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Helix piercing swollen, red, painful: emergency hospital visit needed?

Helix piercing swollen, red, painful: emergency hospital visit needed?

I have a Helix Piercing in the right ear, it's there since May 2023 and now the cartilage is swollen a lot, red and hot and painful when I touch it. No liquid yet come out. The symptoms started yesterday morning and got worse overnight. What can I do to make it better? Is it an emergency to go to the hospital?

Submitted on 07/12/2025

1 specialist answered

Yoy have to be examined because according to the location of the inflammation (swelling, heat etc) and the proximity to the piercing this can be either an infection related to the piercing or a de novo inflammation of the ear cartilage. In the first case the piercing must be removed, which sometimes might be painful. In both cases antibiotic cream should be started as soon as possible and oral antibiotic prescription might be needed as well sometimes.

Χουλάκης Κωνσταντίνος

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Otolaryngologist (ENT) | Ilisia

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