One hot ear Yesterday Sunday I went to one of Dennis Kung Fu camps in St Albans. It was a beautiful day with a chilled breeze.

We practised a two-man-pattern that I've never even seen before and it was great fun.

Just as it was getting dark I was just about the only one left in the field practising my patterns. (A pattern is a combination of movements you perform on your own to remember and learn your kung fu principles.) After a few runs I notice a strange thing. One of my ears got really hot. My forehead was normal and the other ear was really cold as normal. It was just like when you're about to get a fever except it was only the ear.

Strange but interesting since I've never experienced this. And no, there is no simple geometric explanation for it. It's got to be internal; or?

Post your own comment
Ed Snow

Wow, didn't think I'd find so many others with this problem. Every Doctor I've told this to has just looked at me like I'm crazy.

It started a couple of years ago, right after I was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury (Syringomyelia), I've also been diagnosed with Lyme disease over the same time span. I'll have to read all the messages with it's not 3:30 am.

Ed Snow

Went to a Lyme Disease Support Group tonight and found other people that knows what I'm talking about with the one red ear. Will arm myself with info on Lyme next time I see the Doctor.

raul

i discover this page like 3 months ago. Let me mention, i start with RES when i was 6 years old, now i have 35. 29 years having this condition. I remermer the day this began, i was in a chair looking tv with my parents. I have these episodies almost all days, specially in the evening, with sun exposure, with heat, situations, spice food, when i touch, somebody touch, when somebody notice, after warm shawer, after a exercise, etc, etc. so, almost always. I tried a lot of things but nothing works. when is not red is kind of orange, but are not normal. I tried to avoid triggers but some times is impossible. i found that even when exercise is a trigger, this can reduce the level of RES in other situations, so i recommend exercise to get high condition and reduce this problem. But anyway i think this is more psychological issue (remember, i am an expert after 29 years). If i am not thinking in the condition, this is reduced.

Tony

I partially agree with RES being psychological. I think it is physical but turns psychological if I am embarrassed about it. My ears will get more red and hotter if someone sees it and mentions it. It then turns into a sort of blushing, but far stronger than any blushing of the cheeks. The stupid Dr. I told about it the first time looked at my red ears and actually laughed! This of course turned them on brighter than Rudolph's Nose ever was.

Sophie

I used to get hot ears when I was about 5-6, I am female.
It ended up getting so bad that I would have to sleep with icepacks wrapped in a teatowel on both my ears.

I used to lick my hand and rub it against my ear to cool if off also, but I think that may have even made it worse.
-I have grown out of it now, but have probably have had one every year or so.

rycer

I have been doing alot of research and going to drs and such - i believe and this is my belief now: Red ear syndrome is due to INFLAMMATION - if you have not gone to your drs, ask for a FERRATIN level which measures the anount of inflammation in your body - things that promote inflammation is sugar and I believe if you cut the sugar (and or things you may have a allergy to and or food sensitivity: I am only talking food not environmental)and take things that promote non inflammatory responses like cherries, etc. along with fish oil etc.

chuck

I believe "rycer" is on to something---INFLAMMATION. I have seen many different Drs. without positive results. A Veterinarian/scientist friend asked if any physician suggested prednisone (spelling) for my RES. Not one of my Drs. made that suggestion, but I intend to ask on next visit. I also believe food sensitivity, and or allergies play a significant role in RES, but determining which foods or substances cause flare-ups is the difficult part.

Dianne

I have been getting a very red hot LEFT ear since my teens. Doctors seem to be ignorant about this effect. I think we should make a distinction between the cause of LEFT ear redness, right ear or both ears redness. These are 3 DIFFERENT symptoms. I can tell you that I have hypoglycemia, and the red ear started at the same time.
Friends know that when they see my left ear turn red, I had better eat some fruit and protein quickly, because my blood sugar is dropping. Otherwise I will get really confused and exhausted.(If ignored, the red heat spreads to the rest of the face). I think we are missing the point: the redness is a symptom. I wish I knew the mechanism! Just what is that left ear connected to!? The same thing happens with exposure to chemicals or certain foods, which I try to avoid. I think this might help those who get a red left ear at specific times, related to food intake. Has any researcher looked into the biological pathways of the one red ear phenomenon? (by the way, I never have headaches-knock on wood-,in response to one of the posts).

Tray C

The same thing happens to me, almost daily at work but never on my days off. Sometimes I'm stressed when it happens other times I'm far from stressed so it's hard for me to link it to stress. Can't understand why it doesn't happen when I'm not working. Funny thing is that it never happens in the mornings. It's almost always after 2pm. Sometimes I feel internally overheated when it happens, other times, not at all. Sometimes it will happen to my left ear and a short time later it'll change to my right ear, leaving no evidence in the left! Sometimes I feel like there's some kind of allergic reaction going on, under my skin from the neck up; None of these things are consistent. I do have an EXTREMELY sensitive sense of smell. So many scents will cause me to feel that same allergic reaction under my skin. Could there be a link there? Perfumes, household cleaners, vacuum cleaners cause the red ear thing and I KNOW when that happens. The scents bother me SO MUCH I'm well aware of it. I've dealt with this for at least 30 years. Co-workers automatically assume I'm completely stressed. I suppose I could be internalizing my stress but I don't always feel stressed. I just wish I could find a way to get it under control. I'm tired of listening to people gasping in shock when they see "WOW look at your EAR!!! It's SO RED!!!" and then they look at it so awkwardly and confused, though they see it regularly so I can't understand why they have to continue to bring it to my attention. When I get stressed and really nervous, I tend to get red blotches under my chin, on my neck and on my chest. This is also something I've dealt with my entire life. I KNOW that it's my nerves causing that! I feel it, I know when I'm anxious and I feel it happening. The ear thing is totally different from the red blotching. I can also calm myself down and speed up the clearing on the blotching. No such luck with the ear thing. It is what it is! I have never gotten a headache along with it, as several people have mentioned in forums. I have been all over the internet and the only thing I'm finding is other people looking for the same answers! Are there answers?

Mohamad N

I have been suffering for two years for the redness in the ear once or twice a day. my blood test is normal, I consulted the Dermatologist and Internal with no luck.
last June, during my vacation in Lebanon, the symptoms disappeared but were back a couple of day after my return.
I noticed there was a pain in my eyes before the redness of the ear. I consulted an ophtalmologitst, fount that I have dryness in my eyes that caused the redness in the face and ears. i am now using eye drops to lubricate the eyes (once every 2 to 3 hours), I have noticed that when I use the eye drop every 2 to 3 hours, the redness in the ear does not happen the whole day, I have to continue using this drops for a few months. try it and hope we can say goodby to redness in the ear.

Mohamad N.

Anonymous

to mohamad: may i know which kind of eye drops are u using now?? thanks in advance

Scooter

I also think rycer is onto something with Inflamation as a likely cause.
I live in the tropics now after living in a cooler climate and this condition is a nightmare for me because of the constant heat.My head feels very inflammed and hot showers, direct sun or high humidity triggers episodes and results in feelings of embarassment because of the state of my ears. First one ear starts feeling red and I get throbbing bi-lateral temporal headaches then audio sensitivity then the other ear follows suit. This lasts for 2 - 4 hours then I feel washed out afterwards. This happens every day but never in the morning. Triggers are alcohol, heat, stress, touching of the ears.
I have had this for 22 years. I have tried every type of specialist, natural therapy treatments,beta blockers, vaso dilators, migraine treatments, TMJ (jaw) surgery, sinus surgery x 2 and the only thing that has given me any relief is prednisone. This is a strong steroid but it is such a relief,. It makes me feel like "normal" people must feel. You cant take long doses of preednisone as it has systemic impact and especially on the liver. I pray to god that someone can get to the bottom of this as it controls what I do and how I feel about myself. What amazes me is that no medical "professional" can nail it down and they dont seem to be very interested (in my experience). Please help

rycer

In my earlier postings, I stated inflammation as a possible cause for the RES - I have been taking a product from www.Trivita.com called OptimaFlex that helps with inflammation - There is also a liquid in a bottle that fights inflammation but i cant remember the name right off hand - anyway, I'm just passing that info off to everyone who might be interested, i do not get paid for referring you nor am i asking too - if it helps ya like it has helped reduce mine, than so be it - also of note, I have found that NOT eating wheat products, gluten, sugar, etc.(things I had a food sensitivity too), the RES has also decreased.

JayJay

My left ear is burning up so i came here, didnt expect so many comments haha anyways much love up to all my red ears!

not so red anymore

I have dealt with having red burning ears (sometimes one, and sometimes both) almost every afternoon or evening for the past 4 years. I have done relentless research and have tried hundreds of supplements, etc, but nothing worked. Finally, through trial and error with what I eat, I've determined that MILK and DAIRY products directly affect my ear flushing. I guess one could say it could be an allergy, but it is not an immediate reaction. If I have some milk with lunch, my ears might turn red 3 hrs later..and also again the next afternoon (maybe as it moves through my digestive track....not sure.) Over the past month I have removed almost every trace of dairy from my diet, and subsequently my ears have flushed less than 5 times all month long. (Dairy is in so many unsuspecting things....)
This has worked for me and I am extremely grateful for it. I hope it can help others.

Drae3

Oh my! I can't believe I found other people with the same problem!!
I am 41 and have suffered with uncontrollable, random red hot ears for about 4 years now. I think it is stress/fatigue related. The first time it occured, I was on a sailboat for the first time ever... I am not a boating person and was very anxious to be on the water for a week. I went to overcome a fear - which I did.
Since that first occurance, one, or both of my ears become red and extremely HOT. On fire! for no real reason at all. It isn't always the same one, either. I try to note what I'm doing when it happens and the only constants have been anxiety/stress/fatigue.
I'm sorry that anyone else has to suffer this crazy syndrome, but am glad to know it is not just me! Sometimes it makes me feel crazy! My right ear is flaring up even as I type. Of course, I am exhausted, stressed about a fundraiser I'm in charge of, and can't go to sleep.
I hope others keep posting as more information is available.
BTW - the folded tongue on the roof of the mouth as mentioned in an earlier post actually worked to cool it down a little.

Scooter

The Dairy product thing is a very real possibility. I am from New Zealand and we have the highest rate of allergies at early onset in the world and that can be attributed to the prominence of dairy products in the diet. I suggest stopping all dairy products for 3 weeks then re-introducing dairy into the diet to see what results you get.

Also, this is very interesting:
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/h/hyperemia/intro.htm

Michelle

This just started happening to me and it's driving me crazy. I can feel it when one ear is hot and red. I want to know why.

Angella

I have had this problem for years, only in one ear at a time, over the last week it has happned everday and was starting to get worried, glad i found this site cause it puts my mind at ease a little...thanks for all the posts

rycer

Im just updating what has been going on with me in regard to the RES - recently I have started with testastrone replacemtn therapy because mine was extremly low and i have got a Gabby-Wright High Potent Vitamin injection (twice) since Ive been doing that, my RES has been wiped out completely! I have been going to a Clinic that is considered alternative medicine. That place has changed my life. I had also been getting Chelation Therapy for heavy metal toxicity and today I am a different man for doing so. If i stayed on the normal path for doctors in the mainstream, i'd no doubt have been labeled (I am sure i am anyway) as a hypochondriac.

Ryan S

Hey Rycer what clinic?

Anonymous

I have also suffered from a red hot ear for about 5 years. It always happens at random place and times. I am usually not stressed out or doing anything strenuos. Mostly I have noticed this happening when I am at work sitting at my desk all by myself. Sometimes it happens other places too but mostly at work. It is always just one ear, never both at the same time. The occurences of this are pretty far between, I would say like maybe once every month or even every other month. I started taking Accutane(for acne) 2 weeks ago and have had a red hot almost everday. I am going to ask my dermatologist about this at my next check up in a week and let you guys know if he has any ideas on the cause! Someone out there has to know for sure what this is from. Right???

Anonymous

VISIT THIS SITE FOR AN ARTICLE ON RED EAR SYNDROME. COPY AND PASTE TO YOUR BROWSER

http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?code=c8398858n0u7h712&size=largest

Anonymous

SORRY, THE OTHER WEBSITES ARTICLE WAS TOO SMALL TO READ, TRY THIS ONE

http://www.severe-headache-expert.com/red-ear-syndrome.html

Becky

I have had this Red Hot Ear problem, on and off, for the last few years. (I am 30). It would happen at work, at home, or while driving. It's always my left year.

I am now pregnant and it's been happening again, for the last few weeks. This time, it only seems to happen after I shower. Usually before or after I blow dry my hair.

I have neck issues, but go to the chiropractor and I get a massage, once a month.

It would be nice to know what is causing the red, hot ear. Luckily it's just a nuisance and it isn't painful.

rycer

Like I said before, inflammation is the reason for RES, try to eliminate all gluten/wheat products and sugar and I bet you wont have a problem. If you still arent convinced, go to your dr. and get a food allergy blood test.

moful

My sister's left ear is very hot right now. I don't think it is anything to worry about.

THE LITTLE THINGS

This problem has as many answers as questions. I can tell you if you have ruled out food,mood and weather. if it mostly occurs in the early evening answer this question.do you chew gum? I did to cover my breath after lunch and coffee.the constant action irritated my jaw and I suspect was linked to the ear.I would subconsciously rub my ear ever so slightly or even hold the phone up to that left ear and bam red ear for an hour. this may not be the answer to everyones problem but it might be yours.

fifi

I'm 17 and i occasionally get a really hot ear one at a time and usually the left 1... from most of the comments i have seen that it is common in young boys but there aren't very many teenagers with this problem, people seem to find it related 2 stress or tiredness, i have a hot ear just now, in the evening which many people find is the same time roughly so i think its probably to do with the heat of the room at specific points of the day when you are most tired or are feeling stressful/anxious/embarresed hopefully nothing 2 worry about

FlatFreeman

Supposed I'd best add my 2pence worth. Im a 23 year old male and suffer from this red hot ear thingee. Mainly my left ear but at the moment its both and my forehead and cheeks feel hot aswell... just feels like my whole head is inflammed and I need to cool it down. I suffer from stress quite badly but only get this feeling in the evening like most here. Had some stress with selling a car tonight and its flaired up again, I also think I have back/neck problems because I spend alot of time on the computer, Also I am being tested for a gluten allergy at the moment due to a really bad stomach sometimes/heartburn. No results yet but I will post them up.... Also i have noticed someone posting about having dry eyes and that eye drops helped with their burning ears, My optician adviced me that I got eye drops because I have very dry eyes but this was a couple of years back so Im going to try out some drops.... I think I may open a forum purely for this problem, Please email me if you think you would benefit from a forum on RHE and if I get enough replies I will construct one!

stuckinside

wow this is amazing!! its great to know im not the only one! this has been a major source of anxiety and distress in my life for years. it has rendered me immobile, to the point that i had to quit my job as a grocery check out clerk. i had to stop riding the bus and walking in public as well. when i feel my ear getting warm i know the redness is coming and people look at me. the only saving grace is that it takes the attention off the large skin tags under my left eye. i would definitely enjoy a support group or forum, i hope this is something we can overcome together!!

bgboogie

I had this happen all of the sudden a year or so ago, turned out I had a infection in my lung that left a nodule. My ears burned like hell off and on, left or right,or both. I think infections or illnesses are a culprit for some.

Loony

Sames here! Right now one is glowing like its on fire. The other one is cool and normal. I doubt its something bad,just one of these phenomenons that can occur. I mean hey!our body is such a complex structure...i wonder how these enodplasmatic reticulums find there ways through our body anyway :D they may be confused sometimes.Lets not be too hard on them :D

Anonymous

sleep well i.e. 7-8 hrs. less sleep is often the reason for it.

Different Answers

Part Answer!:
I have had this issue since I was a child (I'm now 25). My mother would always think I had a fever, but this only proved to be true 1 out of 50 times. The heat and redness would either occur in one ear (sometimes moving to the other) or both ears. I never went to the doctor because there was never sever pain; just mild discomfort. It was because of my sister that I learned of Angioedemia. She would often experience swelling, heat and discomfort in her hands/feet when she would exercise. She finally went to the Dr. where she found out she had Angioedemia. Basically the same thing would happen to me, but in my face/ears. Angioedemia is a swelling of the blood vessels just under the skin. It allows for more blood to enter the area and creates the heat and the redness. This is not blushing, or caused for the same reasons! Angioedemia will often occur on one side of the body, and not the other. And it may take moments to appear and hours to go away. The causes are very broad. Allergies are the most common. My sister has an allergic reaction to heat. When her body is overheated it reacts by forcing more blood to the surface. Allergies to foods can cause this reaction, and allergies to many household products. Paint, plastics, artificial food coloring, fake fragrances (dryer sheets are a big one) and other such things can have a big effect on the human chemical balance. Dryer sheets are a big one because the chemicals that are used to soften your clothes/ make them smell better are on your skin for hours at a time and can begin to affect your health over time. http://www.naturalnews.com/001061.html Granted, this is only one small area that affects our body systems.

Other things are simple temperature changes, such as cold to hot. When your body is exposed to the cold it will produce more adrenalin, increasing the heart rate and trying to warm the body. For many people, our body overreacts and creates to much adrenalin and so the effect takes double effect once we are in a warm area.

Another factor is stress/being sleepy. Both cause our blood pressure/temp to rise. Stress is a given, but for sleep it is not as known. Have you ever taken a nap and woken up after 20-30-40 minutes and your body is sweating? That is because our body temperatures rise when we start to get sleepy (and for the first 30 mins (average) of sleeping), and then drops when we are actually sleeping. It is a natural process of the body's internal clock. This is why most people are so hot when they are trying to fall asleep, but then get very cold at night. As we become tired, our bodies increase our temps (which has been thought to be our burning off extra energy...), and for some people it will cause our extremities (ears) to become hotter. The heat is a cooling mechanism. By forcing more blood to the surface, our body cools faster. It is very noticible in the ears, because the tissue is so thin. I hate to compare it to the male genitalia, but it is the same concept. When the male testes are cold, they will pull up to the body, and when they are hot they will move away from the body. It is an internal temperature control.

The human body does all sorts of interesting things without us knowing why.

Hope this helps a few people.

cori

Hi.I have a 6 yr old boy who ALSO has this. I didnt think much of it til today we were online playing games, he sat on my lap and i noticed his warm ear on my face. Its always his right ear. Since we were online i thought i would google it and i came across this, and its very interesting to see how many people have this problem. And now im becoming a little concerned. Its happened before but i didnt really think much of it. I always thought it might have something to do with the weather. Its warm indoors but very cold outside. And now that i read someone the other postings it makes sense that it could be due to the child being tired or sleep deprived. I personally think my son doesnt get enough sleep. But it might also be something not to worry about, because now that i think about it, ive got it a few times too, usually when the heat is on. And my face also gets a little flush too.....

Daniel

WOW! it looks like alot of people have red/hot ears. Can somebody help me! Im 9 year's old and I can't take this any more. Thi happens exactly every night or sometimes in school. my friends laf at me! Please help me! I GONNA GO NUTS!

UP VERY LATE

wow, wow, and wow again! just googled hot ears and got all these sufferers out there in cyberspace with it. My son who is 8 has been plauged with this for a few months now. Interesting trying to read through some postings that a heck of a lot of boys under 10 seem to have it. Also came across a few who had it and have some form of autism. My son has aspergers I am quite sure though not diagnosed officially yet so i wonder how strong this link is with the red ear thing. would make a great survey if anyone out there would take it on . Also a lot of the suffers seem to be adhd . Intersting but whats the cure? It hits every evening usually doing home work when he is most stressed. Stress seems to be another common denominator.

Sara

I have an 11 yr old boy who has had this problem as long as we can remember. He says its mildly painful. Sometimes it's one ear, sometimes both...hot to the touch and red, red, red. He has ADHD and significant hay fever. I have always assumed this is allergy related, though he takes claritin (and before the zyrtec) daily. The claritin helps the runny nose/sneezing/itchy eyes, but doesn't eliminate the ear thing.

I'm fairly convinced this a food sensitivity or allergy of some kind.

Mother of Three

Hello. I'm so relieved that others experience this as well. My five year old son gets this and has it right now. He has had this for a few years now, but today he says it itches. I gave him some benadryl and the redness is going away as well as the itchiness. In the past it never itched but it's generally his left ear and warm to the touch.

Aaron

I'm 46 and my right ear gets red and hot to the touch. It seems to happen in the evenings right after I shower. I thought it was a blood pressure thing but my blood pressure is fine

rycer

How many people here suffer from Acid Reflux/GERD? Here's my theory on the whoe RES thing - food allergies! and this being related to how you are digesting food - if you suffer from chronic heartburn and/or have GERD, more times than not you have a low stomach acid, when you have low stomach acid you are not able to break down or digest food properly - when this happens and food sit in your digestive tract, it makes the liver work harder, particles get in your blood stream and viola Food Allerigies/Sensitivities - then it starts working other parts of your body and the RES is just one part of that. I would bet 99 of 100 people on here not only have just the RES but have something else in conjunction going on with your body - RES typically not going to be a lone and standing issue. To expand on the Acid Reflux, pharmasueticalsand doctors are in cahoots to keep you on dangerous antacids - if you really want to cure acid reflux/GERD, invest in some Hydrocloric Acid/Betaine supplements - ask your doctor about this, and he will look at you like your nuts to put Betaine supplents in your body - its because they dont want you better, they want you to keep coming and fill out prescriptions so everyone in the medical community gets fat on the cat.

Anonymous

100% food related.. could be food allergies, could be heartburn/low stomach acid.. another issue with low stomach acid and leftover food particles in the stomach is it creates conditions for bad gut bacteria to thrive.. my theory is my red hot ears are related to a Candida/Yeast overgrowth

Guy

I love that this forum is hellishly long and I still can't find out why my left ear is scorching and his counterpart is room temp. Aaaaagh! It's so weird and it won't stop!

Kuckoo

so i am not abnormal!!! there are many around with Red ear syndrome...scientists need to do a research over it... My right ear is getting constantly hot and red since few days .....i wonder does it have anything to do with the mental states...

LOOK

1. not the all red ears r trigered by the same thing, so: some of u have food alergies, some of us got bad circualation( i m sure i dnt have food alergy, because mine get hot when i go from cold to warm, or stay in a cold weather, or touch them even...... and i think someone should give this link to a good doctor to look at it....

Concerned mom

My son is seven, and he has had this problem for several years (every night- faithfully). No doctor has ever been able to give us a "smart" answer as to why this happens. My sister is going to school for medicine and presented this to her professor, and he looked at her like she was ridiculous. It's really frustrating for my little boy. When he was little, we first noticed it because he would lick his hand and place it to his ear, repeatedly, in attempts to cool it because he didn't want to stop playing and he didn't realize his ear was turning bright red. The consistent things is that it does happen usually at night after he showers. We have tried relating it to a possible food allergy, but nothing came up from that. I think it is some type of circulation problem- possible??? I wish I could find some rhyme or reason to why this happens as it is very bothersome. We just keep several cool compresses in the freezer for him. Glad to see this is fairly common.

ASY

Both my ears get hot when the forced-air heater turns on. In fact, they're so sensitive, they turn red hot even before I realize the heater is on. I then I put my hand on the heater, and go, "yup, it's on!"

I do have acid reflux... but I don't see a correlation yet between meal times and hot ears.

Interestingly, I also get "hot eyes", where the area around my eyes feel hot. This happens when I'm looking at the computer screen and it turns dark outside. It also happens when there is an incandescent light too near my face (but everyone else seems just fine with it).

My solution? I turn the heater off and live in a freezing cold room!

Walri

This has happened to me for years.. I'm a 17 year old girl- yeah it seems to happen to people of all ages. It's usually just one ear or the other, but I think I've had them simutaneously as well. My theory is that it has to do with circulation. Maybe more blood is getting to that ear at the time, for whatever reason. I don't really see a pattern with it though, it happens completely at random. But yes, I felt like I was the only person with this quirk. Isn't it embarrassing though? I always want to cover up my red ear.. haha.

David

This has been happening to me almost daily for about 4 months. Usually the left ear gets beet red and hot around 7:00pm and the right one around 10:00pm. Rarely at the same time. I am a 22 year old male, very good physical condition (I eat healthy and exercise regularly).

Here are my experiences with it for anyone that wants it:

Exercising when this happens does not seem to help (either weights or cardio). And only sometimes does exercising set this off. I was also exercising before this started to happen so it probably isn't the cause.

At first I thought this may be allergies as my Mom said that I used to get red ears as a child when I was congested. But taking Nasonex and even Benadryl (sometimes) has done nothing. I was also never congested or had any other signs of allergies.

Then after going home over Christmas, this same thing was still occuring. And as I never had allergies there I think it must be something else.

As far as I can recall there was no change in diet that could have set this off.

After reading this though, I am going to try sleeping more, and also doing more in the evenings to prevent getting bored and tired. During university I would be working ~80 hour weeks, and got tons of sleep. But now I work 9 to 5 and my evenings are totally free, so I can get bored. I've also only been sleeping about 7 hours a night, I'll try upping that to my University levels (9 hours about) and see if it makes a difference.

pippy doodle

This just happened to me for the first time today on my left ear only and it lasted for about 2 hours. I have realized that the hot and abnormally red ear is due to lack of sleep for me, and I'm just glad to see that it is normal, and so many other people have it, because I thought something was wrong with me!

VN

My 7 year old son has this in his left ear.
While sleeping he always keeps his neck well back. He gets burning hot/ red ear in the night.

Anonymous

I am so glad there are other people who have this! My mom has had this for years and I have noticed that it has started happening to me. It seems to only happen in the winter. I wish there was a doctor out there that could diagnose this!

Anonymous

Like all of you here, it's great to see that there are others out there. It's always my right ear, and it pretty much happens every day around evening time. I think it's because I'm tired, but I don't know. It doesn't seem like something I should get checked.
I have to admit though, it's incredibly irritating...it feels a bit like mild sunburn.

Anonymous

Both of my boys, 3 and 5 years, experience red hot ear. I notice it when their body temperature is higher from wrestling around, running, after a bath, etc. I'm not at all concerned. I don't believe it is linked with a food allergy. My oldest son runs for his Thomas the Train ice pack. It subsides within 30 min.

Jamie

Unbelievable how many people have hot left ears!! Mine is red hot right now and I want to know why??

Gary

I know what causes it, but probably no one will believe me. "Demons" (rebellious angels that followed Satan), do that to people because they enjoy torturing certain people, because they get some kind of sadistic pleasure out of it. (Mark 9:22). They take their anger out on people.----There is no other physiological explanation for this phenomena, which has greatly increased in the last 10 years or so. (Rev. 12:12). People's minds are a little weaker when tired, anxious, mad, etc., that's why it happens most often at those times. So forget doctors being able to help you and your children with this particular problem. Sorry, but that's the truth. > freehomebiblestudy.com

Jason

There are a lot of things that we don't understand about the Human body, Demons are a easy cop out, but this isn't an appropriate forum for religious beliefs.

Gary

Nevertheless, I'm 100 percent positive that that's the cause. It's no cop out, it's just the truth. As I said, few will believe it, but that changes nothing. When it comes to people's suffering, any subject is up for discussion. Forum not limited in scope.

Philip

I get a hot red ear after using the mobile phone. Really.
I refuse to deny or confirm that it is usually when I am inviting those cheeky Demons into my soul.

kelly

My 6 year old boy has had red hot ears for last few weeks on and off... usually in the evening after his bath when he's most relaxed!
It doesn't seem to bother him! He just wants to know why it keep happening?

J

Hello friends, long time since posted. Have not had many episodes, not sure why. Was looking for info on trigeminal neuralgia and found site giving info on TACS, which includes cluster headaches (I have); Proxysmal hemicrania (I have) this is another name for RES. Interesting data, but subscription is necessary to read whole article. However, it was enough for me to take to neurologist next visit. On the site: UpToDate For Patients: Paroxysmal hemicrania

stephen

gary ur an idiot. perhaps not unintelligent but very misguided. good luck

stephen

neway. my dads a dr and he couldnt/wouldnt give me an explanation but said to take a hot shower and my ears were normal 10 minutes later after alternating red to white(regular) for hours. and take ibuprofen but i didnt have to take any although it wouldnt hurt

J

Well, I was misinformed and unfortunately passed the wrong info along. I apologize. Proxysmal hemicrania is NOT another name for RES. It is a type of cluster headache. So sorry. Hope to have better info next time.

Gizel

Hey, I am getting my right ear red every now and then. I notice it happens when I am really angry or upset or when I drink alcohol, but it also happens when I don't drink mostly at night sometimes. it's really annoying I don't know what it is but I am tired of it. I just want it to stop. sometimes I am perfectly relax and it happens so it beats me. but this is too weird haven't really gone to doctor to find out but there should be some kind of medical explanation for it. there is a lot of nonsense out there about it. if anyone know the real problem let me know thanks

uplate

glad to see I'am not the only one.

uplate

Symptoms and signs
The most prominent symptoms of erythromelalgia are episodes of erythema, swelling, and a painful burning sensation primarily in the extremities. These symptoms are usually symmetric and affect the lower extremities more frequently than the upper extremities. Symptoms may also affect the ears and face. For secondary erythromelalgia, attacks typically precede and are precipitated by the underlying primary condition. For primary erythromelalgia, attacks can last from minutes to hours and occur infrequently to frequently with multiple times daily. Common triggers for these episodes are exertion, heating of the affected extremities, and alcohol or caffeine consumption, and any pressure applied to the limbs. In some patients sugar and even melon consumption have also been known to provoke attacks.

ian

im only 10 and ive had ear problems and just a while ago i had both red ears and it was about 54 degrees and a thermal scanner said my ear was over 80 degrees!(both of them wierd) but i do have a one earn prob i know one of the reasons its prob because if you eat(or drink)anything of milk products so look up "milk allergic symptoms" i havent looked it up but at least try

Brad

my friend has both his ears red right now, and very warm. too bad theres no real answer to it.

deb

Hi All...I am 48 and about three months ago I noticed that my left ear felt hot and my co-worker said it was bright red. A customer chimed in that a relative of hers had this symtom a lot due to high blood pressure. When I left work I went to a drug store and took my BP at one of those sit down bp stations and sure enough it was 215/105 which I learned was high. Had no idea I had high BP.
Weekend, no dr ava so the next night about 10PM it happened again. Went to drug store and again BP was high. Went to
ER and they gave me a pill (said it was actually a water pill and sent me home.
Told me to come any time it was over 200 if I couldn't see my doctor. A few hours after the visit it was down to a normal 110/74. (I bought the at cuff wrist cuff). Went to DR a few days later and BP was close to normal. BUT,
the hot red ear still happens many times a week and I check my BP it it seems
normal.
I was still convinced it has something to
do with blood pressure but since so many kids and such have it too, HMMMM.
Well, that's just my 2+ cents.

breanna

hi all... Im 23 and have had rhe since my early teen age years either right or left ear get red hot and sometimes my cheeks as well, i've never asked my dr about it but im very interested on why this happens i wish there was an answer for it, i do suffer from anxiety and depression maybe that has something to do with it?....

Mario

Hi,
I've been suffering for red ears for 25+ years. I'm now 41. Sometimes it may be one ear (left or right) or both. It is not painful, but they can become bright red and hot to touch. Unfortunately, my ears are quite large, and so when I do get this, it is incredibly embarrassing as it is so noticeable. (do others have large ears who have the red ear symptom?).
I notice that I sometimes get this after a hot shower, if I'm in a hurry, or feel enclosed in a room and no circulation, I get hot and bothered, and the ears are the first to heat up.

Mario

In addition, my young 7 year old son also gets this issue with very hot and red ears from time to time. Usually, he complains he is also hot. Unfortunately, he took after me, and his ears are rather larger than average. Is there a link here? My older son who is ten and has "normal" sized ears doesn't have this issue (thank God)

Cheryle

I finally decided to look up this "red hot ear" issue and came across this blog. I am amazed so many folks have this symptom. I plan to check out some of ideas here. I am 61 and did not have this until after I have open heart surgery (was 55). Just can't explain it and have not asked the Dr either. I just checked my BP and it was higher than normal. I'll keep checking when the ear goes back to normal. Wierd1!!
The only time I remember having this symptom is when I would play too long outside in the cold as a youngster and if the ears were exposed the warming process caused the redness (and aching)
This is a great collection of information.

Thomas

Hey I have had hot ears my whole life I am 32 now. It has happened to me all of my life. It is getting very bad now. Every day it turns hot red like on fire. Sometimes it's just one ear sometimes both ears. The only thing that I have found that works is putting my whole head under the sink and soaking both of my ears and neck and head with cold water. Sometimes after I put the cold water all over my head I go sit outside with no coat on. It works pretty good in the winter time. This is the only solution I have found to cool them off fast. And sometimes even after I do all that they will start to turn hot red again. I have no idea what causes it. I don't have high blood pressure. Please let me know if there is any other way to stop it. From looking at all of the posts I don't think there is a way to stop it.

scherbert

I haven't read through every post here but the technical term for this is not RHE but red-ear syndrome. It's a harmless neurological syndrome. My neurologist has me on a regimen of magnesium (at least 400 mg/day but up to 1200/mg if your digestive tract can tolerate it), Vitamin B2 (400 mg/day), and 1 tablet of CoQ10 (one tablet, Healthy Origins brand). This helps a lot but isn't foolproof. I do find that if I don't eat enough during the day it's more likely to come on and sometimes flare-ups can be counteracted by applying an ice pack to the ear or eating a carbohydrate-heavy snack (like toast). But like I said, "sometimes" these work.

Penelope

Check to see if you have osteo-arthritis. My husband has it, and his ears get red all the time. They are related.

Newbear

52 year old male, I've had this one ear issue for 30 years with no concern at all. It feels wierd but I just ignore it and go on with my life. Any body ever says any thing I just tell them it must be the devil coming out and I feel fine. That's the only thing that bothers me is pepole ask "are you ok?" yaaaaa, are you?

Scooter

I have noticed big improvements after giving up the following:
- Tea and Coffee
- Wheat
- Dairy
I know thats alot to give up but it has helped big time!

Dave

Hey everybody, 20 years old here with this sickening red burning sensation on my left ear as I type. Been having this for more than 2 years now. Stay strong!

tamastomi

I have this syndrome and my ears are large too. There is a long break on my ear and maybe the blood issues out and make the ear hot and red?!

Some advices

Drink water! it does help, so stay hidrated, and when you are showering, go with warm to cold, and oposite. I think you ll see improvement after this.

rycer

I have given my opinion of this before - i am always doing research to find out the cause - there always is a cause - i have noticed that if i limit or elminate sodium from my diet, the RES is gone or at least less severe.

rycer

and if you have a flare up of the RES, do yourself a favor and take a Benadryl and see if that clears it up. That way you will know if its an allergy, and try to remember what you ate

rycer

I have tracked my sodium intake and notice that MSG seems to trigger my RES. Example: 3 days ago, had chinese food (biggest culprit in the history of food industry overabusing MSG on their food)= Flare up --- had tuna fish sandwhich today = no flare up -- tonight a chicken casserole w/ cream of mushroom soup which has MSG = flare up. What i am saying, at least for me i see a correlation between RES and MSG - MSG is hidden in alot of packaged foods, bottled foods and such.

Anonymous

Here man, I have another problem. It's my chin. It flares up after using the old you know, say no more. Just looking for people with similar reactions.

rycer

I guess you should stop bobbing on it then. I swear, you cant fix stupid!

Ken

I am 62 years old. Occasionally, I've had hot ear cold ear for as long as I can remember. I always thought I was just odd, or at least odd that way anyway. Thank goodness for the internet now I know a bunch of us are odd and not just me. The effect dosent seem to have ill effects but it is annoying. Just out of curiosity I wish I knew what caused it.

charlie

Wow, This has been happened to me now over the last three weeks,never before i have one ear thats burning and everything is ok.

raiza

well, is there anybody out there that knows the reason for this hot ear problem?...i have been having this issues for a couple of years now and it really bothers me, im 37yrs old, and one of my ears, never both at the same time gets really hot/ very uncomfortable??????/help

Thomas

JOIN THE CLUB RAIZA. I wish I knew what the dam problem was. Sometimes I am so
miserable. The only thing that I have found that works is putting my whole head under the kitchen sink and soaking both of my ears and whole head with the coldest water I can get. Sometimes that doesn't even work. I have to keep on doing that sometimes 6 times and my dam ears are still RED. I have had this all of my life and I am 33 now. It SUCKS. Good luck

help

We could solve it by trying to ask the biggest experts of medicine in our towns, mine don't know, but trying to figure out, so please ask and share with us, that s the only way

Dr. Felix

I put yogurt on it and it helps out a lot.. it's an old wise tale my grandmother taught me :) hope it helps!

Anonymous

omg this really worked haha

plz

does it help in some permament way, or just temporary? plz answer

Anonymous

permenatly..its crazy i thinks its from all the probiotics in the yogurt..

Johnathan

I know what causes this and can tell all of you from experience - it is a MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY. My magnesium deficiency was caused by caffeine intake and a calorie restricted diet as mine started acutely getting red at almost the same time everyday about 5 months ago. A little over a month ago I began to take a magnesium supplement of 500 mg a day tried to eliminate caffeine and sodium and generally unhealthy foods. After about a week or two the red ears went away as the deficiency was corrected.

It is a benign condition caused by your diet. Several different things can block magnesium from being absorbed by your system.

I too, was scared of carcinoid syndrome or relapsing polychondritis and had all the tests run. The doctors couldn't tell me what caused it but said if they didn't hurt then it was nothing to worry about. If only your ear or ears turn red and not your face and chest too then it is NOT carcinoid syndrome. Relapsing polychondritis is inflammation of your ear lasting for several days and would be painful to the touch.

Just remember, at least 500 mg of magnesium a day and a healthy diet and I assure you your ears will get better. I hope this helps some of you as it has helped me.

thankUsoMuch

man if this really help me i 'll own you so much! I ll own u for the rest of my life, Just hope we had the same cause

ft

It's possible that is the answer, i found this: When lab rats are deprived of magnesium, a wide variety of studies have noted that they develop allergy like symptoms. Their ears turn red. Maybe we found something finally :)

benjie

bout the yogurt,hmm...gonna try it soon
and thanks john...for your sharing..you've done a good deed by just sharing..thanks again

iain

Hey, I have had this problem for a long time and yes just like everyone else here my red ears usually occur at night, never in the morning !!!
I thought of many things tht could cause this and have tried many many things to overcome this as it is reall embarrasing in public when your ears are glowing red for no reason, you feel really stupid.

I saw jonathans comment above about magnesium deficiency and I really think this might be the cure ! I looked at ways to tell if you are possibly magnesium deficient and I fit a few of the points mentioned.

So I am going to buy magnesium supplements and use daily and report back any change or difference they make. I really am hoping this will cure this annoying problem.

Oh, also I found this:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WB5-4JS1M32-3&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F01%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1364497320&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=51c4f3a4d2dd97a3d0b3f952ae98b2e9

It explains that lack of magnesium leads to inflammation and increased blood in the ears (this was tested in rats and mice as mentioned by ft above) so the same would apply to humans, or at least thats what my theory is.

So, hopefully after all this time we have found the reason ! Thanks to jonathan, I will post back with any info. I find !!

Good luck all, lets hope this works well

Tiff

Earlier someone suggested that rolled oats (oatmeal) eaten every day helped reduce or eliminate their RES.

Then magnesium has just been noted to help.

Interestingly, rolled oats are a very good source of magnesium . . .

q

i can't tell u for now, maybe magnesium does really help but i must wait for colder time cuz in summer they won t go red

iain

well was at a party last night drinking alcohol (this is usually when my ears will stay red all night) and I can say that after having magnesium supplements on the same day and eating pumpkin seeds(excellent source of magnesium) that my Red Ears problem was very minimal to what it would have otherwise been.

So it does seem to be helping, either that or its all just pure coincedence

I will report back with more info soon

iain

well i was at a party last night drinking alcohol (usually this is when my red ear syndrome is at its worst) and since I have been eating high magnesium foods lately I noticed last night that I got very minimal red ears where as usually it would be much worse.

So i do think the magnesium is helping however I cannot be sure yet. Will report back with more info. when I get more ;)

iain

oops, double posted lol

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