Worrying about lump on neck

[Hocuspocusandfairies]

I've had a lump behind my ear for at a number of months. It may have been there before that but that is when I noticed it. It hasn't grown but it hasn't gone. I can't feel an actual lump of that makes sense just a swelling. I went to the doctor who is hopefully sending me for a scan Covid permitting(she said they may not be able to do scans on neck due to Covid restrictions) I'm worrying myself silly that it's cancer as typically I googled and it came up with all horror stories. The doctor doesn't know what it is but did say that it's not an enlarged gland.

Olympic, thank you. That is very reassuring. I will of course follow it through

And I will update on here when I know more

Op definitely push and push to be scanned. It’s hard to see but is it large/getting bigger? Are you having any other symptoms like night sweats , fatigue , weight loss. Could be absolutely nothing , I’ve had random lumps and bumps like lipomas etc but insist to be seen.

@Hocuspocusandfairies

Pessimistic, the lump isn't solid and I can't feel any obvious hardness in the swollen are. I do have a lump at the side of my left breast near my arm put that I had scanned 3 years ago and nothing nasty was seen. Obviously me being me is now putting them both together and panicking. I know your user name only has one s but autocorrect keeps changing it back.

That's good, if it was lymphnodes that were swollen or suspicious it would be hard, do you know what the breast lump is? Did you get a diagnosis for that? Could be lipoma? I have a couple just fatty lumps but scary when found.

I don't have anything to add to previous posters but just wanted to send you good wishes and that I hope it's nothing serious.

Pessimistic, they don't know what the breast lump is. Doctor did say that breasts change as you get older and what I have noticed with it is a certain times of the month it does ache. I've had 2 scans on it and both said nothing nasty, it does worry me though that it could turn nasty.

Just to update, I had a scan on my neck and was told no rumours or anything suspicious detected. So pleased. Thanks everyone for tour advice and support

Ah @Hocuspocusandfairies I'm so pleased for you. What a huge relief.

@ginislife did your lump grow/ change at all? I have something similar but GP has dismissed lump in a telephone appointment saying if it hasn't changed in the 3 months I've had it then it isn't anything bad.
@Hocuspocusandfairies so glad to hear all was fine with you.

Ginislife, thank you. A very worrying time but hopefully now I can relax.

Any thyroid issues?

I had a smilar lump and it was an enlarged gland caused by repeated infections due to a thyroid imbalance

I had something similar years ago it was diagnosed as branchial (sp) cleft. They drained it and it never came back.

branchial cleft cyst is a type of birth defect in which a lump develops on one or both sides of your child's neck or below the collarbone. This type of birth defect is also known as a branchial cleft remnant.

Do you have pierced ears? When I wore earrings all the time the glands behind my ears were up and down like a fiddler's elbow.

I do have pierced ears. 4 piercing in fact. Didn't think of that.

They scanned my thyroid at the time of scan and it all looked ok thankfully.

I had a branchial cyst, and I remember that when the GP first looked at it (nearly 30 years ago!), he said it was something that was there from birth, similar to what you were told Zara.

Mine was actually removed 3 years ago, as it was becoming a little larger, and therefore I was more conscious of it. Because I'd left it so long, it was more entrenched (apparently), and quite an involved op, but I got over it quickly, and now have a scar that fits into one of my neck creases! Nothing sinister there either, thank goodness.

@Rubixed if I'm honest I don't know ! I know that sounds awful but I never really took much notice of it as it seemed to be there for a while and as I'd always had various lumps in my neck if I was ill or had a cold sore I just assumed it was similar. It was my massage therapist who suggested it was time to see my gp as we went on holiday together and she sat opposite me for dinner one evening and said it was quite noticeable. I wouldn't have gone otherwise. Glad I did !!!

I'm stressing now, had a voice message from receptionist from my doctors surgery asking me to phone to make an appointment with the doctor to discuss my results. I've just done that and the doctor will be phoning me today. I was told Saturday that it looked fine now I'm worried they've found something or would the doctor talk through my results regardless?

They might want to talk through it - I had a scan which showed a cyst, my doctor rang me to discuss a day later.

They’ve just recieved the paperwork in the post and it will be standard to let you know the results- even though you’ve been given the all clear by the specialist. It could be more to do with the cosmetic side of things. You’ve got a non suspicious lump and they may offer to monitor and remove if it bothers you.

Another option is mastoiditis. Do you have any other symptoms beside the lump? pain etc?

Thank you, they said it all looked normal but they did mention that I had a slightly enlarged thyroid. They're happy to leave it for now if it's not causing any issues. I don't know much about Thyroid to be honest but we've been trying for a baby for over 3 years with no success. Could thyroid be a reason?

Heidi, I wouldn't say regular pain as such although it did hurt a bit yesterday but I'd put that down to the pressure of the probe during scan. It's not hurting today

Hi I’m worndering if anyone can give me a bit of reassurance I have had swelling on my neck at each side for a few months I have been to the doctors a lot as I’m so worried they don’t think it’s anything serious but still doesn’t help me I have also been to vascular clinic and they done a ultrasound of my neck but didn’t mention anything just said veins and arteries are good I’m hoping it there was a cancer lump or anything they would have said ? I have also been having pain down my back and arm but I’m not sure if that’s the way I sleep just so scared