No way that this isn't cancer!

[skyisblue]

Around 1 week ago, for some stupid reason, I was digging in my facial muscles. And all of a sudden, I felt a lump on the right side of my jawline/cheek. I absolutely do not know know if it is tender. It is painless.

Later that night, I felt on the left side as well, and voila, there is also another lump on the left side of my jawline/cheek! I believe that they are 95% symmetrical.

The right lump feels more prominent than the left. It is larger than a pea. Probably the size of a smaller grape.

Strange thing too is that the lump disappears when I open my mouth!

I've been digging around my jawline and to my shock, the overall area feels bumpy and lumpy. Strange thing though is when I normally touch my jawline and cheek areas, it feels okay. It is only when I press hard enough that I get to feel the lumps.

I do not have any other symptoms like fever, night sweats, etc.

I've had lymphoma scares before as I had lumps on my neck and behind my ears. I've been to two specialists about those previous lumps and they said there was nothing to worry about.

With my new discovery of lumps, I am feeling so anxious. I don't know if I should run to the doctor's office as my health insurance isn't yet in top shape.

I am only 22 years old. :(

[joelhall]

'No way this isn't cancer!'

I'll have to beg to differ I'm afraid.

[Speranza]

I was a little flummoxed as to what to say. I'm with you, Joel.

[nomorepanic]

I have to agree that the title is very dramatic and these sound normal to me !

[skyisblue]

I am sorry if I overreacted :( This is what HA does to me nowadays :( I am sorry if I offended anyone. Thank you for slapping some sense to me. Still a bit scared :(

[saab]

If it isn't just the normal lumps and bumps that you might find on anyones jawline, it could simply be slightly swollen glands which are often just a symptom of being under the weather. My daughter had swollen glands for sbout 3 months with no other symptoms and our GP wasn't concerned. Mine swelled up for a few weeks when I had a mole removed from my neck.

It sounds like jaw muscle to me, nothing like cancer.

[skyisblue]

Thank you, saab. I've been fairly calm for the past 24 hours. I'm trying not to touch and poke it.

If this were something bad, would I at least feel sick at the very least?

[Kenna5027]

It sounds like what you felt was the edge of your masseter muscle (Google an image of it). I too have the "lump" but that's what this is. There are a whole bunch of different muscles in the face, and if you press hard enough you're bound to feel the definitions, just as you can on your arms or legs. The reason you felt this one so prominently is because the masseter is a major muscle in mastication (chewing) so it's larger and more defined.

[skyisblue]

Thank you, Kenna. I think that makes a lot of sense.

I just felt the same area on my cousin's cheek/jaw line and I felt the same lump and when he opened his mouth, it disappeared too. Err, so strange!