I got my upper ear (cartilage) pierced on the first Saturday of November, and I'm still having a lot of problems with it. It's been painful since the beginning, constantly red (sometimes purple), and is very swollen. Now it's developed a HUGE bump on the back, and feels burning hot. I removed the earring to clean the back (only 2nd time) which should be ok since I've had it for an appropriate length of time, but when I went to wipe it with cleaner, the tissue had a tiny spot of blood on it. I didn't think cartilage bled since it's dense connective tissue with low blood supply, but this is definetly blood or else really red pus. I'm really tired of having a throbbing hot ear, but I don't want to lose my piercing...please help! Would you recommend I visit a doctor for this? I'm not sure how serious (if at all) it is.
2006-12-22 14:30:34 · 6 answers · asked by katluver005 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Keep dabbing rubbing alcohol on it. It will kill any of the germs that are lurking there and help dry up the hole.
If this continues any longer you may want to see a doctor. But they most likely will tell you to pull out the earring.
2006-12-22 14:33:13 · answer #1 · answered by maamu 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I'm afraid to say that it sounds like infection. I don't know if you are going to lose your piercing, but you may end up losing your ear because, as you know, cartilage has a very low blood supply and antibiotics don't penetrate adequately, so any infection of cartilage is quite difficult to treat and can spread easily if not treated promptly. So, the answer is YES, go to a doctor right away, you might need some drainage, otherwise you may end up with an ugly deformity in your ear.
2006-12-22 22:36:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
visit a doctor. my cartilage piercing has a big bump on the back, but it has had that sense i got it pierced. mine does get warm and throb, but only after i've slept on it or smacked it or something. i still have the occasionally pus in mine (i have 2 holes in the back, 1 in front, so it bleeds when i try to go between the 2 holes in back). anyway, visit a doctor that doesn't sound good at all.
2006-12-22 22:33:18 · answer #3 · answered by me 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I first got my ear pierced, it hurt...really badly. Then a bump formed on the back of my left ear. I told my mother, she ignored me. Then, I kept complaining and she took me to the doctor. Both of my ears were infected and the holes closed up almost immediatly after she took the earrings out. I think that it is infected. I recommend a doctor.
2006-12-22 22:36:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may have developed a cyst also. go to the doctor or back to where you had it done, even a pharmacist may be able to look and give you advice. I tired piecings and devoloped cyst at and around the site. some people get this wierd scar tissue where they have been "injured", your body sees a piecing as injury. you may have that condition. hope not. and ice it for the heat and swelling till you get somewhere and have it checked.
2006-12-22 22:42:47 · answer #5 · answered by booboobear 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probaby yes. you should talk to a doctor
2006-12-22 22:32:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋