If you have painful bumps behind your ears when touched, consider the possibility of folliculitis boils caused by bacterial infections or swollen lymph nodes caused by local infections. Folliculitis boils occur on the surface of the skin as red and swollen papules or nodules, sometimes with pus heads on the surface. This can be treated with topical anti-infective fusidic acid cream or mupirocin cream, applied topically 2-3 times a day, making sure not to pick and squeeze, and with oral antibiotics if the rash is painful. If the nodules are movable under the skin, the possibility of lymph nodes is high. At this time, active anti-infection treatment is needed, and the lymph nodes can return to normal on their own after the infection subsides, for example, common bacterial and viral infections and colds may lead to enlarged lymph nodes behind the ear.