Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSunburnAllergic ReactionEmotionsEar InfectionRed Ear SyndromeErythromelalgiaSkin InfectionSeborrheic EczemaRelapsing Polychondritis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Sunburn
Allergic Reaction
Emotions
Ear Infection
Red Ear Syndrome
Erythromelalgia
Skin Infection
Seborrheic Eczema
Relapsing Polychondritis
Burning and hot ears may be a sign of a medical condition, or it may occur on its own. Hot ears can occur with strong emotions, or turn red as a result of ear infections, skin infections, or allergic reactions. Hormonal changes and even rare conditions likered earsyndrome (RES) can be the culprits.
Where and how you experience hot ears can provide clues about what is happening. Burning that affects one ear but not both may mean an infection. Two hot ears after hours outdoors may be sunburn, especially since people often forget sunscreen for their ears.
A healthcare provider can review these symptoms to make a diagnosis.
IAN HOOTON/SPL/ Getty Images
If you get a sunburn on your ears, it will feel similar to how it would feel if you got burned anywhere on your body. In addition to pain and burning, a sunburn on your ears can cause:
Treatment
Most sunburns heal on their own within a few days to a week. Treating a mild sunburn can include:
Avoiding the sun while you heal will eliminate further pain and skin damage. If blisters form on skin that has been sunburned, do not pop them. The blisters are part of the healing process and help protect your skin from infection.
When to Seek Care for SunburnHaving a mild sunburn can be uncomfortable but is not serious. However, if you have a severe sunburn, you can become dangerously dehydrated.If you develop a fever, become extremely weak, faint, or have low blood pressure, go to the emergency room.
When to Seek Care for Sunburn
Having a mild sunburn can be uncomfortable but is not serious. However, if you have a severe sunburn, you can become dangerously dehydrated.If you develop a fever, become extremely weak, faint, or have low blood pressure, go to the emergency room.
A skin allergy (orcontact dermatitis) may be another reason that your ears might be burning. This can happen if you are exposed to allergens such as:
Nickel-plated jewelry is a common allergen for people who have pierced ears. Anickel allergymay cause hives, redness, itching, and burning. Some people experience swelling, and the ear can also feel hot to the touch.
The main treatment for contact dermatitis is avoiding exposure. For example, if you react to a piece of jewelry, you would need to stop wearing it.
In some cases, you might need to see your healthcare provider or a dermatologist. They may prescribe a medicated cream to help your skin heal.
Blushing or flushing of the face, neck, and upper chest is a commonphysiologicalresponse to strong emotions, like anger or embarrassment. Sudden emotional reddening is due to increased blood flow.
Flushing can also affect the ears. When a person experiences a powerful emotion, their ears may get red and feel hot to the touch. They may also feel a burning sensation.
Other causes of facial flushing include:
You are also more likely to experience facial flushing if you have certain lifecycle or health conditions.Flushing may be seen in people who:
Why Do My Ears Get Hot When I’m Tired?Studies suggest that the temperature of your ears and the position of your body when you sleep may increase blood flow to the ears. The ears then become warmer and more red in color. More research is needed, but if the relationship between ear temperature and sleepiness is established, it may lead to new ways of preventing risky scenarios like drivers who fall asleep.
Why Do My Ears Get Hot When I’m Tired?
Studies suggest that the temperature of your ears and the position of your body when you sleep may increase blood flow to the ears. The ears then become warmer and more red in color. More research is needed, but if the relationship between ear temperature and sleepiness is established, it may lead to new ways of preventing risky scenarios like drivers who fall asleep.
Anear infectioncan also cause pain and a burning sensation to the outer ear, depending on the severity andtype of infectionyou have.
Middle ear infectionsare a common type of ear infection.Thesymptoms of an ear infectioninclude:
Ear infections often go away without treatment but there are some things that you can do to alleviate your symptoms.Home remediesinclude:
Red ear syndromeis a poorly understood condition that may be linked to migraine headaches.It typically produces one-sided ear reddening and burning but can affect both ears also. The burning and redness can last up to several hours, and attacks happen on and off repeatedly.
The ear may swell and, in some cases, the eye on the affected side may water or become irritated.Triggers for red ear syndrome may include:
People can experience red ear syndrome at any age. In addition to ear redness and eye irritation, a person can also have redness in the cheek on the same side.
Since little is understood about red ear syndrome, it is unclear what the best treatment for the condition is.People with red ear syndrome might benefit from:
Topical anesthetics and cooling of the skin also may help.
Erythromelalgiais a rare condition affecting the feet and sometimes the hands. Very rarely, it can also affect the ears.Symptoms can affect one or both sides of the body.
People with erythromelalgia experience:
There’s no definitive known cause for erythromelalgia, but there might be a familial link.
Each person with erythromelalgia responds differently to the available treatments; what works well for one person with the condition may not work for someone else.
However, many people with erythromelalgia find fans, gel packs, and other cooling techniques are an effective way to soothe their symptoms. Other treatments include:
Nerve blocks and surgical implants also are options.
A nick, cut, or insect bite can cause the skin around the outside of the ear to become infected. An infection of the skin around the outer ear is calledotitis externa.
Other causes of thistype of skin infectioninclude acne,eczema,psoriasis, or an allergic reaction.
An infection of the skin of the ear can cause:
A skin infection will often go away without treatment. However, if you notice that an infection is getting worse or spreading, you should see a healthcare provider.
Treating a severe skin infection of the ear can be difficult because the ear does not have many blood vessels. When considering treatment, your healthcare provider will need to determine whether it is a fungal orbacterial infection.
Topicalear dropsare usually the first-line treatment for a skin infection that involves the outer ear canal. The drops may contain antibiotics or other ingredients such as acetic acid. Oral antibiotics are the last resort for severe infections.
Seborrheic eczema(also called seborrheic dermatitis) affects areas of the skin that tend to produce oil, including the face and scalp. It can also affect the ears. It can look like a rash and may produce a burning sensation.
The symptoms of this type of eczema include:
The basic treatment for seborrheic eczema involves washing the skin with a zinc cleanser and moisturizing after bathing or showering.
Medical treatments include topical antifungals or medicated personal hygiene products.
For severe cases ofseborrheic dermatitis, a dermatologist may prescribe a topical corticosteroid or calcineurin inhibitor.
Relapsing polychondritisis a rare degenerative disease that primarily affects the cartilage in the body, including the ears. The main symptoms of relapsing polychondritis include:
The cause of relapsing polychondritis is not known. However, experts believe that the disease is an autoimmune condition.
Treatment for relapsing polychondritis usually involves corticosteroids and OTC pain medications. In very severe cases that involve the heart, a healthcare provider may recommend immunosuppressants.
Summary
There are many causes of hot, burning ears. Sometimes the burning sensation occurs with redness and swelling of the skin of the ears. Emotions, environmental exposure to sunlight, or very hot or cold temperatures can cause the ears to burn.
Cooling the skin or taking OTC pain medication can provide relief, and staying away from triggers is a good way to avoid discomfort. Sometimes, though, burning ears are a sign of an underlying health problem such as an ear infection or autoimmune condition.
A healthcare provider can prescribe medication to help treat the symptoms. If your ears are burning and the pain is not getting better or is getting worse, a healthcare provider can make a diagnosis and discuss treatment options.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Suebsarakam P, Mairiang D.Accuracy and adequacy of photoprotection in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients, and the effect of education on photoprotection: a prospective study.Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2023 Oct 17;21(1):123. doi: 10.1186/s12969-023-00901-z.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sunburn.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA).How to treat sunburn.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).Skin allergy.Nucera E, Aruanno A, Rizzi A, Centrone M.Latex Allergy: Current Status and Future Perspectives.J Asthma Allergy. 2020 Sep 28;13:385-398. doi:10.2147/JAA.S242058American Academy of Dermatology.Nickel Allergy: How to Avoid Exposure and Reduce Symptoms.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).Contact dermatitis.Santa Clara University.Red in the Face: The Science of Blushing.MedlinePlus.Skin blushing/flushing.Hannah-Shmouni F, Stratakis CA, Koch CA.Flushing in (neuro)endocrinology.Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2016;17(3):373-380. doi:10.1007/s11154-016-9394-8Schinkelshoek MS, Fronczek R, de Boer AFJ, de Wit K, Tannemaat MR, Lammers GJ.Warm ears, a red flag for sleepiness?J Sleep Res. 2023 Apr;32(2):e13707. doi:10.1111/jsr.13707MedlinePlus.Ear infection — acute.Raieli V, Compagno A, D’Amelio M.Red Ear Syndrome.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(3):19. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0547-yDermNet.Red ear syndrome.Sigdel B, Pokhrel A.Idiopathic red ear syndrome: a rare case report.Clin Case Rep. 2022;11;10(3):e05564. doi:10.1002/ccr3.5564Castellanos-Gonzalez M, De Manueles F, Martos MG, Rodríguez MAS.Successful treatment of red ear syndrome with botulinum toxin type A.Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2019;85(1):107-108. doi:10.4103/ijdvl.IJDVL_111_18Hernández CR, Loza SM, López RL, Del Mar García Romero M.Red Ear Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2018;34(10):e199-e200. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001633Ye YT, Lu JF, Wu HH, Liu JH, Zhao YK, Luo DQ.Auricular erythermalgia showing excellent response to itraconazole: a case report.Ther Adv Chronic Dis.2022 May 19;13:20406223221099335. doi:10.1177/20406223221099335National Organization for Rare Disorders.Erythromelalgia.The Erythromelalgia Association.A Patient’s Guide to Erythromelalgia.MedlinePlus.Skin infections.DermNet.Otitis externa.National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Relapsing polychondritis.DermNet.Relapsing polychondritis.
Suebsarakam P, Mairiang D.Accuracy and adequacy of photoprotection in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients, and the effect of education on photoprotection: a prospective study.Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2023 Oct 17;21(1):123. doi: 10.1186/s12969-023-00901-z.
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American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).Skin allergy.
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American Academy of Dermatology.Nickel Allergy: How to Avoid Exposure and Reduce Symptoms.
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MedlinePlus.Skin blushing/flushing.
Hannah-Shmouni F, Stratakis CA, Koch CA.Flushing in (neuro)endocrinology.Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2016;17(3):373-380. doi:10.1007/s11154-016-9394-8
Schinkelshoek MS, Fronczek R, de Boer AFJ, de Wit K, Tannemaat MR, Lammers GJ.Warm ears, a red flag for sleepiness?J Sleep Res. 2023 Apr;32(2):e13707. doi:10.1111/jsr.13707
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Raieli V, Compagno A, D’Amelio M.Red Ear Syndrome.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(3):19. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0547-y
DermNet.Red ear syndrome.
Sigdel B, Pokhrel A.Idiopathic red ear syndrome: a rare case report.Clin Case Rep. 2022;11;10(3):e05564. doi:10.1002/ccr3.5564
Castellanos-Gonzalez M, De Manueles F, Martos MG, Rodríguez MAS.Successful treatment of red ear syndrome with botulinum toxin type A.Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2019;85(1):107-108. doi:10.4103/ijdvl.IJDVL_111_18
Hernández CR, Loza SM, López RL, Del Mar García Romero M.Red Ear Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2018;34(10):e199-e200. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001633
Ye YT, Lu JF, Wu HH, Liu JH, Zhao YK, Luo DQ.Auricular erythermalgia showing excellent response to itraconazole: a case report.Ther Adv Chronic Dis.2022 May 19;13:20406223221099335. doi:10.1177/20406223221099335
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The Erythromelalgia Association.A Patient’s Guide to Erythromelalgia.
MedlinePlus.Skin infections.
DermNet.Otitis externa.
National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Relapsing polychondritis.
DermNet.Relapsing polychondritis.
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