I have a lump next to my ear at the front it's painful i fount it about 3 days ago i think it's gone down a little , i did have dry scalp on top of ea?

Mumps?: In light of recent flair-ups in mumps cases, do you have any fever? If not mumps are unlikely--especially unilaterally. Do you have an inflammation in your scalp because this could cause an inflamed lymph node in front of your ear. It is not cancer. I would observe it for changes in size or degree of pain for another few days. It will probably go away by itself.