Strange lump on neck

[steve30]

After a month with few problems, my neck has started hurting a bit again after having been out for two bike rides over the last fortnight. One about 8 miles and one about 13 miles.

Got a headache the day after the first ride. 

Hopefully I will be going to the optician next week to sort out some contact lenses which will at least mean that I don't have to have my neck at a funny angle to see through my glasses. I hate cycling with glasses on.

 

[Jaguar]

I'm not posting this to scare you, just to get you to request a 2nd opinion.

I had an ulcer on my tongue for several weeks. Dentist gave me mouthwash, GP gave me numbing spray, GP a few weeks after that gave me more ulcer treatment. After 3 months I also had a lump in my neck (directly below my ear: lymph glands).

GP finally sent me to the hospital, and guess what .... Big C. It hadn't occurred to them what it might really be because I was so young (24).

 

[steve30]

I saw another GP the other day and he said there is definitely a lump there and agreed with my mother that there is an alignment problem.

He said the lump could be caused by something which could have calcified. I don't recall quite what he said. (Am I the only one who finds that doctors talk very quietly?).

He has referred me to the Orthopaedic Triage Service.

 

[Fran143]

These are quite common on the hand but do occur elsewhere, http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Ganglion.htms I think your GP may be considering this if he is referring you to orthopods.

 

[pepecat]

Hey steve
I have two lumps in my neck - one each side - just at the base of my neck where is starts to flatten out onto the collar bone. They're hard, and kinda on top of or connected to the nerves in my arm cos if i press them i can feel the nerve all the way down my arm tingling.
When i was about 18 i noticed these and was sent to a consultant (i think the gp thought it was hodgkinsons) and had various tests, one of which was an ultrasound. It was then revealed that these two lumps were indeed calcified tissue. They've been there ever since (i'm now 35), and don't cause me any trouble really apart from very occasional ache. They don't seem to have gotten any bigger either......
So calcified tissue it may be - i don't think it's all that common, but it doesn't seem to be a problem either (in my experience!).

 

[steve30]

The lady at the orthopaedic triage service wondered if it might be a growth of bone due to sitting in funny positions all the time.

But she referred me to the hospital to see a consultant.

The consultant didn't say much, but he sent me for another X Ray. I am also having an MRI scan on Wednesday.

 

[steve30]

I had my MRI scan last Wednesday.

Got to wait till July for my next appointment with the consultant though.

 

[Banjo]

Good luck I worried myself silly about a similar thing.Turned out to be harmless , removed in a 10 minute op under local anaesthetic.

The wating for appoiontments is the worst thing. Got to do it though.

 

[Lizzy]

An X ray wont show squat, X rays are for bones typically, you may need and ultrasound or an MRI, but the bottom line is dont' leave it. Chances are its a cycst, necks are fairly common, it could be an inverted hair that has gone wrong... Cycst typically are not scary and unless they are actually causing you problems they may be better left alone.

Alternatively it could be a swollen lymph node or a variety of other things, including grissle... (lol I've a lump in my jaw that is slightly mobile, that we've decided is grissle). Brave the GP just in case, these things are better checked out and put to bed sooner than later. It may be that you don't need anything other than a GP giving it a prod and saying nothing to worry about... but you need the GP to see it

 

[Lizzy]

Oh the lump on my neck finally broke today (it has to have been on my neck for probably 9 years (had it looked at early on). Well this lump was a sabacious cyst, if I'd known that in the first place I'd have got a heat pad on it twice a day.... Do get yours checked out.

 

[woohoo]

I had one of these cysts on my neck for years. The GP said to leave it be until it caused problems. It latterly got larger and started to discharge a bit. At that point the GP sent me to a health centre where they removed it; all fairly painless. It was the size of a marble (so I was told) and apart from a small scar, there is no trace of it ever being there.

 

[steve30]

Back to square one. Saw someone at the hospital last week. I am still no wiser as to what this lump is or whether it is related to the pain I get in my neck.

On the positive side though, I have not had any problems with my neck for a few months.

 

[willhub]

I've got a weird lump on left side of my neck, unlike yours tho it just stays put and does not change size or anything or hurt, it's pretty easy for me to locate it and feel it with my fingers but the doctors seem to not even take note of it and take ages to spot it they're so awkward!

 

[lesley_x]

I had a lump on my neck I noticed when I was 16. Went to the docs, probably an infection.

It never went away and I never thought anything of it.

Turns out (5 years later!) it was an autoimmune disease causing my lymph nodes to swell.

 

[numbnuts]

I had a pain in the neck, she divorced me