The red ear syndrome

Abstract

The complaint of a painful, burning, red ear may be associated with irritation of the third cervical root, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or thalamic syndrome. It may also occur without obvious structural cause in response to touch or heat. The condition may be an example of the ABC (Angry Back-firing C-nociceptor) syndrome with the increase in ear temperature being caused by the antidromic release of vasodilator peptides.