Red ear syndrome – Case report and review of literature

Abstract

Red ear syndrome is characterized by: paroxysmal, unilateral, recurrent pain, redness and discomfort of the ear lobe accompanied by a burning sensation. The duration and frequency of red ear syndrome attacks is very various and the episodes, usually occur spontaneously. The pathophysiology is still unknown and also there are no medications with approved efficacy. The goal of this brief report is to present a 11-year old girls whose symptoms of red ear syndrome preceded migraine without aura and the signs of redness of the ear occurred in clusters. The occurrence of symptoms of our case may have confirmed the observation that red ear syndrome is associated with primary headaches particularly migraine and cluster headaches. The literature on this case report of pediatric idiopathic red ear syndrome has been reviewed.

A Case Report on Red Ear Syndrome with Tinnitus Successfully Treated with Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation

“…As in both other case reports describing RES and tinnitus, the clinical complaints of our patient were associated (but not specifically temporarily coupled) with migraine comorbidity (4,5). The close interaction of RES and cervical or temporomandibular joint disorders (38) might provide an explanation for the co-existence of RES and tinnitus in this patient. Altered somatosensory input has been suggested as a trigger or contributing factor for tinnitus generation since the late 90s (39,40).…”

“…The symptoms were characterized by the presence of attack-like unilateral pain experiences during which the involved ear becomes red and burning. Ten out of the initially described 12 patients suffered from upper cervical arachnoiditis, cervical root traction, cervical facet joint spondylosis, glossopharyngeal and trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and thalamic syndrome (38). Among the about 90 published cases of RES, 60% are about women and 40% are about men (6,38).…”

“…Ten out of the initially described 12 patients suffered from upper cervical arachnoiditis, cervical root traction, cervical facet joint spondylosis, glossopharyngeal and trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and thalamic syndrome (38). Among the about 90 published cases of RES, 60% are about women and 40% are about men (6,38). In only 2 cases has RES been described to be accompanied by chronic tinnitus in the literature: in the first one in 2011, the authors only stated "Bilateral tinnitus and migraine without aura were secondary complaints" without any further explanation or characterization of the phantom percept (5).…”

Evaluation of a Red Ear in the Pediatric Population

“…1 The episodes may occur spontaneously or may be precipitated by touch, changes in temperature, stress, or movement. 1,5…”

“…1,6 Idiopathic disease, which is more commonly seen in pediatric patients, may be associated with primary headache syndromes, including migraines and cluster headaches. 1,4,7…”