Differential Diagnosis for Ear Cartilage Pain

• Single most likely diagnosis
  • Perichondritis: This is an infection of the tissue surrounding the cartilage of the ear, often caused by trauma or piercing. It's a common cause of ear cartilage pain and has a distinct clinical presentation.
• Other Likely diagnoses
  • Cellulitis: A bacterial skin infection that can cause pain, redness, and swelling around the ear cartilage.
  • Trauma: Direct injury to the ear cartilage can cause pain, swelling, and bruising.
  • Relapsing polychondritis: A rare autoimmune disorder, but when it affects the ear, it can cause cartilage pain and is more likely than some other autoimmune conditions.
• Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
  • Necrotizing otitis externa: A severe infection of the outer ear and cartilage that can spread to the skull base and cause significant morbidity or mortality, especially in diabetic or immunocompromised patients.
  • Malignancy (e.g., basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma): Although rare, cancers can cause ear cartilage pain and would have a significant impact on prognosis if missed.
• Rare diagnoses
  • Chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica helicis: A benign condition causing a painful nodule on the helix of the ear, which is part of the ear cartilage.
  • Gout or pseudogout: These conditions can cause sudden, severe pain and swelling in the ear cartilage, although this is a rare presentation.
  • Sarcoidosis: An autoimmune disease that can affect multiple parts of the body, including the ears, causing cartilage pain among other symptoms.