Im not sure about hehind the ears but I got them alot of plasses I never thought was even a joint. Im finding that Ra can attack and leave lumps and bumps everywhere ! I went to the eye dr yesterday and I have plaque built up hehind my eyes from plaquenel. they said it was rare and Ive only been on it for less than 2 years.but rare is not even a word in my life anymore sinse Ra came along.

Tina,

thanks for the reply! There sure is some rare stuff that happens with RA, that's why I kinda think that this bump is a nodule.

I'm sorry to hear that Plaquenil has harmed your eyes. I was only on it for about 5 or 6 months, but it did not help me at all. When I had developed dry eyes, due to Sjogren's, about 6 months after stopping the plaquenil my opthalmologist said he could see some "debris" in the back of my eye that he said "remind me to watch each time I see you." That was a year ago and he no longer sees it there. I hope it is something that will clear up for you and not affect your vision permanently.

Hugs,
Jo

Hey Mamawjo,i'm very sorry to here that you're not feeling well. I also lost my hearing about 3 months ago and the ENT that i saw doesn't think it will come back. I thought it was an ear infection but it turned out to be RA affecting my TMJ joints along with sudden hearing loss. So they increased my prednisone and now I'm waiting to see if that and the new mouth piece will help. But I don't have a RA nodule behind my ear only on my elbows. Be encouraged

Gentle hugs
Avis

I would get your rheumy to look at it. Mine told me that you can get them anywhere, but the most usual places are where you rest, or rub your skin. They do not have to be near joints, although mine is on my Left little finger knuckle.

I met a woman who was doing a "natural" cure, no joint pain, but HUGE nodules on her arms. It made me wonder what was going on inside the joints. They can be surgically removed, but my rheumy says they often return. Little pieces of skin RA. Sigh!

aavis,
My hearing loss was sudden, too. My ENT tried me on prednisone starting at 60 mg and very, very slow tapering down for 8 months. It didn't help the hearing one iota, but that was just me. There was someone on the Sjogren's board with sudden hearing loss. Her ENT gave her prednisone injections right into her ear and that helped her. I've had the hearing loss for 2 years. My grandma had RA and hearing loss and I can remember as a child when we wanted to get her to hear something we would shout really loud into her "good" ear. We laughed about it as kids, but now I'm feeling ever so guilty that happened! Sometimes makes me think I asked for these hearing issues :( I really hope you can get some good results from the steroids. Take care.

Angela,
I'm glad you said any place you tend to rub your skin. I'm always rubbing the back of this ear to try to get the stuffiness and pressure to subside. Maybe it could really be a nodule. My step-son has RA with lots of nodules, but absolutely no joint pain or other symptoms. They diagnosed him based on the nodules and super-super high rheumatoid factor. His rheumy immediately put him on a biologic based on the nodules because they are supposed to mean more severe RA. He just doesn't get it when I have this terrible joint pain and stiffness. He was only stiff once when he had to miss his Enbrel for 2 weeks. Strange how this disease affects everyone a little differently.

Thanks everyone for the replies. It really means a lot when others can relate.

Hello Mamawjo,

I too have a Rheumatoid nodule behind my ear. I have over 50 nodules all over my body, and my Rheumy has told me that they dont have to be on joints, although most of mine are. But i do have about 7-8 of them that arent really on a joint just on random places Ie: behind my ear, my fore arm, my calf muscle etc.. and anyways i have problems with that jaw also when I flare, and lose my hearing in that ear when I flare also.
I am currently on MTX and starting enbrel this week.
Take care,
Brandy

Brandy,
Thanks for confirming that nodules CAN form behind the ear. I'm sorry you are suffering the hearing loss also. I don't think this is a very common symptom of RA because you hardly ever read about it in literature. I only have one other nodule and it is on my toe. I can't imagine having 50!! I was on MTX for 8 months before my liver enzymes skyrocketed. It helped me quite a bit. Then my rheumy put me on Arava and not so much. I hope he will consider trying Enbrel next. I read somewhere that it is promissing for autoimmune hearing loss. I hope that it helps you.
Take care,
Jo