One hot ear

Hiya,

Every day after work (I work in an air-conditioned office) my ears turn a deep red color, like they are severely flushed and they are hot to touch.

This happens every day and is coupled with severe bilateral temporal thumping, audio and photo sensitivity.

This flushing lasts for 45 minutes to 2 hours. It began about 20 years ago and has progressively gotten worse (at first it would only happen around once a week and at different times but now this is a daily occurrence).

This NEVER happens in the mornings but can on rare occasions happen in the early afternoon but generally always after work..

I have worked in varied roles (Chef, Gardener, IT , indoor outdoor, hot, cold environments) and regardless of work type / environment this condition still occurs.

During the period after work (or in the afternoon on the weekends), there are certain "triggers" that will cause these attacks to occur within a few minutes.

These triggers include touching the ears, being exposed to heat, or strong emotions.

They become so red and so hot that it is painful , uncomfortable and embarrassing.

Parts of my face and head become so tender that they are sore to touch. And my ears swell and become blood engorged and red hot.

There is constant pain in the local temple (both sides) but more so the right hand side.

The fractured TMJ I suffered in a motor vehicle accident 20 years ago was about the time this started occurring.

Even after removal of all wisdom teeth the TMJ surgery and in the last 5 years to correct the bite and that seems to have had no impact positive or negative on the problem. Status Quo remains.

I have persevered with the bite splint for many months. This offers no relief from local temporal pain, the constant pounding of blood in my temples, associated neck and shoulder pain and the flushing and migraine like symptoms that are displayed during these daily episodes.

I have tried all sorts of drugs, vaso dilators, vaso constrictors, muscle relaxants, strong pain killers, prednisone, sinus surgery, TMJ surgery, beta blockers, assorted migraine medication, acupuncture, sub-occipital nerve blocks, physiotherapy, removal of wisdom teeth, bite plates, Hot cold treatments, changing diet, relaxation exercises, yoga, reiki, naturopathy, allergy tests and some others that escape my memory.

None of the above treatments have had provided any lasting relief from this affliction.

I went and had an MRI yesterday to get investigate the red ears and haedache thing and the Neuroligist discoved that my sinus cavities were completely full. Its not as if I have a runny nose or anything but the sinus could be the cause here. I have had surgery on the sinuses befor but I may try more surgery if that helps sort this out.

Ill keep you all posted

I am a 49 year female who has suffered from "hot ear" for several years. In addition, when I lie on my side to sleep, the cartlidge becomes VERY painful. The pain is enough to wake me from sleep. Anyone know what this is or have the same problem?

My Dermo thinks my RES is Rosacea, and prescribed a topical, and an oral antibod.
I have only been taking these meds since 17 Sept., and I'm not sure if they are improving my condition or not. I must give the meds a chance to work????? More later. I failed to mention that in addition to the meds, I must watch what I eat and drink, and other items called Rosacea Tripwires. Access the national Rosacea Society and perhaps you can get a list of the "tripwires".

people, i think we all must use some good foundation, and than we ll don t have to worry about it

sometimes one of my ears get red and hot too... it only happens at church. Sometimes my face would get REALLY red too, like almost purple, it was so red. Now it doesn't happen as much, and when it does its only my ear. Sometimes it happens if i sing a lot, like during/after choir practice. I have no idea why its only at church though! I hate when it happens though, and i've tried putting my face against something cold, like the metal of a fridge door or something. It didn't do anything though. Usually it lasts at lasts about half an hour. Anyone have any homemade remedies for it?

well I have occipital neuralgia on one side of my head and that side of the ear is usally hot, more or less at times, Doctor said i have inflation on that side
It sucks because I used to wear a headset on that side for work and think that was the cause of the red ear because i also developed low frequency hearing loss in that ear also, so I wonder if these cases are connected

Is there anyone out there still experiencing this problem??if you guys have found out what is the root of the prob ..please enlighten us and help us!
I've been suffering the red ears problem for the past few months...and it's really irritating...i can't socialize due to it..furthermore I'm a student..and i really can't concentrate whenever this problem haunt me...who should i seek for help now??chirocpractor??I've been visiting ENT but i was given some cream...and whenever i apply it,it helps..and the RES will come bac the day after..please help...God bless

Nice to hear from you.I'm planning to visit dermo next week..and hopefully he will be recommending me with an effective med..thanks again,Chuck..

How are you guys doing now??any other advices or remedies??please share it with us..thanks a million

8th October 2008, i really wish i could get some answers today i was at work and my left ear got fire hot red for no reason and i went to put ice on it and the both times i did it the ice melted in seconds it's weird and it hurts because it gets so hot it's happend before many times. it uncomfortable please help thanks

In my case, "and I am from a VERY hot country but very sanitary and clean, it happens around 14:00 (you can see how specific I am) in my right ear every workday with a job from 07:00 till 16:00. I really don't know what to say except it might be my body talking "Stop Working you Ass****". And it is a bad idea to walk around the office with a bag of ice around my ear.

i have the same red hot ear dilemma..it's often painful and only on my left ear. i recently also started hearing a thumping noise in the same ear once in a while and a little ear fullness...also, i have had a cracking sound for as far as i can think back when i move my jaw...i guess it's time to see a Dr.!

Hello. For at least a year now, I have been having the red ear problem. Over the year or so, it has gotten progressively worse. I occasionally speak at church, and last night, my ears, cheeks, and part of my head for red/almost purple. It seems like this started around the time I caught pneumonia last year.

For the last several weeks, I have really cleaned up my diet. I’ve been eating very healthy, and have going to the gym steadily. I have already lost several pounds, and am happy about that. However, the red-attack appears to be getting worse. I thought it would get better. Usually starts in the afternoon in the ears. Stays that way ‘till I go to sleep. If I am stressed, it makes it worse, but it’s pretty much constant. If I am standing/working, it doesn’t seem as bad.

This has really brought me down. :O(

well for the alternative life style, I will contribute with an experience, for the skeptics don't pay attention. usually I notice that once in a while my left ear gets hot and there's a noticeable sensation of overheated more than any other part of my body, I was told that when people is sending bad energy you can feel it in your left ear and when people is sending good energy you can feel it in your right ear, bad energy like anger, hate , jealousy chanels thru your sensitive parts such as your left ear, people has forgatten the power of the body energy and some people knows how to use it, when you feel that sensation in your left ear relax and say a prayer, close your eyes and ask God for protection and when you feel it in your right ear may be love, desire, simpathy or affection.
No science was apply to this knowledge try it it wont hurt. find the source of negative energy and let God protect you.

Don't confuse a medical condition with a simple energy variation.
if the symptoms worsen seek medical attention.
You'll be surprise of the results, there's allways someone feeling less attractive, less fortunate and lonely.

I also suffer from red ear for over 25 years and my son has since he was about 1 years old. Although, mine has no specfc triggers....If both heat up at the same time I do faint. I do not have high BP, and consider myself healthy. It usually happens when I'm relaxing and doing nothing! I was told it was allergy realated..but I have my doubts..because I have a dr.that uses that excuse for everything he can't explain.

I'm totally amazed to see this site!! Thank you for this site!!! I've had this red ear phenomena for over 20 years. Thought I was the only one. Don't know why it happens either. I've asked doctors about it and they can't give me an explanation. They're clueless. Eating too many hot foods or or hot drinks can bring it on for me. The rest of the time it just seems to happen for no apparent reason. It can happen in one ear or the other or both at the same time. Tonight I noticed a low grade fever of 99 when it happened. Also had eaten a hot bowl of soup and cup of hot tea right before then. The back of my neck was hot too though my feet and hands stayed ice cold. I've had poor circulation all of my life (cold hands and feet all year long). Can't even wear a t-shirt in the summer unless it's long sleeved. I figure my poor circulation has something to do with this red ear phenomena somehow. I don't get hot ears every day though. Also have had seizures since I was 6 months old. Nobody knows what brought them on. I suspect the plethora of vaccination shots created that situation. Lately, i tested for heavy metal toxicity (to see if it could be a possible link to the seizures) and found that I've got high levels of lead and mercury. Could the red ear phenomena be related to heavy metal toxicity? In the process of chelating for heavy metals and hope this does the trick (ending both the seizures and the red hot ears). Maybe some of you here have heavy metal toxicity and just don't know it. I thought I'd put my story out there to see if this helps anyone. Also, I'd be interested in knowing if anyone else out there gets cold hands and feet along with this red ear phenomena. Good luck to all of you in finding an answer.

I'm so happy I found this webpage.. I thought me & my dad we're the only ones.. I'm wondering if it's genetic because we both have right ears that get hot every once and a while. Mine hurt yesturday for about an hour and was quite itchy, I held a popsicle to it, to cool it down! haha. Now on my left ear it's really hot on the top and itchy, but I also saw that the skin was kind of dead up there so I put lotion on it. But never are they hot at the same time. I don't drink, but I do notice that whenever I clean my ears with "hydrogen peroxide" with a Q tip my fingers turn white and the inside of my ear starts to get warm and itchy.... It's very strange, and I'm glad I'm not the only kid with a hot ear!!

I have the red ears, too, It started with the left one and now I get it in both ears. It starts at the tips of the top and works its way down. However, I know that I have mast-cell problems ranging from dermagraphic skin to mastocytic enterocolitis to arthritis...I wonder how many people here actually have underlying allergic and immunologic issues that have yet to be determined.

There's so many stories on this site.. I don't think adding mine would make any difference.. but yea I'm one more person who has this problem.

These are very interesting posts. Nearly EVERY condition described here can all be symptomatic of Celiac Disease. ARRRGH! Red-hot ear be damned!

So annoying. I've had this for years now. I always attributed it to being tired as it always happens at night. But after reading many of these comments, it may be worth looking into as a symptom of something more. Mine is, like most others, always one ear, rarely both. It gets hot and red and stays that way for about an hour. Hmmmm. Glad it seems very common.

ANSWER- Drink lots of water, exercize, yoga. It will be gone in seconds!

anybody else found a better way of stopping this? Please share it with us...you can help those who r suffering from this..
God bless..

I have been experiencing this odd phenomenon for approx. 2 years now. Growing up it never bothered me much, just warm enough to notice it. When I asked my mother about it, she was stunned to find out that she wasn't the only one to experience this. Anyone else's family members also "hot ear/cold ear" people?

I thought I had a problem! I feel better already

I have been experiencing the "red ear syndrome" for approximately the last 20 minutes. I am surprised to see so many concerned sufferers out there in cyberspace, but so few answers.

If it could be of any use to my fellow sufferers, my symptoms appear to have been sudden-onset while reading, sitting on a chair, in an enclosed space. I am a healthy 21 year old female, with no other major health issues to speak of?

I wish you all good health..

thanks oreille..same to you 2..hope that itll go away soon

I have been getting red ears lately, usually they come on while im reading at night. I notice that I usually get it when its relatively cold outside and I think it has to do when I walk outside and its windy and cold and your ears get cold. Then hours later, they get red.

To all hot ear army:)
my son has a mild case of Autism and is 4 he has just recently been complaining about his hot ears when it gets near bedtime, just sitting up on the coach. I don't know if it is stress related, but he does not like me to touch it, he responds with "don't touch it, iz VERY hot, is a ouchy" so it's kinda hard to get much more out of him. He likes for me to place a cold drink on his ears, i think his left ear hurts or is hotter that his right ear, since i have caught him taking my cold drink and placing it on it himself. I did have him on a Gluten free casein free diet from everything i had read but it became way too stressful with very little difference seen...and costly at that!I read way up there in the posts something about maybe allergies causing it, so maybe that is part of the problem. I had him tested for some common allergies(very out of pocket-no insurance) costly! The more in depth allergy tests are more expensive. I already spent 900.00 in tests..single mom so yea that is costly. Anyway if anybody out there is in the same boat and has any input. Please inform me!

My husband's left ear is swollen,hot and oily. Gross, I know. He has had this issue for many many years. He doesn't remember a time it was not like that. He has broken blood vessles covering the left side of his head around the ear and his hair grows thick and fluffy on that one side. He had an MRI to see if it was on his brain and it was not. Rarely a blood vessle will bulge on the surface of the skin and if it gets scratched it takes a long time for the bleeding to stop. We have seen doctor after doctor and NOTHING! ANY ONE KNOW ANYTHING regarding this oddity? PLEASE HELP!

I'm 45 and my symptoms happen like this; all of sudden I will begin feeling hot in the face/head/neck region and my ears will get flushed and red with the rest of my face and neck, then one ear usually the left will remain red for several hours, be hot to the touch and painful. I recently dicovered that I'm allergic to soy, especially soy that is in NutraGrain Bars,bagels and most highly processed foods. Once I narrowed it down to soy I eliminated it from my diet which was difficult because almost everything has soy in it now. Although that relieved the itching and hives I have still had a few episodes of the flushing and one red ear. I document everything I eat or drink now because of the soy and I have begun to realize that I may be having a reation to aspartame. I drink 3-5 diet cokes each day and several cups of coffee with equal. Today after drinking two cups of coffee the symptoms began and were very bad, I felt like my blood pressure was through the roof, I was drained and exhauseted where minutes before I was fine, my left ear began burning and it's been 2 hours and it's just now cooling off. Since I had only had those two cups of coffee and because it happens after diet coke (there isn't much to eat without soy) I think there is a connection to aspartame. I began researching aspartame poison and found that many otc medicines as well as children's vitamins have aspartame. Every time I have my blood pressure checked it is lower than the norm, I have been diagnosed with ADD and have taken Ritalin in the past, I have type B blood unlike the many on the site with O. Does the aspartame fit with anyone else?

There's an odd comfort in knowing there are more people than just me with this problem; i hope my information helps us all start to come up with some common elements which would finally diagnose this issue; I'm 39, female, hispanic, and live in South Texas. i consider myself pretty healthy, but i am about 30 pounds overweight for my height, no HBP, moderate smoker (about 1/2 a pack a day), extremely rare drinker - and never liquor, just some wines and mexican beer. It started about 2 years ago, i don't remember if anything was happening when it started, but i do recall i thought i was blushing - then i noticed it would happen when i was alone, and had no reason to blush. I don't exercise much, but do occasional yoga; i've had asthma all my life, but it's been controlled without medication for 20 years. I take no medications of anykind except for the occasional Tylenol or Motrin. I've been diagnosed with Degenerative disc disease, and i do have problems with circulation and occasional pleuresy. I get hot ears - sometimes one, sometimes both, without any precipitating patterns that i am aware of. I don't see any food triggers - for instance, my right ear is currently bright red and hot, and today i've had a few cups of coffee with sugar, some Miralax, 1/2 a pear, 1/2 a nectarine, some rice pilaf, some green beans, and a bottle of water. I've smoked 4 cigarettes today, and was sitting here with my laptop on my lap watching TV on the couch when my rght ear started to get hot. I've experienced this "RES" for a couple of years now, and it's more annoying than anything else - it doesn't cause me pain, just heat. I'm Type O+ with a relatively unremarkable medical history - i am married (happily) with 2 kids, i work from home for the government, my income would be middle-class, i guess. I rarely get sick, and see my doctor about once a year, usually for minor complaints. The water in my house does have a very high iron level, but i never drink it - i only drink Ozarka water; i don't drink soft drinks, but i do use the tap to make tea, and will drink it occasionally, but mostly water. The only other thing i can think of is that when i sleep on my ears, i experience numbing and pain pretty sharp, and it will wake me up. Otherwise i sleep great, have a really good appetite, and no known food allergies. The only other time i've ever experienced this type of flushing was when i was in my 20's, and took a medication called Cardizem that my doc prescribed for migraine headaches. The headaches stopped completely when i got pregnant with my son, and never returned, and i never had to take it again. And that flushing was on my face - mostly my cheeks. well, the ear's been hot for about 25 minutes now, it usually lasts about 30 minutes, but sometimes happens several times a day. I have no experience with artificial sweeteners, i prefer natural products, even though i could probably use some diet foods! I hope this helps...

I have had hot ears for more than a decade now...only 20 yo. My BEST guess on the hot ears situation is that it might just be what we eat or even drink. There couold be so many factors...the chemicals that are in the foods we eat...type of foods, maybe the air we are exposed to.

One explanation that I have thought about is the water. Does every hot ear patient drink TAP WATER? This could range from water fountains, faucet water, brushing your teeth, taking a shower. Im starting to think the fluoride and chloride levels in our tap water has increased...a lot. An explanation for affecting males more oftehn than females, it could be that the fluoride increases our hormone levels, set off by fatigue and anger, resulting in hot ears.

So try not bathing and drinking TAP water...impossible? I know...talk to your government then... :)

Hello everyone...I've been reading comments or over an hour now.I have RES,my son has it and now my grandson..He's four..I have come to a conclusion..When my son was in elementary school he had ADHD..The teachers,doctors etc..wanted to put him on ritalin.I researched and decided I did not want my son on an amphetamine,so I looked for an alternative.I found alot of food allergies were the main culprit.Wheat,dairy,artifical colors and flavors were the biggest culprits.In the time period when he was following the diet he didn't have red hot ears and the ADHD was virtually gone he excelled in school and did very well socially..Of course this is a very difficult diet to follow and we never narrowed the red ears down to one thing.Now he is 28 and has learned just to live with the ADHD and the red ears..But for my grandson who is 4 I guess it's time to get him tested for food allergies for he is also alittle on the hyper side and he has hot,red ears...I am 46 and have had red ,hot ears..Left or rightor both most of my life..I suppose I also have some allergies..You know us moms ..Take care of the little one's first.Food allergies are very hereditary and it must've come frem somewhere!!

its to do with stress and hormones my doctor told me

it could be that your body is letting out heat

wow, yes my left ear burns red for a year now... ive had dysphagia too (difficulty swallowing with no found cause) so as I read these answers I find myself thinking about the whole neck thing... cervical...like a disc out of place.... makes sense. also I have black mold here, have suffered major digestion problems.. I have terry's nails at the moment (half white nails) ivemissed a lot of work aftertaking cipro... I also was on accutane.. the red ears coincided with accutane, as well as spironolactone. definately guaranteed to hot a hot red left ear when nervous! or angry/upset..but also just when relaxing alone tired. seems blood pressure related, also Ijust ate cottage cheese, as some have said, dairy allergy. wish I knew! its annoying and embarrasing. I did have wine last night, when I havent had any in weeks. I am hypothyroid. and havent been taking synthroid as I should.

any can e mail me on this issue as well.my left ear isusually the one that turns red/hot.

I also have burning, red ears (mostly the left one) and lately my toes have been getting hot and red at night. When I cut out sugar, yeast, and carbs, it goes away! But it's so hard to eat good everyday! I think there is a HUGE correlation between food/chemicals and these symptoms. I also notice that when I eat better, I am less hyperactive and stressed.

I have the same issues with Red Hot Ears - I have been checked for a carcinoid syndrome but that test came back fine - im interested to know however how many of you work in from of a computer - keep this in mind and track when you use the computer and when you get the red ear syndrome - my feeling is electromagnetic radiation exposure from computers, tv, electronics - and while im at it maybe you should get a hair analysis (they can check heavy metal toxins in blood test as well) - mine results were quite interesting.

I have been reading all these posts tonight to help my daughter with her 8 year old son who has burning red ears and cheeks. Thank you to all for sharing your ideas and sufferings.

I am so relieved that I am not the only one that suffers this problem! I am a 37 year old female, have had digestive problems for years, had my gall bladder and appendix out last year, and feel quite stressed alot of the time with 4 young children and lots of other surrounding pressures. My left ear gets so red and hot on and off during the day and especially during a conversation with someone, or a group of people. Any caffeine/alcohol definitely makes it worse, and when it happens I can feel my heart rate go up and I feel more and more stressed as it gets redder. Now I'm thinking that I can see people's eyes shift to the left of my face all the time. I have started wearing my hair over my ears, and quite frequently seat myself in a way that people don't maybe notice it as much, if I'm sitting down in a group. Its really knocking my self confidence around and has been quite a problem for about 15 years, but I've never done anything about it. Its becoming more common for it to happen 2-3 times during the day, lasting for maybe up to 30 minutes or more.

I am a very nervy person anyway and its really getting me down. Maybe I should get some tests done. Any suggestions anyone?

I noticed that my 5 year old has been getting a red ear the past few weeks, mainly in the evening. I found this site and cannot believe how many people have it and how doctors can say they've never heard of it! There are a couple of worrying mail about serious illnesses but for most it seems more a nuisanse than anything else..which is reassurring. I hope we will get to the bottom of this soon.

My son gets hot red ears specifically after eating corn or potatoes. I have a Master's degree in science, and so I have read hundreds of studies in which lab animals experienced sever side effects from genetically-modified organisms (GMO) such as corn, soybeans, and potatoes. I experimented with his diet and restricted him at school and home to organic corn and potatoes for a few weeks, and his symptoms almost disappeared. FOLKS, we have all been eating genetically-modified corn, soy, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. for decades! The plants are modified to incorporate pesticide-like properties. When pests eat GM plants, the expressed proteins in the plant actually cause physical death to the insect by attaching to its liver, gut, and circulatory system. See http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef130.asp . Worse still, other snippets of genetic material help this process along. Manufacturers are not required to disclose what carriers, since this is considered "trade secrets."

However, the FDA approves GM plants in our diets because the bioag companies can demonstrate that human consumption causes no harm and it's "nutritioanlly similar" to non-GM crops. This of course is based on "proprietary data" and skewed lab studies. AND NO GM LABELING FOR PESTICIDES AS A FOOD ADDITIVE IS REQUIRED DUE TO THIS CONCLUSION. See http://www.responsibletechnology.org/utility/showArticle/?ObjectID=194 for a very good article on how this system works.

For those suffering and reading this, consider than GM corn is present not just in tortilla chips, popcorn, and cereal. The GM corn is milled down and used in cornstarches, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), fillers, release agents, flavorings, and who knows what else. HFCS is in innocuous items like fat-free yogurt and pizza crust.

So to those suffering out there, do 2 things:

1. Switch to as much organic food as you can, especially the things you eat a lot of. Think about your diet and read your labels. If you eat out a lot, consider your contamination paths there as well. Commercial food suppliers use vast amounts of GM corn because THEY CAN'T SELL IT IN JAPAN AND EUROPE ANYMORE!

2. Contact your state and national legislators to demand that GM-sourced foods be labeled. Google side effects of GM crops, and be informed from reliable scientific sources.

I have this problem...for more than 15 years!I am 45 now.I like many others feel like I am burning on myleft ear mostly. here is the strange thing, for me it happens almost always between 230pm-5pm??I started to observe others at my work and I also noticed most men get red ears aroun d the same time. I never mention this to my co-workers,but wonder if we all are eating somthing or is it stress/emotion??. not sure if it matters but I am mostly irish and they are also....and my son gets the same red ears, not my 2 dughters.HERE is a clue I think!BOTH MYSELF AND MY SON ARE ASTHMATICS WITH ALLERGIES,my 2 daughters are not.I have yet to figure this out,I also spoke to my doctor and he was clueless.

Every day or two for the last month or so I have been experiencing a red/fiery hot ear. More often than not it is just the left, a couple of times both and begins about 8 pm, lasting an hour or two.

Things that I have in common with many other suffers are migraines (have had since I was a child but controlled with feverfew) as well as just about every other type of headache known to man. I also frequently suffer from stiff joints. I am a 50 year old female Caucasian with O+ blood. I have enough "seasonal" allergies that I suffer from them year round.

I have found no correlation with drinking alcohol, working out or being stressed out. I see a chiropractor fairly regularly, and this does not appear to be linked to misalignment. My blood pressure is in the normal range. About two months ago I started eating significantly more fresh fruit and fish/sea food and have cut out most red meat and cheese. Have any of the rest of you experienced this after modifying your diet in a similar fashion?

From my mid 20s to late 30s I experienced the same type of redness and fiery burning in both feet. They would get so hot I thought they would be permanently damaged. I was told to take B complex and that helped dramatically. My feet will still get a little hot once in a while but not miserably so. Unfortunately B complex does not have the same effect with red/hot ear.

I am thankful that this condition does not appear to be life threatening although it is very irritating. It's comforting to know I am not the only one experiencing this.

Be blessed.

OMG like a lot of others, I can't believe the number of people with this condition/illness/symptom or whatever we have. My left ear has been getting red and hot for the last year. I have some things in common with many people on this post, but not all. I'm 61 yrs. old; do not drink alcohol; have seasonal allergies; get my red ear in the early evenings. It helps to know that I'm not alone, but I also wish there was some diagnosis. I'll definitely keep checking this site for more info.

I have the burning hot left ear for a couple of years, though it has only gotten more severe and persistant in the last few months. I do take anxiety meds that work really well for all the other symptoms, but does nothing for the ear. It usually occurs in the evening, as well. It is ALWAYS my left ear, and turns almost a purple-red. If I take a drink of alcohol, that always triggers it. But, sometimes the lobe will get a little itch and as soon as I touch it, it flames up! Happens a least once a day. My Dr. has run blood tests for everything known to man and everything checked out. I have slightly high cholesterol, but my Dr. said that wouldn't have anything to do with. And I actually have LOW BP! I am a 33 year old married caucasion female, married with 3 children. My sister occassionally suffers from it, too. But not often at all. I need help with this!!!!!

The things you find through google... so yea this happens to me too. =( I don't know why, i'm sure there's an answer somewhere on this page but there's a LOT of comments here!! >.<

I am 29 years old and get ears turned red very frequently. Recently I visited a dermatologist and he suggested me for IPL, Intense Pulsed Light. Has anyone being suggested this or undergone this treatment. Please post ur experiences.

I Googled IPL & Wikipedia has some info. IPL sounds promising and I plan on discussing this procedure with my Dermo. Along with red, hot ear, I have hair growth, dark wiry hair, on the top of my ears. Hair was not there prior to RES, and IPL is a method used to remove hair and prevent future growth. Maybe by having these radical hair follicles removed, my RES will go away. Good luck & keep us posted.

Strange but true, I have noticed a possible correlation between _MY_ RES and donating blood. The more I donate the less my ears are red.

1) It took about two years and 12 pints of donating blood the first time until I noticed relief. (This was just coincidence, I wasn't donating in order to get relief from RES.)

2) The RES returned after not donating for some time.

3) Now after donating again for about 8 months and 4 pints of blood, the RES is almost gone again.

So... how many of you donate blood on a regular basis every two months? It has me thinking that maybe some type of toxin is building up in my body and donating blood helps cleanse my system (like long ago people believed in "blood letting").

I have RES and ive noticed my left ear get red when I'm hungry

I have had red ear two nights in a row at the same time and before having to do numero 2, but first it was the right ear, now the left ear... weird.. I have been stressed and tired lately because of exams, this red ear might be part and parcel from the stress...

Desperately looking for answers on my sons red ears and health. He's had red, hot ears that come and go along with his hair standing up. He has anger and rages along with leg weakness and eyes that roll into his head. Everything has been ruled out including suizures. He says he feels energy running up and down his legs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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?

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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???

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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!!

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.

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

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