I've had this lumpy type thing in my left ear for...well, a while now. Now, I know lumps are bad...but it didn't hurt, or otherwise have any effect on my life, so I just sort of ignored it.
Bad idea, eh? This week, it started hurting. So, I went to see the doctor tonight, and behold! An infected cyst. He poked my ear (ow), drained out the pus (ew), gave me a prescription for antibiotics, and sent me on my somewhat-less-than-merry way.
Ah, yes, and a bit of a lecture. It seems that my doctor believes earrings are evil. My ears are pierced seven times (three in the left, four in the right), so I wondered what caused the cyst, since the other six holes are doing just fine. He made a comment about poking a needle through skin, with obvious distaste. He also told me not to put an earring in that particular hole...ever. Apparently, the earring will just pierce through the cyst, it will get infected again, yada yada yada.
"So...should I get the cyst removed, then?" I asked. "No, it isn't really necessary." Um...apparently it is, if I want to wear that earring again.
This, of course, has brought on some questions. First off, questioning my choice of doctors. He was my general physician for...at least ten years, and a very good one at that. I hadn't seen him in about five years, due to not being sick, then moving out of state (and out of the country). As a doctor, he's entirely competent, and I liked him quite a bit when I was younger...but the whole distaste for earrings in general, and especially multiple earrings, bothered me. I could see not liking, say, tongue piercings or facial piercings...but EAR piercings? C'mon, now.
Obviously, I don't have a lot to stand on here, since my ear was infected...but I still found that weird.
Secondly, and more along the lines of health (ah, I knew there was a point in here somewhere!), how common is this? I've searched google, webMD, yahoo health, and I'm not coming up with a lot here. Doc acted like he sees it all the time, but honestly, I've never heard of it. Infections, sure, but a cyst? Nope.
Thirdly, how silly would it be to try and get this thing removed? I love earrings. I love wearing lots of earrings. Is that really worth undergoing minor surgery for? I haven't decided yet...cost is really the main factor here, as I'm not sure how much, if any, of the cost my insurance will cover. (of course, I'll check, I just haven't been able to yet.) Not to mention I feel a bit flakey for even considering surgery just so I can wear an earring again...
Thoughts, anyone?