Lump in neck

[Pom0granite]

Hi everyone, just wondered if anyone had any experience with neck lumps? I found the lump at the end of August - small, moveable but definitely palpable. I am almost certain it’s a lymph node but everything online suggests lymph nodes shouldn’t be palpable! It does hurt but can be tender if I have pressed it loads. I’m a bit worried about it but I felt like it shrank and now it’s back again. Is that normal? Can anyone else feel their lymph nodes?

Bump x

I think you should go to a doctor to get it checked out

That’s meant to say it doesn’t hurt 🤦‍♀️. I am going to the doctors but I have a few days to wait and just wondered how much I should be worrying.

I can really clearly feel lots of mine. One on side of neck is about the size of a pea but quite soft. None of them hurt. Been like this as long as I can remember, certainly from late teens through adulthood. And I’m —touch wood— fine!

I get painful lumps in the next that come and go.

That’s good to hear. I do think it could be Illness related as when I first discovered it, it was the day before I had a terrible sore throat for a week, and now I seem to have a cough coming on suddenly. I have an eighteen month old that likes to bring the plague home from nursery every other week so that might be why I’m sick again so quickly! Hopefully the doctor won’t be worried but it’s a relief to know other people have experienced the same thing.

My son had them and i was really worried, turned out it was as a result of an infection and nothing to worry about. Glad you're seeing the doctor,

Yeah, I had a swollen neck on one side a couple of years ago. I'm a right hypochondiac, so prodded it until it hurt, and went to the doctors in a panic.

He told me it was nothing, but I made a fuss, and he referred me for an ultrasound, despite thinking there was nothing wrong. The ultrasound was fine - he said it was a swollen lymph whch would be the result of an infection and could take weeks/months/even longer to go back to normal.

You are right to get it checked by a doctor, though, OP. But I think it's quite a common thing if you've had an infection.

Funnily enough, if the GP had said to me what the ultrasound guy said to me, he would have put my mind at rest straight away. But the GP was acting like there was nothing there at all - I felt fobbed off, because I could feel it was swollen. The ultrasound guy acknowledged the swelling but could assure me it was nothing sinister.

Go to the doctor. My thyroid cancer was diagnosed because of a mobile, painless lymph node.
Hopefully it’s nothing but painless is more worrying than painful. (I’m fine 38 years later by the way)

Hi @LightDrizzle where was the lump in your neck? And what did they say when they examined it? Were they worried straight away or did you have to push?

@zebrasdontwearbras I always feel like I am being fobbed off by the GP to be honest, but am never confident enough to push. It sounds like it was really good for your peace of mind that you got the ultrasound.

Push for it, OP - telling the GP it's keeping you awake at night, that you're terrified it's cancer. I think I allowed myself to be fobbed off once, but went back a couple of weeks later, because it was still there. These things can be sinister (but hopefully not) and it is better to have them properly checked out. Good luck.

Have you ever had glandular fever? Or tonsillitis? Both conditions can leave you with enlarged lymph glands.I have palpable glands in my neck .

It was low on the left side of my neck. I wasn’t a bit worried and was surprised when the GP referred me to a surgeon. He took it out and it was a big surprise that it was cancer. I was referred quickly.

Subsequent lymph glands affected were higher on the left side. Always mobile, always painless.