Pain behind the root of the ear may be related to mastoiditis, sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis, Bezold’s abscess and other diseases.
1. Mastoiditis: This disease is caused by purulent otitis media spreading to the mastoid, causing bacterial infection of the mucous membrane in the mastoid, and the skin of the mastoid may be mildly swollen and flushed. The outer wall of the tympanic sinus, the mastoid conduction vessels and the tip of the mastoid have obvious pressure pain, i.e. pain behind the root of the ear.
2. Thrombophlebitis of ethmoid sinus: This disease is mainly caused by the destruction of the ethmoid sinus plate by mastoiditis of the middle ear, the infection spreads directly to the ethmoid sinus, and the infection involves the mastoid conduction vessels, the internal jugular vein and its peripheral lymph nodes, and there is pain in the back of the ear, the back of the occiput, or the neck, and the back of the mastoid has a mild edema.
3. Bezold’s abscess: when suppurative otitis media secondary to pus storage in the mastoid process, the bone wall there is often ulcerated, and the pus spills out through here, forming an abscess between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the middle layer of the deep cervical fascia. There is pain in the neck on the same side of the affected ear, and neck movement is limited, and the patient is afraid to turn his head.
When there is pain behind the root of the ear, there are many other possibilities, including lymphadenitis, parotid gland infection, etc. It is important to consult a doctor for systematic examination to clarify the diagnosis and cause of the disease.