triggered by temperature, cooling yourself off is the best bet.

My ear flushes are random, but for those people who experience them at the same time every day, this sounds like a circadian rhythem to me -- perhaps you have a daily routine which is exposing you to the same flush-inducing conditions at the same time every day, or the flushes are related to your daily hormone fluctuations.

hi yeah I get red ears too.
usually everyday
my mum thinks I have a lactose problem
I don't know I would really like it to stop.
Can anyone help me reduce it?

is it true that eating rolled oats ecery day can help?

is it true that eating rolled oats every day can help?

I too am part of the REC (Red Ear Clan). I'm 21 and have had this condition for at least 10 years. It went away for about 3 years but it just seemed to have come back about a week and a half ago. The only thing is i can think of is that it is stress related. My grandma passed away, my car just died, i work almost every night, and im in my hardest semester of college. I barely slept the past week.
Also, I just started working out a lot and im taking protein (with milk, which i havent drank since high school and seems to be the last time it used to happen) to help me gain some mass. So maybe a lactose issue is also possible? Wish i knew the exact cause =(

ooo fuc.k that anymore i m sick of it...maybe the heart problems or blood pressure or i don t no anymore what to think....i m tring now with taking drugs with vitamin b..

FUCK THAT SHIT ANYMORE :)

Hi I'm a member of the RHE army.
I've had this pretty much all my life (am 34 now)but have been particularly bothered by it in the last 6 or so months.
I'm a major worrier by nature and I think that this is probably the main cause of it, but of course when I google facial flushing and hot ears etc all you get is a heap of different cancers and doom and gloom.
Going off this blog it seems that most people have had this for years and years and havent been diagnosed with cancer so why isnt this a well known phenomenon?

I was hoping to to find "red hot ears are common and caused by xyz so dont worry about it"

Now I'm not so sure with all the cancer who ha I found :/

Yep also a RHE person, so here it goes,
my sister had a red hot ear problem when she was a bit older than me but it went away whithin 3 years but ive had my red hot ears since 7 years old and now im 20 now so you would think i dont wory about this much...which I don't really but after these comments which ive read Im abit more concerned so thank you RHE troops.

happens to me when i play video games.

Wow, I can't believe there are so many people who have this problem!
I have only had it happen to me a few times. It happened yesterday, right before I was ready to leave work. It's always my left ear. I thought that I was running a fever. Some of my co-workers are sick right now, and I was worried that I might have caught something. The hot / red ear usually lasts about an hour and then goes away as quickly as it appeared. Strange.
I did go out for drinks the night before... I haven't been getting enough sleep lately... but I'm still not sure of the cause. At least I know that I'm not the only one with a "hot ear"!

what the heck is the tounge thing?

ok i have suffered with this for years never knowong what it was, still don't, but i wonder if it might be genetic my 12 year old son has been getting red ears now for two years. Today on the way home from work i was ready to be out of the car my left ears was burning up. was thnking about what i ate today, nothing any different so i shrug that off like always, but anyway when i got home how about my son had his red ears on too.Who knows what it is guess we may never know but at least now we know we are not alone!

What a suprise to find this site...For the last year - regular as clockwork between 3.30pm - 4pm my left ear and side of face will suddenly become extreemly hot and red - I keep a fan next to my desk at work to help alleviate some of the heat. One of my customers on returning to my desk thought I had been slapped around the head whilst at the safe? I don't know what causes it and have tried changing my diet (mostly vegetarian and lots of different spices) but that didn't seem to help too much. Today I went to a new PCP and explained the problem along with others in the hope of some answers and she was baffled. She ruled out thryoid (which I thought it may have something to do with) and also ruled out anything arterial. She ordered a ton of blood work and we're getting together in a few weeks to look into it further.
My gyn says definately not perimenopausal because the level of estrogen that I take is too high to allow symptoms to present themselves - especially something so localized as the left ear. My PCP did mention that she wanted me to look carefully at my ear when it turns red and burns and to see if the lobe was a different color from the cartilage part of my ear and to report it to her as it was an important differential for her to look into?
Will let you all know when I know something?

Hey all, after suffering for this syndrome for all of my 28 years, one thing I can determine is that sleep helps with the problem. It appears that many of us can avoid episodes in the morning, but the afternoon is what kills us. Of course, most of us don't have time (or we're at work) to take a nap in the early afternoon. I think people who are new to the problem or have pain and or headaches along with the red ears-it seems that you guys have a different problem altogether. However, I do have a neurological problem, I have muscle twitching and I have had 2 seizures which means I am diagnosed as an epileptic. Other than sleep, I have found that the only thing that helps is cold air or a shower. The tongue thing didn't work very good, the porridge thing didn't seem to work either. If anyone finds a cure, keep us updated.............

Just a question for all who experience this syndrome. How come you don't see caucasin people in hot climates getting this? Like people in the middle east or Vegas, etc. I think this syndrome mostly relates to people with northern european blood, (I myself am norweigan/danish/polish) who originate from cold climates with pinkish/pale skin. It may just be an evolutionary flaw for us. Also, I've noticed the skin of most elderly people is pale (along with the wrinkles.) So maybe it will go away once I turn 70. Only 42 years to go! Has anyone been to the Scandavian countries and observed the people? Do they all have a tendency towards pinkish facial features? Just look at the Irish, don't many of them have red hair? I know I may be generalizing here, but I think it's worth further investigation and scientific study. I may need to move to Norway to find a date. It really IS that frustrating, as most of us know. We need to create a support group or something where we can be ourselves w/o worrying about the redness. Anyone know of any chatrooms?

Hi, I have been experiending this for about a few weeks now. It's only my right ear. Does anyone have high blood pressure? I do and I am thinking it's related. Going to see my doctor again shortly.

i have this issue as the rest of you and read all of these only to NOT FIND any resolution...any ideas? sorry did see that rolled oats seems to help...have not tried this...maybe give it a shot.

I get both face flushing and the red, hot ears. I did a bunch of blood work way back in the day and it all turned out negative. It seems to be a very rare side effect of medicine I am taking (Strattera).

I have also noticed that the flushing seems to be worse if I am having a bad allergy day, so I am sure it's tied into that. I also have Raynaud's, so I'm out 3 for 3 in this.

It drives me crazy. My worst feeling is my face being hot, so when it flushes and the ears flush, I am miserable. Plus, the flushing lasts long enough to truly bother me (upwards of 30 minutes or more).

I am just glad to read that I am not alone in this.

i have had this problem for years. someone thought it was a reaction to fermented fruit. i could have a glass of red wine or and sweet alcohol for that matter, within seconds i am so red in my ears, cheeks and red blotches on my neck and chest. i also get it the same time almost everyday, after lunch 4pm then again at about 9:30 pm and it last for about an hour. hope i helped. GOD BLESS!

ok, here is what I can put together so far. Lack of sleep is probably one of the major players here. It seems that many of us also have allergies and some kind of anxiety/behavioral issue. Of course most of us are caucasian, and I would like to assume that most are Northern Europeans, if not let me know. I do drink alcohol, (the red ear depression is a contributor to my drinking, but ne ways) I usually drink vodka or beer. Red wine did it to me instantly at the Olive Garden, so I stay away from red wine ever since. I don't think caffeine plays much a part but I really haven't monitored by caffeine intake. I normally drink a couple diet cokes per day, but I never drink coffee. You know honestly, I think that we could ease the redness with a few major lifestyle changes. I think we should try to get about 9 or 10 hours of good sleep per night, get some exercise everyday, eat only natural foods like fruits/veggies/and unprocessed meats or fish, drink a lot of water, and keep the stress to a minimum. Of course alcohol is out of the question. Now these changes are almost impossible to achieve because of our society, but I would like to try it someday.

I wrote July 3/07, saying I figured I had Gout. It turns out I don't but instead have something called Relapsing Polychondritis. Red hot ears is the tip off to this disease. It's an auto immune disease that attacks the cartilage.

Some of you was talking aboute that this has some thing to do with the sacandinavin, genes, I live in norway and I am norwegian, tough my father is from puerto rico (spanish descent) and my mother is partly italian, but I have some norwegian blood in mi. The last yaers I have been living in argentina, and when I came back to the cold norwegian winter two years ago, I started to get red and warm ears, but it only appears during the cold winter months, esp when the indoor climate is very dry and warm, due to heavy heating. As soon as the weather starts to get warm, it will dissepear. I therfore think the climate has something to do with this. Something that is very common among the scandinavian people during the winter is the red cheeks the very many get during the winter months. Almost every norwegian kid thats playing outside during the winter when they come inside they got red and warm faces and ears, And the norwegians themself are not fare as fair skinned as the british and irish, so i think here its just the climate

Well, this is unbelievable. I didn't think I was going to find an answer to my very red and hot ear (usually the right one) because since it doesn't happen every day, my doctor has never seen it and he doesn't think I should worry about it. But it's embarrassing when it happens in public because people ALWAYS comment on it. I am sooooooooo delighted to see that I am not alone. I will try eating the rolled oats and if it doesn't work, I'll see a chiropractor. Thank you all for your comments. I've been suffering with this for years and never before knew of anyone else that had it.

I have RHE for about two years now but the occurrences worsen in the last two months and it happens at the same time every day between 6pm to about 10. I recently diagnosed with hypertension and sleep apnea but I don't think this is what's causing my RHE. By the way I'm a 46 y/o Asian that eats oatmeal 5 times a week for breakfast. I didn’t realized until now that there's quiet a lot of folks that has this syndrome. Thank you.

quand nous sommes au froid: le corps garde la chaleur par vasoconstriction, les extrémités sont les premiers à réagir (pieds, mains, oreilles surtout par un système des glomérules neuro - vasculaire..);pour une longue durée, le centre de thermorégulation détecte une baisse de la température et une mauvaise irrigation sanguine où la vasoconstriction avait lieu; voire le tonus des muscles constricteurs peut s'épuiser...donc il essai -le centre de régulation thermique - de réguler ce déficit par le fait inverse: qui est une vasodilatation(encore exagérée) donnant la couleur rouge et une déperdition de chaleur(oreille rouge et chaude) et ça se produit surtout si le reste du corps est bien chauffé(ou réchauffé) ou s'il rentre en milieu chaud(ces deux cas exacerbent la thermolyse par le même mécanisme).
Donc tout est physiologique et rien à craindre; ça revient à la normale avec le temps; et ça doit pas persister pour plusieurs heures sauf si la personne est surchauffée ou dans des cas rares et exceptionnels.
Si la vasodilatation est plus profonde, elle peut survenir dans les vaisseaux intra crâniens causant des maux de tête ou déclencher autres problèmes comme la migraine...
Et il y a bien sure plusieurs d autres choses à dire.

Relapsing Polychronditis - that's the diagnosis I've come back with today from my pcp, now we're checking for aortic insufficiency & lupus to go along with it - I never would have thought that there may be a link between other problems with my heart and swelling lower extremities and my burning ear?

I get red hot ears -- both of em, right now, are red and hot. have had this for few years and my wife and kids always comment. I am in good health, cant understand why it happens, but doesnt bother me. Wow--- reading these comments makes me feel like I should go to a doctor or something.

notice how many young sons are mentioned? My 5 year old son also suffers from res, and asthma, he is not add or adhd, but he is very emotional and sensitive. he says his eyes hurt every night, and finds some relief using a cold wet wash cloth on his eyes. i believe he has o blood. we live on the west coast.

I'm shocked to see so many other people have to deal with this RED/HOT EAR problem, especially since I never personally met anyone who's had this issue, like me! I'm a 34 year-old male, and it's been an issue for me since my early college days, or at least that's when I started noticing it. For me, it's almost always ONE EAR -- my RIGHT EAR.

Although it sometimes happens randomly and for now apparent reason, there are 2 FACTORS which I've noticed quite often that seem to go along with it all too regularly for it to just be a coincidence: When I DRINK ALCOHOL...and when I get ANGRY/FLUSTERED/STRESSED with something or someone.

Again, I've been upset or stressed plenty of times, and have consumed alcohol plenty of times without it ever happening, but it's happened enough for me to obviously notice -- and make the correlation. Obviously I have no idea what causes it, but to me it must have something to do with CIRCULATION, and/or a REACTION in the body when someone with this syndrome is stressed -- perhaps something that is sometimes released by the body when blood pressure rises/drops too quickly, or when alcohol is consumed..??? Alcohol thins blood, and when people get upset or extra stressed, obviously blood pressure (and along with that, circulation) are effected.

There are way too many people who have this issue for it to not be something docs and researches can pinpoint, because all of us know how embarrasing and self-conscious we get when this happens. Who knows -- maybe having an operation that cuts/closes off certain veins in the ear would help??

Here are my own stats: Again, 34 year-old male; Good health (I exercise fairly frequently); Never been diagnosed with any diseases/conditions; No food allergies that I've ever been aware of (only seasonal allergies); Never had any major surgery; Nobody else in my family has this problem; I've got an Irish/Scottish background; Has happened all over the country/world (environmental issues don't seem to matter at all); What else...? Let's see -- I'm LEFT HANDED (any correlation there?)

I don't know, but good luck to you all. If I ever find out what's causing my problem, I'll definitely re-post and let you know!

I am a 19 year old female, and I also have the same problem. My left ear starts to burn and turns red. I don't have any allergies nor any illnesses. I'm left handed too (maybe there is a correlation). I don't take any medications, never had surgery, had my blood checked 5-6 months ago (everything was fine), and eat pretty healthy. Some things that bother me are that my hands and feet tend to stay really cold even in hot temperatures, and I have really bad back pain even though I'm only 19! Any correlations? Please post something!

I've had a problem with my ears turning red and hot for a few years. Over the past year though, my face also gets very red and hot along with my ears. What I find interesting is that it often starts after I itch my ear. My ear will turn red after I itch it, then my face turns red. I suffer with anxiety and am on xanax. I've had blood work done to see if this might be carcinoid. The blood work came back normal. Blood work for carcinoid is unfortunately not always very accurate and difficult for a person with anxiety to accept. My symptoms often subside for a month or two at a time. Do some of you go through times when your symptoms seem to stop? Do you find itching or touching your ear can trigger the red ear syndrome?

I have been suffering from red hot burning ears for the last 6 years. They usually are accompanied with an erection which is just as bothersom. Both ears will turn red at the same time and if I touch them or put lotion on them they get really hot. Does anyone else get an erection when this happens? It has to do with the bloodflow but didn't figure these two wer connected?

yes!!! itching or touching your ear can trigger the red ear syndrome,for 2 years what i found for sure,helping in my case is to sleep,if you have red ears problem every night..try to sleep lets say from 17 to 18: 30...or more..and u ll not have the problem that night..that s for sure! try it and than post here.

Here's a good one.

Along with this Red ear business

I also sometimes get light headed, and get really itchy sometimes usually on my chest, sometimes in shower, like really hot! It's like I am burning up. It usually happens when I haven't kept up with my usual demanding swimming and boxing routine. Sometimes when I am stressed. Email me!!!!!

try putting foundation on your ears so the redness wont show through....works for me!

@leigh ..but isn t than the color of your ears strange..

hey guys,found this place after googling and ears burning red.Have read of the stuff here so I thought i'll shared some of my atrributes.Had it since I was young,in fact one of first things I remember from childhood.live in canada,from Tropics China (Hainan).young and healthy(18),dont drink.One thing that sets me apart is I also sometimes itch when I'm in the sun like the chest,head and legs(dont know what it is).I'm double jointed too and I sun sneeze.I'll list any other things I can remember when I remember.I hope we can find a solution to fix all of our problem and ooh yah the right ears and I think occasionall left or both thro I confirm the right ears.thanks

I notice so many of us get this late in the day or evening. Just curious. How many of you work or are exposed to florescent lights for long periods of time?

I'm 26 and this just started happening to me withing the last 4 months. It is always the cartilage on my right ear. It usually will be red and hot for about 30 minutes.
I'm Irish/ Brazilian/ Italian. I'm O+. I have very slight TMJ (But I've known about it since I was 18, and it's never bothered me). I am exposed to florescent lights all day at work.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when it happens. I can be at work, I can be on lunch, I can be at home playing on the computer. My ear will just randomly feel like getting all hot and red.

I have to say I'm sad to read that it seems like once this starts happening to you, you're stuck with it for the long haul.

I've had this problem since I can remember. usually my left ear, but sometime the right and rarely the two together. The usual trigger for me is anger or blushing from embarrassment or something. Scratching or rubbing also triggers it sometimes and on many occasions it just happens by itself. I also have this thing whereby if i do exercise or anything demanding i get itchy all over especially my scalp and it feels like millions of tiny needle pricks. I've seen plenty of doctors and none of them could tell what the matter was. This is especially frustrating because I'm fair-skinned and my ear glows red-hot. The only thing that helps relieve it sometimes is taking a long shower.

I have had this for years. Lately I have found that when my ear starts itching or burning. Which for me is about 2 hours from when it turns red, you should take a benadryl. This will only work for my left ear, it has never work for my right ear. Which is good because my left ear is the one that usually turns red. The benadryl doesn't always work for the redness that happens at the same time everyday, but will work for the redness that occurs unexpectedly. By the way does any of you work a midnight shift. Let me know if this works for you.

My 9 yr old son has been suffering with red, hot, burning ears since age 7. He actually sleeps with ice packs every night. They seem to get this way even more often when he tries to play sports (is very active) or he is tired/upset. He is very sensitive. He also has repeated sinus infections. He has been allergy tested, ct scans/mri on his brain (he also would get frequent headaches) and a full body scan as well as extensive bloodwork. I was told by a member of the family (who is a teaching pediatrician) to take my son to a Rheumatologist as it sounded like he had relapsing policychondritis. Unfortunatley, to confirm this, I was told he would need a biopsy of his ear tissue (cartilidge) when his ear was badly inflamed. They aren't willing to do this though becaus of his age and there is no real treatment other than steriods/anti-inflammatory drugs. It is better than when he was 7 years old, but he still gets bad days. My son also was diagnosed with Dyspraxia which is a neurological conditon, and I beleive this may be related somehow. He also has had an enlarged lymph node on his neck since he was 6 weeks old. Every docotor says to leave it alone, but I wonder if this would not affect his neck?? TO conclude, he has seen neurologists, ENTs, rheumatologists,etc., and I still don't have an answer. It can be quite painful for my son at times and I'd love to help him.

f u c k ... i made a record 2-3 hours maybe i think... don t expose to a cold weather better

do any of you have small blood vessels that shows on your ear surface

this may be a sign of rosacea

pleas post an answer.

jonny

Hello everyone. I have the burning ear prob also. I woke up with it this morning and noticed that for the first time, my cheek was beat red also. Just on one side. Very curious. I also have a dull headache and feel kind of sick, so I thought I would try to find something out about it.

Regarding the itchy skin, my daughter has that prob and I have wondered if it might be connected to the body being full of toxins. She has no self control when it comes to eating and eats a lot of junk.--then when you exercise or get too hot, the sweat that comes out on your skin is full of toxins and your body has an allergic reaction to it. Serious people could try doing a liver detox program to see if that makes a difference.

i m not sure,but i think it is a circulation problem..so my doctor told me to use pills with vitamin B...

I also suffer from this strange occurence! As a matter of fact, both of my ears are tomato red and hot as fire right now. They usaully stay that way for any amount of time, anywhere from 30 mins. to 4,5,6 hrs.(estimate)at a time. I can't associate it with anything I'm doing or not doing and I've always had it since I can remember. It's got to be hereditary because my brother, my dad and all three of his siblings, and my grandfather (my dad's dad) all have this. I don't think it's harmful at all and I really don't worry about it, I just want to know what it is and why it happens????????????????

I also have the problem just as others say usually in afternoon most always at work. The only thing I can truly link it to because it always seem to happen for no apparent reason is embarassment. I got REALLY embarassed at work a while back and Both ears turned blood red and were burning.Usually it is mostly one ear. It seems the more you dwell on it the worse it gets. I asked my dr about it and of course he said he diddn't know what causes it. It is good to know LOTS of other people have the same problem. I try to notice in large crouds if anyone has the red ears.

Hey Joel,if you are reading this but do you get ocassional nose bleeds too?Just outta curosity cuz i got one now and I'm reminded of it.For me,I get nose bleeds sometime during stress out of the left nose always.Thanks

Code Red [Part 2] - Since my last post nearly 1 year ago - I wanted to pass on what might be encouraging news for some who are just dumb-founded by the "red ear curse". For many years I have worked in many stressful working environments and like clockwork, each day at around 2:30 - 3pm the hot blistering red ear show would begin. Coupled by the fact that I felt the world was watching made it that much more overwhelming. The past year I have started a new business (you'd think that would just heighten my stress level) - but doing something I really enjoy and making a living from it - its been a stress that seems to be manageable. Anyways - I have almost completely taken dairy out of my diet - (besides a spoonful for my tea) - and the red ear has almost vanished. I do at times indulge in a bowl of cereal with milk and guess what - my heart actually was beating at a quicker pace hours later - Red ears has "almost" become a thing of the past - I still get minor flare-ups, but take the stress and certain foods out of the equation - and life has been very rewarding!! I realize I may never be fully cleared of this condition that has played havic on my personal life for many, many years - but a glimmer of hope has made me believe and I wanted to share with the rest of the troubled bloggers that a change of environment or food consumption could be the very answer. I am a very sensitive person who reacts to accute situations in my surroundings - rereading most of the posts actually seemed to create a ellivated heart rate and the mildest of tingles from my left ear as I write just reminds me that this may be a ongoing condition for the rest of my life! I just need to learn to manage it - not be consumed by it. I hope I may bring some type of hope for those seeking any type of logical reasoning - bless you all!

Goodness me....does anyone of you here have a medical reason ?? my ear is red hot now....only one...and what i was doing ?? i was in a meeting !
So how to explain that ?

me too me too! Usually it happens to me at the end of the day, after my work day is over and I'm just relaxing. I noticed I was smoking a cigarette just now when it happened, so I'm wondering if it has something to do with the nicotine. Oh well, another reason to quit...

My name is Dante. I am 6 years old. I have 2 hot red ears. It happens sometimes with one ear and sometimes both. I put ice on my ears. It makes my ears feel better. My grandma is typing this for me. I wish I knew why this happens.