Lump on back of neck

[Dan21]

Hello.

I think I’m being a bit panicky so wanted to get thoughts on my current situation.

Last week I was rubbing my neck at the back when I felt a small, pea sized lump. It’s about the level of my ear lobe and half way between the back of my ear and the line of my spine…it’s basically on the back of my neck. Quite small.

I’m totally convinced it’s cancer.

To be honest, it could have been there for ages, but I don’t ever recall feeling it before. It doesn’t seem to have got any bigger in the last week, isn’t painful or irritating. It feels like it’s attached to one of the muscles that come from the shoulder up my neck…I’m fairly sure it’s not a blocked hair follicle or sebaceous cyst as it feel way too deep.

My sister-in-law is a GP and she was visiting when I found this lump. She felt it and said she didn’t think it was anything dangerous, which, should have put my mind at rest, but it hasn’t. My wife has said that our sister has, perhaps, more of an interest in making sure I’m OK than most so if there had been any doubt, she’d have suggested I have it looked at further…but I’m still worried. I’m thinking of going to my GP, but it really is a small lump and I’m a bit concerned the docs will start getting fed up of me wasting time with my hypochondria.

The other thing I think ‘might’ have something to do with it is that I often get a stiff neck and stretch my neck out by pulling my head down, forcing my chin towards my breast. This stretches the neck muscles but I’m wondering if I’ve torn something or damaged a muscle, perhaps causing a lump or bump? The think is that I’ve had no muscular sharp pain that I can remember and I think I’d have had something like that if I’d have torn a muscle. That said, it’s aching in that area now and has been today but I’m stressing like hell about it and I’ve been poking the lump a lot.

Advice and helpful thoughts would be really welcome…I’m getting myself worked up into a right state about it being what I mentioned above.

Thanks.

[Dan21]

Anyone? Please?

[Dan21]

Woke up yesterday morning itching and aching all over.

Googled these symptoms and lymphoma came back. Thi coupled with the lump on the back of my neck has sent me into panic overdrive today.

If anyone can offer ANY encouragement..........I'm going out of my mind.......

[sparkle_1979]

I've been itching for last few days. I have lumps and bumps too. U need to go to the docs so u can stop worrying x

[rated_r90]

You will be itching because you are stressed. It is a very common anxiety symptom. Please don't google your symptoms, as it will only make you feel worse! If you go to the doctors and ask him/her to look at the lump on your neck, I'm sure they will reassure you that it is nothing serious.

[Eek]

It could be a sebaceous cyst. My son has one that you can't even see if you look at his neck, but you can feel it. It's very deep he had to have an ultrasound to see what it was and it turned out to be a cyst so just because it's deep doesn't mean it's not a cyst.

[Dan21]

Thank you all for replying...I'm feeling quite alone with this at the moment. I don't know why but my HA has returned with a vengeance.

Eek, that's interesting as I didn't think a sebaceous cyst could be that deep. My sister in law didn't think it was anything to worry about (she's a doctor) but I just can't seem to convince my rational brain. I feel so utterly stupid and weak. Trying to pluck up the courage to ring the doctors for an appointment today...my anxiety is raging and I'm convinced it's something far worse.

:weep::weep::weep:

[Justinf]

Sebaceous cysts can definitely do that. I get them all the time right where you described.
You've already had one GP's opinion, so why not go for a 2nd to lay your mind to rest?
PS: love your sig.

[Dan21]

Hello all again.

I feel foolish to keep banging on about this but I'm still worried about this lump I have on the back of my neck. When I wake up in the morning, I can feel it quite noticeably. It hasnt got any bigger, it's just more prominent. But about an hour after I've been up, it's hardly there at all. It's freaking me RIGHT out. as mentioned in earlier posts, my sister in law who is a GP said it didn't look like anything to worry about and I went to my own GP on Friday to get a second opinion. It was a visiting GP, not my usual doctor, who seemed very dismissive. She said she couldn't tell exactly what it was but as it seemed to have gotten a bit smaller, there was probably nothing to worry about. This thing is that I can't get out of my head that a lump, no matter how small, is still a worrying thing to find anywhere. I don't want to p*ss my GPs off but I can't get my head around the fact that this may be something harmless rather than something life threatening...

Any suggestions would be really welcome.

Thanks.

[sparkle_1979]

Ifyo GPS said its nothing there is not really anything we can say that's going to Make ou feel better

I'd go back to gp ad tell them you're still worried and see what they can do

[robin321]

If it gets bigger and smaller it is nothing to worry about. Cancer only gets bigger, NEVER smaller. These words are from a specialist I saw for my own lump.

[Stephanie cust]

Hello.

I think I’m being a bit panicky so wanted to get thoughts on my current situation.

Last week I was rubbing my neck at the back when I felt a small, pea sized lump. It’s about the level of my ear lobe and half way between the back of my ear and the line of my spine…it’s basically on the back of my neck. Quite small.

I’m totally convinced it’s cancer.

To be honest, it could have been there for ages, but I don’t ever recall feeling it before. It doesn’t seem to have got any bigger in the last week, isn’t painful or irritating. It feels like it’s attached to one of the muscles that come from the shoulder up my neck…I’m fairly sure it’s not a blocked hair follicle or sebaceous cyst as it feel way too deep.

My sister-in-law is a GP and she was visiting when I found this lump. She felt it and said she didn’t think it was anything dangerous, which, should have put my mind at rest, but it hasn’t. My wife has said that our sister has, perhaps, more of an interest in making sure I’m OK than most so if there had been any doubt, she’d have suggested I have it looked at further…but I’m still worried. I’m thinking of going to my GP, but it really is a small lump and I’m a bit concerned the docs will start getting fed up of me wasting time with my hypochondria.

The other thing I think ‘might’ have something to do with it is that I often get a stiff neck and stretch my neck out by pulling my head down, forcing my chin towards my breast. This stretches the neck muscles but I’m wondering if I’ve torn something or damaged a muscle, perhaps causing a lump or bump? The think is that I’ve had no muscular sharp pain that I can remember and I think I’d have had something like that if I’d have torn a muscle. That said, it’s aching in that area now and has been today but I’m stressing like hell about it and I’ve been poking the lump a lot.

Advice and helpful thoughts would be really welcome…I’m getting myself worked up into a right state about it being what I mentioned above.

Thanks.

Hi I was wondering if you've found out what that lump was I have exactly the same thing and I know it's been there for months now it's definitely not a cyst I do have other symptoms too and I know we have lymph nodes all around that area...my dad passed away from cancer 5 years ago.. he had his lump more under his ear lobe and it was much bigger but that was the start of a year long battle with a rare cancer that ended his life .
.he never drank or smoked ...ever ...me on the other hand am a heavy smoker and have something definitely wrong with my lungs and also a some serious panic disorder so quitting is harder then ever... anyways just wondering if u had found out what it was hope all is well