Hard lump behind ear?

[Mango95]

Hey guys,
I've had a small, hard, immovable lump behind my ear for 8-10 years now. I've never thought anything of it as it doesn't cause any symptoms at all. But recently I've been obsessing over it! I know it's very unlikely to have some sort of cancer for 8-10 years without any symptoms but I have no idea what that thing could be and am so afraid that it might be some slow-growing lymphoma or something as it is immovable...
Does anyone have a similar lump and can ease my mind or tell what it might be?
(Ps. Hope you get what I'm trying so say, not a native speaker here :unsure:)

[countrygirl]

I have had these in the past and they are with me lymph nodes. If you have ever had a serious infection anywhere in your head/face/teeth then you can get a pea sized node that stays noticeable usually due to scarring, I had chickenpox when I was 28 and it took 15 years for the nodes at back of my head to not be feelable!

As you say if you have had this lump for this long it has to be harmless. If it suddenly got bigger very fast then i am sure you would be off to the Dr's:D but that is almost certainly not going to happen.

Resist the urge to prod and poke it as this will inflame it and then your worst fear of the node getting bigger will happen but only because of what you are doing. Gentle feel for a second once a month to reassure you its the same would be what I would do.

[Rhiannon.]

It sounds like a Lymph node. If you've been aware of it so long then the likelihood of it being sinister is incredibly low. See your doc if you are concerned but if it hasn't changed it that long try not to worry :)

Easier said than done, I know. I've been worrying about a lymph node on my neck for the last week or so. I know I've had it years and I've even seen the doc about it once, but for whatever reason my mind has decided to focus on it.

Health anxiety is fun, isn't it? XD

[Mango95]

Thanks for your replies :) Yeah I think it's a lymph node too, that's why it scares me so much. The first results you get when you google "hard, immovable lymph node" is cancer..

[HopelessWorrier2011]

Hi, I've got the same been there for quite some time. If I remember rightly a Dr told me it was a node but it's that hard and near my ear I'm thinking it could just be my bone structure x

[Fishmanpa]

I'm thinking it's part of your bone structure.

Positive thoughts