Red ear syndrome is linked to migraines, but can also occur with other types of headaches or injuries to the brain or neck. A 2010 study found that 23% of children with migraines had red ear symptoms, while only 4% of children with other types of headaches had them. Damage to the thalamus can also lead to the syndrome, but it can also develop without an obvious cause.
The causes of red ear syndrome, a condition first described in the 1990s, are not well understood. It is linked to headaches, particularly migraines, although symptoms of the disorder can occur alongside other types of headaches or with injuries to the brain or neck. There are also many cases of this condition that appear to have no obvious cause. These can be triggered by simple neck or jaw movements.
A 2010 study showed a connection between red ear syndrome and migraines in children. Observations of more than 200 children aged 4 to 17 showed that 23% of children with migraine had red ear symptoms, while only 4% of children with other types of headaches had red ear symptoms. red ear. The study also found that males were more likely than females to have these symptoms.
While children with migraines were much more likely than children with other types of headaches to have red ear syndrome, it can appear as a symptom of other headaches as well. Both adults and children can develop redness, warmth, and soreness in one or both ears along with trigeminal autonomic cluster disorders, including cluster headaches. An injury to the third vertebra of the neck can also trigger pain in the neck and head which can lead to this syndrome.
Damage to the thalamus can also lead to red ear syndrome. People with this condition experience a hypersensitivity to pain due to damage to the thalamus in the brain. This section of the brain is responsible for activating pain sensation in the body.
Aside from these conditions which are known to be linked to this syndrome, the disorder can develop without an obvious cause. Pain, warmth, and redness may occur in one or both ears as a result of touching the ear or moving the neck or jaw. These attacks often come on suddenly and can last up to a couple of hours. A bout of red ear syndrome from moving or touching the ear, however, does not necessarily occur every time the trigger occurs.
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