I have a small lump on my neck, what do you think it is?

I have something like that on my arm, and the doctor said it was just a cyst. It's worth getting it looked at, though.

I am not going to scream it's cancer, but, I am going to say, get it checked out by a medical professional. I thought I had an infection. Hopefully it is nothing, or, at worst, a cyst. Not getting it checked, however, is risky business. Hoping it's nothing. Really!

Ok thanks. I forgot to mention that the surface feels smooth and round underneath the skin. I guess it fits the definition of a cyst. Any idea if these things go away or should I try taking some of the antibiotics (cephalexin) my doc gave me for the butt cyst I had last year?

your head

You might have mono. Get tested.

thanks for the concern cancer guy. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac these days and it seems I'm getting something checked out every couple of months or so for something that the doc tells me its nothing to worry. If going to the doc didn't cost anything and I had the money to get everything that comes up checked I probably would. The lump is so small you can't really tell it's there just by looking at it. Anything wrong with keeping an eye on it for a few weeks?

Probably a lipoma. They are fairly common and benign. Google image picturs and see if might be the way yours are.

Tumor. They'll cut it out.

Definitely and alien or government tracking device, hard to say which for sure. If I were you Id wrap my neck in tinfoil and wait in your closet with a bat. This should allow you to take down the alien or government worker who comes to replace the battery. Good luck man and burn your laptop after reading this as they probably are bugging it too.

My friend had a lump in his neck. Two head and neck specialists looked at it and said it was just a cyst (but they didn't take a biopsy). 6 months later he found out he had stage 4 cancer. Get it checked by a GOOD doctor.

get it checked out wrote:

My friend had a lump in his neck. Two head and neck specialists looked at it and said it was just a cyst (but they didn't take a biopsy). 6 months later he found out he had stage 4 cancer. Get it checked by a GOOD doctor.

So how do I know if I'm getting good advice from a good doctor?? I'm new to the area and don't have a doctor that I see on a regular basis. Anything that comes up like that cyst I had last year I go see a doctor at an urgent care clinic. I looked at the lump again this morning and you can't tell that it's there by looking at it. I have to actually feel for it and pinch at it to feel it's there.

I'll probably go by the clinic today to have it checked out but I have this feeling that the doctor will say it's nothing to worry about and just keep an eye on it to see if it gets bigger or what not. How do I know if this is good advice? Would a good doctor insist on seeing a specialist and getting a biopsy just to be sure??

It reminds me of this(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097531/) which is worth watching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV8OZgN8nVg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJQHdhjQXgg

This sounds like it could be subcutaneous cysticercosis. Have it checked out right away!

Get it checked out. Anything in your neck is cause for some concern. I've had reactive lymphnodes for a while (year plus) and had them checked out by my primary doctor and a general surgeon, in addition to multiple types of blood work and ultrasound. It could just be an infection or cyst but it only takes a couple days to find out it's not anything major. I kinda freaked out thinking the worse when I found it but in most cases it's nothing.

Swollen lymph node perhaps.

btw I'm currently suffering from a pinched nerve. the pain is so severe I'm numb all over.

Any family doc or urgent care doc should be able to do a quick exam and be able to rule out bad things, i.e. cancer.

I agree that you should get it checked out (I'm a doc).

The fact that it has been there several months and that you are not otherwise ill is actually very good news.

Just to give you some idea, there are lymph nodes that surround your entire neck - under the chin, under the jaw, the usual places we notice them below the ears, and also along the back of the neck, generally at the base of the skull.

Most lymph nodes will be firm and easily moved about. Most cysts will have a 'squishy' feel to then and will most likely be visible in the skin by someone else.

An exam would consist of feeling the node, looking for sources of inflammation in the scalp that might have activated the node, and then checking you for any evidence of other nodes - the rest of your neck, under your arms, above your clavicles, inner aspects of your elbows, and your groin (inguinal) region. The doc should also have you lie down and check out your liver and especially your spleen. Then the usual things - look in the mouth and nose and eyes and ears, listen to lungs and heart, and if he's thorough, check out your testicles for any lumps, etc.

If there is any question, some fairly simple blood tests like a CBC (blood count) and sed rate, and some some chemistries that include LDH and uric acid, can reassure that this is not associated with an illness like lymphoma or leukemia. Biopsy is not needed in most cases.

Best wishes. This sounds like it is ok, but please have someone look at it.

goiter?

Thanks for lengthy reply doc. I went to see a doctor over the week. He ordered a CBC test which came back normal and x-rays which didn't show any sort of growth or mass in the region. Good indications but I'm going to follow up with an ENT next week.

The doctor that I saw wasn't sure if it was lymph node but I don't think it's a lymph node because it's sitting on top of muscle in the back of my neck. The doctor that I saw examined my neck for other signs of node enlargement but failed to check the rest of my body.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

goiter?

Goiter, the singer? Somebody I used to know.....