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What is this swelling above my collar bone.

356 replies

MegGriffin · 05/08/2016 19:25

I have had it over 3 months and have booked doctors for next Friday. It is above my right collarbone, the swelling is soft and inside it is a movable long thin lump. It does not hurt at all and I haven't had any infections or bites etc. It does not bother me except it hasn't always been there so o worry about things like lymphoma. I know that apparently cancer lumps are usually hard and immobile so it's probably a lymph node....Has anyone had anything like this at all or any doctors with ideas please? I keep swinging between thinking I'm over reacting and then thinking I should rush to the doctors. In case you can't notice it, it's on the left in the picture but actually on my right. The redness is my terrible British tan Blush

What is this swelling above my collar bone.
OP posts:
Hayleypop · 07/02/2020 15:15

Did anyone ever find out what this was? I have had a swelling over my right collarbone for a week now and its worrying me. I have a ultrasound referral but fearing the worst

Controlledchaos · 07/02/2020 23:25

I’ve spent thousands on imaging and even had surgery to remove portions of one of the masses. Doc says they don’t see cancer. Obviously something was going on. My herbalist treated me for Lymphoma based on my symptoms. I am better than before, but starting to get a little pain back in the collar bones again. Probably going to do one more round of herbs to keep things in check.

Tplus3 · 09/03/2020 12:05

Have to say extremely relieved to read this thread. I have a similar swelling on left side. Faintly present on R but much more noticeable on L. I think I may have noticed it a few weeks ago, then it must have become less obvious. But noticed it again last night and been crazy anxious ever since. Booked Dr appointment in couple days, but much less worried now. It’s not firm or hard. Just a soft diffuse swelling. I’ll still get it checked out but at least I can sleep a bit easier now.

Rsmry70 · 11/05/2020 05:16

What was it? What did your doctor say? I have the same thing, I've had it years my doctor wants me to get an MRI.

Tplus3 · 11/05/2020 08:04

My Dr sent me for an ultrasound and their wasn’t anything of concern there. Couldn’t really identify any mass or lymph node swelling. So I’m not too stressed now and will keep an eye on it. It became more obvious as I put more weight on so I think it may be the fat pad that’s in that area. And seeing others will similar here really helped put my mind at ease.

Rsmry70 · 11/05/2020 10:34

Thanks so much for response, I feel better waiting for my MRI.

Kimberlyjoy · 14/05/2020 18:58

Hi. I have the exact same thing that you describe your mom as having. I hope she’s week. Did you ever find anything out about what it was? Thanks!

Kimberlyjoy · 14/05/2020 19:00

@sharye ^:)

Hector88 · 14/05/2020 20:23

I have same thing on left side of neck, My doctor sent me to see a surgeon, I suffer from health anxiety so I am very scared.😢

Hector88 · 14/05/2020 20:25

Did you ever got your MRI results back?

ali978 · 01/06/2020 01:36

I'm not good in English language
I deal with the site through the translator
I have the same problem on the left
The tumor is not solid

karmiispeaks · 11/06/2020 15:52

None of you have given any exact answers. My mother , 46 years old , has the exact same puffy swelling on both sides. It's soft and puffy and I don't feel any mass inside. I'm very worried about her . Guys please atleast provide the end result of your diagnosis . I'm worried af

DonnaBab · 29/06/2020 14:52

Karmiispeaks I wanted to respond to you as I myself have this same type of swelling but mainly on my left side. It’s neitheri hard nor squishy like fluid.

I rang the doctors 2 weeks ago as a fellow nurse friend said to get it checked out. I had left it 4/6 months can’t actually remember (Naughty I know). My doctor was lovely but could see my concern about it, I had bloods done the C protein, kidney, liver and thyroid there was some other stuff too but can’t remember, also wanted to me to get a X-ray on my chest and referred me to the head and neck specialist, this was a 2 week cancer referral and I panicked, I felt so ill that week waiting on my bloods. My anxiety absolutely got the better of me and I just felt sick and scared.

Bloods came back normal, chest X-ray fine and a week later after my doctors appointment I had a video consultation with the ENT surgeon at the hospital (video due to COVID-19) he ordered an ultrasound for me which I attended today, two weeks since my first doctors appointment.

The lovely ladies in the ultrasound department told me after thoroughly checking that it was just fat deposits, I have never been so happier to find out I have fat 😂. The results will now go to my doctors and I doubt very much I will hear anymore but if I do I will update on here.

My partner found this thread after I first made contact with the doctor and I have to say reading it did make me feel more positive but a lack confidence in how quiet the thread had gone hense me being here now. I’m in the UK up in Lincolnshire and I have to say our NHS is just amazing. Hope your mum got sorted and it’s the same as mine.

Ohh also I was told today that it’s actually quite common on women and a question i was asked “do I carry my bag on that side?” my answer was “no my son” 😂.

DonnaBab · 29/06/2020 19:13

@karmiispeaks

jlbsafive5 · 04/07/2020 17:56

You need to be checked for Cushing desease right away. That is a classic sign. Do NOT LET IT GO!!!

jlbsafive5 · 04/07/2020 17:58

Your Doctor should have known better than to just ultra sound that. It’s a fat pad and it’s in the place where only it is a sign of Cushings. Blood and urine work up. The sooner the better

DonnaBab · 04/07/2020 18:29

@jlbsafive5 I will ask on this Monday, it was something that popped up when I looked for reasons online but I have no other symptoms, I will still mention it to him though. Bloods where tested. Not sure on anyone else on this thread though.

Parisinthe30s · 04/07/2020 21:33

58jlbsafive5* that's not necessarily true. I'm waiting on my Drs appointment, however my neighbor actually has the same thing and was tested for Cushing's twice, both negative. Swelling in that area is not only indicative of Cushing's, it could be a host of things

DeGrace2016 · 20/07/2020 14:56

Hi Meg, I was researching and stumbled on this post and your picture!! I have the exact same swelling on my collarbone area. I too had bloodwork and a CT scan done - all negative. Did you ever find out what it is? I've had mine for at least a few months...

Hayleypop · 20/07/2020 16:06

Just a update on my swelling on the collarbone. I had a ultrasound on saturday and she said it's just fatty tissue and nothing to worry about and that they see it all the time. I'm going to try to stop worrying about it now x

Kimberlyjoy · 20/07/2020 16:31

Thank you for updating! Glad that’s all it is:)

DonnaBab · 20/07/2020 20:26

I received my letter from my ENT surgeon who confirmed what the ultrasound technician/doctor said about fatty tissue and that it was nothing worrisome. I think for me I will be just keeping an eye on it and making sure it doesn’t get larger. I advise though that anyone that has come here worried to seek medical advice sooner rather then later.

Parisinthe30s · 21/07/2020 05:49

I went to see my Dr and she too told me it was just fat, but also it is muscle knots underneath. My neck is always tense and she said having the muscle knots underneath the fat pad can make them look bigger. They did blood work and all was fine except my Vit D was very low.

Chambers2020 · 28/07/2020 13:21

Hi everyone!

Around 3 weeks ago I woke up with stiff/sore shoulder. It didn’t shift so I made a docs app.
Before I went I saw a bit of swelling on the left side above collar bone so I mentioned this.
The doc seemed confused as to what the swelling could be and couldn’t feel anything under it. When I lay down it disappeared.
She put the shoulder down to muscular.

Anyway 3 weeks later shoulder seems miles better now.
I have a ultra sound on 13th august.
My bloods came back clear and urine sample clear.

After searching the internet I have convinced myself I am going to die 🙈my anxiety and stress is through the roof.

Can stress and anxiety heighten symptoms and make you think you have pain in places when you don’t? I constantly thinking and feeling for lumps and bumps. I feel so down about it.

Has anyone ever been through this before?

Thankyou from a very worried mum!

DonnaBab · 28/07/2020 14:35

@Chambers2020 I hope you ultrasound goes well. My bloods came back clear but on waiting for them somehow I had managed to make my throat feel like it had lumps in, hurt down one side or if I leaned my head to one side (only felt this when I was sat doing nothing and thinking about it and not when I was busy and my mind occupied) and I lost 5lbs in 3/4 days from loss of appetite, as soon as my bloods came back I did relax and all those symptoms I did have settled. It’s funny how our minds can play games with us. I believe that much can be told from our bloods as it carriers markers (I’m not a doctor or scientist, was told by a trusted professional friend). I also had an X-ray on my chest which too was fine. And the swelling on the collar bone area is common according to my US doctor. I’ve found mine is more prominent when I’m carrying my clingy 3 year old on my left side as I use my right hand to crack on with life around the house. I’m abit like you at the moment with checking constantly for lumps and bumps and any I feel worry over I’ll get checked straight away. Even if I am wasting time and it nothing I’d rather do that then risk it. I’ve had my letter from the specific confirm they see nothing worrisome and wished me well.

I’m sure you will be fine, let us know how your US scan goes :)