If you have a lump at the root of the ear and have painful symptoms, it is more likely to be a sebaceous cyst. Because of the rich distribution of sebaceous glands around the auricle, poor local hygiene in particular can easily lead to obstruction of the sebaceous glands and even secondary infection. In the early stage, the local mass will gradually increase in size, and if there is an obvious inflammatory reaction, an abscess will be formed, so the patient will experience severe pain and fever, and there will even be obvious local fluctuations and an increase in skin temperature during physical examination. In this case, surgery should be chosen in a timely manner for incision and drainage, avoiding damage to adjacent tissues during the operation. Post-operative anti-infection treatment is also needed systematically, with regular drug changes. There are also some patients who suffer from swollen lymph nodes behind the ear, which may also manifest as localized bumps with painful symptoms.