Lump on the side of my neck - anyone expereinced anyhting like this....come and reassure me that it will go away without any medical prods and pokes.

[PositiveAttitude]

Ok, so I have a lump just infront of/just under my left ear. Went to a brilliant walk in centre (NHS) on Monday and the DR spoke with ENT consultant straightaway. He said I would need to see the ENT guy within the next few days - phoned today and I see him Thursday morning, first thing.

Seems to be something to do with my parotid gland.

Walk in centre Dr gave me antibiotics, "just in case" but said he didnt think it was infected.

Question is: Does anyone have experience of anything like this? Lump itself is not painful. I have felt Slightly unwell and under the weather for about 4 weeks. about 10 days ago I thought i had slept awkwardly and ached all down my neck. This ache has remained and is sometimes worse than others. I have googled about blocked salivary glands and I am not convinced this is what mine is as it does not get bigger when I eat. Lump was first noticed 6 days ago and it has grown since then.

Anyone???

Thnaks

I get these sometimes usually if I am feeling a bit sniffy or as if I may be coming down with something. They don't hurt but sometimes swell up and then after a couple of days go down again. My GP said they are nothing to worry about unless they don't go down. Hope you feel better soon

It's a swollen lymph node, sometimes called the pre-auricular node.

It's quite common for it to swell after a head cold and other mild infections.

If it persists it should be checked out again to rule out anything more serious but it's likely to go down by itself over the next couple of weeks.

Gland itself is not a big deal, but I'm a bit worried about you feeling under the weather for 4 weeks- that's a long time, too long for just a cold. Did you say that to the doc?

Thanks for all your replies.

Winnybella, yes I did say that to the Dr.

I have not had a cold at all, no sniffles or anything. I have just not felt "right". I have needed to "rest" sometimes in the day time, which is so soooooo not me!! (90 miles an hour girl, here, with 5 DC, so normally no chance of slowing down!!!)

Anyway, only another 24 hours and I am seeing a consultant, so hopefully he will reassure me there is nothing to worry about.

Is anyone still around on here, or perhaps someone new will come and give me some reassurance.

Saw the consultant this morning, hoping for a pat on the head, a box of pills and a "It will go away".

Instead I feel even more panicked!! He was a very nice guy and very thorough, so I do trust him, which is good. He prodded and poked and went through a list of things it "might" be and then the reasons it probably wasnt. ie: mumps, but you would feel terrible and it would be on both sides. Stones in the salivary gland, but it doesnt get bigger when you eat.
Apparently it is good that it is not a "pea sized" hard lump!!!! But not good that its a "lumpy lump" - his words!!

So, I've had litres of blood drained for testing and am booked for an urgent MRI scan, then an ultra sound and they will inject and take samples of the "lumpy lump" to make sure its not malignant.

Return to him in 3 weeks for all the results! (Or before if he calls me, which I assume would be if its bad news????)

If it grows at this pace for the next 3 weeks I am going to look like a freak!! I am beginning to wear scarves to hide it when I am out already!!

Anyone help me out here??

I would say that maybe the rate its growing at is a good sign, and also if you dont hear anything within the next day or so then that would also be good.

Sorry not much help, but bumping for you.

Loopylou Thanks, I hope so.

Scan letter arrived today, I've an appointment on 17th.

It must have been sent on Friday, which is only the day after it was requested. I live on an island and we normally ahve a really long waiting list, even for emergency scans, so its pretty quick. I know I should be reassured that they are doing it all quick, but it is worrying me for that very reason, too!!

Doesnt seem to have grown a lot since last week, still not painful, but feels odd all around it.

Sorry I am rambling and not even sure anyone will read, but hey-ho!!

Hi, it is unlikely to be an infected lymph gland, more likely is a lump that is part of and perculiar to the Parotid gland. They are not usually painful but can be uncomfortable in the area if pressed hard. Generally these are slow growing and don't spread. They will do an MRI and biopsy it before recommending whether any removal or treatment is required.

hope your ok, good job they are being quick and do the job properly. I know your scarced could be something (neighbours son had a lump but they didnt do tests until it grew large and he was unwell but better now), but could be nothing. DD2 had lumps in her nodes a few months back turned out to be nothing.

Try not to worry, could be a cyst or something innocent - they have to be careful and check it out

Btw, what island do you live on. If not too nosy! Have friends on Isle of wIght!

I've been seeing an ENT for a lymph node and I've been going back every few months just to keep an eye on it but mine sounds a bit different to yours in that it's fairly small.

Apparently they can be caused by a million and one things from a bad tooth to a mild infection to head lice (ew!) to a cricked neck. Hope that might be reassuring but good that they're going to check yours out thoroughly.

Hope you're ok and can endure the week or so you have to wait for the MRI. Waiting, letting your mind wander, can be a real bugger. Try not to let it get you down though (and with a nickname like yours, you're likely to be good at putting a positive spin on things ).

The good news is that you're getting it checked out and you are in the best hands.

Try not to worry (hard, I know) and keep posting.

Good luck.

I'm glad that you'll be able to get a scan reasonably quickly- can you imagine if you got a shitty doctor who would try to fob you off.

FWIW- DS had one huge tonsil when he was 4. His paedatrician said it's nothing, but then he was sick one day and his father took him to a hospital, where they started talking about cancer. So, of course we agreed to op. Turned out the other tonsil was as big as the first one- no cancer, just the way they were, or perhaps inflamed, but nothing serious.

Not long ago I felt a lump in my breast, below armpit. My gyno sent me for a mammography and ultrasound immediately- again, turned out to be 2 inflamed lymph nodes. They are still there.

I have a couple other stories like that, where the doctors took swift action, to make sure it wasn't anything serious.

They have to- anything lumpy etc, they have to make sure it isn't anything serious-it doesn't mean it is. And it goes without saying, should it be serious, it's great they can start treatment right away.

Thank you all for all your positive responses. I was as I really didnt expect anyone to bother reading it!!

Yep, I am a positive person, hence the name, joined MN to get a positive perspective on DD3s illness after only hearing bad news for too long!!

Timing of this is pretty rubbish as DH is working away, so I am here with 5DC trying to get them all organised for school/college return on my own and with my brain just turning to mush.

Yes, Kitty I live on the Isle of Wight, terrible place to keep a secret, - our GP was a friend before he was our GP, Consultants secretary is a friend, another friend works in MRI scanner place. I have not told anyone in RL, (apart from DH + DC) as I couldnt cope with bucket loads of sugary sympathy at the mo, and need to know what I ma dealing with.

Another ramble......

Thank you all once again, I really appreciate you taking the time to bother holding my hand. - Just wish I had a time machine now to whizz through the next few weeks.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear you are going through this nerve racking wait!

I don't know an awful lot about what it might be, but just wanted to wish you the best of luck.

the only experience I have of this is that a friend of mine had a lump on her neck, and it was something serious BUT she already had a problem with the skin on her scalp, which had been misdiagnosed for many months. So there was clearly something going on before the lump appeared iyswim.

You've not mentioned anything like that so hopefully it's not related to anything sinister.

I will be keeping everything crossed for you that it's something benign and pathetic that can't hurt you.

Let us know if you get a chance x

Glad that you are getting it checked out. My SIL had a lump in her neck for over a year before she went to the doc. It is silly to take a risk with something like this, that can be one of many things, most of them easily treatable.

Is your doc leaning in any direction?

Hi, I hope you're able to take one step at a time with all this going on. I have been dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer since last December so I do approeciate how hard it is - but its is still good advice not panic, as whatever your lump is, the likelihood is that it is treatable - so if poss. don't let yourslef panic and keep seeking support when you need it.

I wanted to say a good friend of mine was run down for about 4 months and had swollen neck. Her diagnosis (after loads of scans etc) is non Hodgkins Lymphoma. But it is so mild that there is no treatment required - just a policy of regular monitoring.

I am not telling you this to worry you - I'm sure you're worried in any case, but the point is that IF it is Lymphoma, it is very treatable. Having said that I hope it is not any type of cancer and wish you good luck. I personally am doing well and the worst part in my experience is the uncertainty and waiting for results. So I suggest you do as many things as you can to distract yourself and not dwell on possibilities. Walking, exercising and seeing friends have helped me a lot.

Hope this helps.

Thank you all once again.

Flight - I will keep this thread updated, thanks.

MmeLindt - The Dr i first saw passed me straight on to the consultant. Consultant then went through a lot of things and ruled them out and finished with the fact that he would discuss treatments when I see him with definite results.

Sandripples - Hi, thank you so much for posting. Sorry to hear you what are going through. I wish you all the best. Can I just ask , your friend, did she have lumps both sides, or just one side?

I am trying to keep busy and in a way that is going to be easier when DCs return to school tomorrow. Its my birthday tomorrow, too, so I am going out for lunch with my friend and I am back to work, too, so will keep my brain active.

Thanks everyone

Hope you have a good birthday

Hi, I think she had swelling all round her neck.

Yes keep busy with nice distractions if you can. Its very difficult to deal with the uncertainty but when you have a clear diagnosis and treatment plan it will be better. Unfortunately I know this can take a while. Meanwhile take one step at a time and don't assume the worst. I have tended to assume the worst at times, and then the reality has not been as bad, but I have worried a lot- probably unneccessarily at times. eg I thought I'd be totally sick and hospitalised with chemo but now I've nearly finished and it was not as bad as I'd feared. The internet can be too scary sometimes. One step at a time and deal with what is known, rtaher than speculating about the unknown, IYSWIM.

Thank you Sandripples, I know its sensible to take one step at a time and not to google anything!!!
I am pleased your treatment has not been as bad as you expected. How much longer do you have to go? Do you have to wait after that to see how successful it has all been?

Today I feel awful!! But I am thinking, if this all comes back fine, then I am being a total wimp! It is very very unlike me to be unwell, but I am worried that if there is nothing wrong then the fact I am feeling ill is all in my head, which is worrying me. IYSWIM!!
I am encouraged that I have not been phoned about my blood results, though. Blood was taken last Thursday and I think that if there was anything drastic they would have phoned me by now.....wouldnt they????

Thanks for the birhtday wishes flight

Happy birthday Positive, hope you've had a nice day

Step away from Google...it really won't help you at all. Sandripples is absolutely right. As someone on here once said to me, you can google 'nosebleed' and you hit sites telling you that you're going to die tomorrow.

I think stress - in your case the stress of the unknown and fearing the worst - can make you feel ill just by itself, so it's hardly surprising you're not feel so good today and not at all wimp-like.

Keep strong, keep positive and take one day at a time. My thoughts are with you...one week down, two more to go

My DS3 had several lumps in his neck - one of which was fairly large. He was sent for blood tests to the local hospital the same day we saw the GP and they actually had the results back later the same day - the GP knew I was going out of my mind with worry, so was kind enough to ask the receptionist to ring me with the results (they were fine thankfully, although they still referred him to an ENT Doc (also fine) , so I would think you would have heard by now if there was anything untoward. All the very best.