Question for people who do not suffer with health anxiety

[Pompompurin1]

Hi there,

I wondered if people could give me a bit of perspective please… A question for those of you who do not suffer with health anxiety.

If you had a hard lump on the roof of your mouth for several weeks (about 3 to 4 mm in diameter and painless, normal skin over the top of it)….. and you saw two different dentists and they both said it was blocked the salivary gland and nothing to worry about…. But it didn’t go away…..

Would you:

A. Decide that it is a blocked salivary gland, think “great nothing to worry about” and forget it.

B. Continue to worry about it and monitor it.

C. Push for a referral to oral surgery

I am trying very hard to do A but failing, so I thought I would gather other perspectives as sometimes it’s easy to get caught up on your own head.

(I am seeking help for my health anxiety so no need to point this out, I know this would be pointed out with helpfulness in mind but I am already seeking help…)

I would go with A. After a while if the lump persisted, maybe B. Not C certainly.

I’d push for a referral as I’d like to get it properly checked out but I wouldn’t dwell or obsess in the meantime being pretty confident that the opinions of two professionals is correct. That would be enough to reassure me but if I had a small amount of doubt or uncertainty I would like a referral.

A.

Hope you're getting help for the health anxiety. That's the thing to focus on here. You've been told what the lump is and the worry is your anxiety nothing else.

I would believe the Dentists and go with A . The Dentists see Oral cancer in their everyday work life and they know what to look for .
Good luck OP .

I would also do A

I would do A. But monitor it.

I currently have a small hard lump that's developed in between two fingers, that Googling suggests is a ganglion cyst. I haven't been to the GP about it. I'm just keeping an eye. If it gets any bigger I'll pop in and have them check.

If two separate health professionals have told you what they think it is, I would try not to worry. Just keep an eye on it and go back if it gets bigger/more painful/problematic to eat.

Also worth adding, it's often said on HA threads on here that making threads about these things feeds the anxiety rather than helping it, so another reason to focus on tools/medication etc that help with the anxiety rather than fuelling further thoughts about the mouth situation.

I would go with A but would lovely monitor it to see if it changed anything over the next few weeks.

Dentist see oral cancer and if there was even the slightest chance they thought it was an issue you woukd be referred onwards. They wouldn't risk their professional indemnity insurance if they were anyway lax in their referrals.

Oral surgery isn't easy and I sure as well wouldn't be having it unless unnecessary.

Is it painful?
Does it interfere with eating?

It doesn't sound like a problem.

A. I did have a lump on my inner cheek. I guessed what it was, asked dentist's opinion. They agreed with me but sent me to see a specialist. He also agreed but removed it anyway to be sure. The point being, if they are at all concerned, they will take action.

I don't have health anxiety in the slightest, and definitely A. If it was painless, I'd just see it as a quirk of my body.

How long have you had it? My answer would depend entirely on that.

I have a large lump in my armpit it has been there years

I saw 2 GPs who both said fatty lump, so I have not thought about it since, and I DO have health anxiety

I have had many, many cysts, moles and discolourations. In breast, toes, tummy. All benign.

As two separate health professionals have told you the same thing then I would go with A.

What would be your reasoning for wanting to see oral surgery?

A.

I'd also have asked for a reasonable time frame to expect this to resolve in, and when to return if no improvement.

A.

But next time, ask the HCP for clear parameters as to when you should seek help for it again. Depending on what it is they might say,
If it changes shape significantly
If it bleeds
If it grows significantly
If it hasn't disappeared within two months
... or whatever. Then you will know exactly when you SHOULD revisit it. Would that help you put the worry to the back of your mind in the meantime?

B, because really it wouldn't be possible not to, now that you know it's there, but really, how many health professionals would have to tell you the same thing before you believe it? They can't find something wrong where there is nothing. Dentists are very hot on oral health. It's one of the reasons that people should have regular checkups and why it's appalling that our dental service has been allowed to deteriorated in the way it has. It's not just there to give us a nice smile.

A. for sure. The vast majority of minor health issues resolve themselves with no need for treatment of any kind.

A.

Then I'd increase the amount of water I was drinking, pay close attention to dental hygiene, gargle regularly with warm water, and give it three months.

I would get the GP to look at it

A.

If two different experts have told you what it is, I would assume they knew more about it than me, what with them seeing blocked salivary glands and other oral health conditions every day of their lives, and considering that they know who is/isn’t more at risk of oral cancers etc. If it was something to be worried about, they’d have told you.

A with a side of B - ie watch if it changes much or gets painful then I’d go back but in the first instance it’s clearly ok

Why? Dentists are the specialists in oral health. They are the correct people to see for this. Not GPs.