View Full Version : Convinced I have Oral Cancer (lump on palate, neck, and ear ache)
Admin merged a previous thread from a past issue with my newest threads relating to current issue. Previous thread was irrelevant and is from 2 months ago. Current issues popped up MAY 2018. Original Post has been edited accordingly and the issue from March has been removed to keep things current. Thanks.
I just wanna jump straight to the point.
-Symptoms
-Lump in right side back of neck near hair line, hard. Moves when I move my head left or right but otherwise is stationary. Think it's a lymph node. Have had this for at least 8 months.
-Hard bb/pea shaped bump where the soft and hard palates meet. Right side, towards teeth but on hard palate. Noticed 2 weeks ago. Painless and colorless. Can't see with naked eye but can be felt with tongue and finger.
-Intermittent ear ache/pain. Started 4 days ago. Also some sinus issues.
I know with a lot of oral cancer patients ear aches are a common sign and the fact that i've had these lumps in my neck and palate for an extended period of time really has me concerned. I've read some posts about people with similar issues but cancer seems to be the common thread with those who have all of the above. I'm panicing, can anybody relate/help/reassure?
Hey guys, spiraling a bit again and wanted to see if anyone else had something similar.
About a week ago I noticed a small hard bump that feels kinda dome shaped and isn't really visible to the naked eye. It kinda feels like a boil/pimple only maybe smaller. I can touch it with my thumb and it's pretty hard, like almost bone hard. Doesn't really hurt and it's on the roof of my mouth, towards the back, where the soft and hard palates meet. It's specifically on the right side, kinda near the top back molar. It's not the Torus, I'm aware of what that is.
I do smoke occasionally so I'm kinda concerned about it. Anybody have this before? I noticed it after eating some chips last week and just kinda figured I cut the roof of my mouth but it's been over a week now and it's still there.
I get this sometimes if I've eaten spicy foods or acidic foods, my motto is that if it's still there are 2 weeks I go to my GP.
I feel like it's probably gonna be there next week unfortunately. :/
Do yours last for very long tan?
I had something that sounds exactly the same! It was before I had HA so I was aware of it for a while before seeing my dentist about it.....
Anyway, it turned out to be a collection of pus from an infection in a nearby tooth. I had the tooth removed and all the infection poured out and the lump flattened gradually. I can still feel a scar with my tongue years later!
Go see your dentist!
I suppose it could be dental related but none of my teeth have been bugging me on that side or anything... :huh:
I am going to the dentist soon though. Obviously I'll have them take a look.
Anyone else have this?
mine normally last 2 weeks and then slowly fade, is it sore?
---------- Post added at 08:52 ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 ----------
oh....... I get these after eating chips!!!! I notice there is a correlation between chips and lump in my mouth!
I suppose it could be dental related but none of my teeth have been bugging me on that side or anything... :huh:
I am going to the dentist soon though. Obviously I'll have them take a look.
Anyone else have this?
Mine hadn’t been bugging me either!
mine normally last 2 weeks and then slowly fade, is it sore?
No, it is painless as mentioned in the original post.
Ok well now I'm getting pain with it so that's fun. It's kinda radiating into my ear, same side as the bump..
I'm assuming it hurts because I've been poking at it with my tongue and occasionally with my finger.. Almost feels like a sore throat but it's in the middle of my mouth. Wish it would go away, I hate worrying about it non-stop. Trying to keep a level head. :/ Kinda wonder if maybe I'm getting sick or have a possible sinus infection because my sinus is kinda aching a bit too but not terribly.
I made a previous thread about a painless bump about the size of a bb on the roof of my mouth that I had noticed about a week ago. It's between the hard and soft palates.
It has yet to go away and it's now been two weeks. For the past 3-4 days I've had a bit of an ear ache that kinda seems to be getting worse. On top of all of this there's an enlarged lymph node on the back of my neck on the same side as the bump. I noticed it months ago but dismissed it as probably just a muscle.
Googled because I'm an idiot and scared and tried to find some kind of reassurance but instead only found numerous stories and warnings about lumps in the neck and especially ear pain! My sinus has also been acting up. All on the right side of my head.
I'm just so scared. I have a dentist appt on Monday but I think i'm gonna try to get into see a doctor. Has anybody else experienced this? I'm genuinely convinced i've got the big C in my mouth. :weep:
Duplicate of original post due to merger.
I just wanna jump straight to the point.
-Symptoms
-Lump in right side back of neck near hair line, hard. Moves when I move my head left or right but otherwise is stationary. Think it's a lymph node. Have had this for at least 8 months.
-Hard bb/pea shaped bump where the soft and hard palates meet. Right side, towards teeth but on hard palate. Noticed 2 weeks ago. Painless and colorless. Can't see with naked eye but can be felt with tongue and finger.
-Intermittent ear ache/pain. Started 4 days ago. Also some sinus issues.
I know with a lot of oral cancer patients ear aches are a common sign and the fact that i've had these lumps in my neck and palate for an extended period of time really has me concerned. I've read some posts about people with similar issues but cancer seems to be the common thread with those who have all of the above. I'm panicing, can anybody relate/help/reassure?
Hi
This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.
Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.
It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.
Elen
ThroatGoat
31-05-18, 14:55
Just judging by the first post, you've had this for 2 months now? Have you seen anyone about it?
I'm an oral cancer survivor. In the two months since you posted, your symptoms would be much worse and the lump would have grown... fact! In the six months from the time I noticed something was going on until I went in for surgery, the node on my neck went from a small grape to looking like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck.
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
While I'm not a fan of paid reassurance, if you're that concerned, see your doctor.
Positive thoughts
I'm an oral cancer survivor. In the two months since you posted, your symptoms would be much worse and the lump would have grown... fact! In the six months from the time I noticed something was going on until I went in for surgery, the node on my neck went from a small grape to looking like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck.
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
While I'm not a fan of paid reassurance, if you're that concerned, see your doctor.
Positive thoughts
It hasn't been two months unfortunately, it's only been two weeks. I copy and pasted a post from last night into the original post because the original post had to do with a speck on the side of my cheek that eventually went away. It was irrelevant so I changed it. Wish the admin would've merged the two original posts and not hte one from two months ago. :/
So yeah, two weeks ago I noticed the hard lump on my palate.
It hasn't been two months unfortunately, it's only been two weeks.
This thread was started on March 9th. But no matter... The "Told ya so Gang" is on standby.
Positive thoughts
Like I said, the original post from March 9th had to do with my cheek and wasn't relevant to the lumps that I'm worried about right now. Admin merged my lump posts with my cheek post from 2 months ago for whatever reason. Thanks for the replies though as always fishmanpa!
Either way, I'm going to see the doctor today. Will let you know what she says.
ThroatGoat
31-05-18, 17:12
Good luck Ryzinn! :D
So I went and saw a nurse practitioner today. My Dr. was booked unfortunately, I'll be seeing him next week but I figured it couldn't hurt to get an opinion. She seems to think that its possible all of my issues (neck lymph node, bump on palate, and earache) may all be unrelated. She saw some irritation in my ear so that was somewhat encouraging but she barely looked at it for more than 3 seconds so for some reason it's hard for me to take her seriously. She thought the Lymph node was a direct result of my earache even though my lymph node was first noticed in the fall of last year and the ear ache started 5 days ago. :lac:
She prescribed me with some ear drops and an anti biotic. I'm gonna take them as directed. I'm not dismissing her but she seemed kinda rushed. She said ultimately to give everything a couple of weeks and come back if things dont improve. I can't say I got much reassurance, I hate playing the "wait and see" game. I've already waited for quite some time. :/
Dentist appt Monday. We'll see what they say.
ThroatGoat
01-06-18, 14:10
Dentist appt Monday. We'll see what they say.
They're the ones you need to see for this I think, far more knowledge about the oral region than regular doctors (except ENTs perhaps). :D
I had OC screening the other week and was glad when they said there were no red flags. :yesyes:
I've got really similar symptoms as you. I'm so scared that I have a slow growing but deadly cancer.
My symptoms:
- hard lump under ear between jaw and neck. Hasn't grown in months since I found it.
- weird lesions on hard palate where it meets the soft palate.
- dull pains in sinus.
- slight hearing loss right ear.
- pain behind right eye.
- hard rock lump on hair line that I can't move, but feels like it moves when I tilt my neck left and right.
- weird stringy lumps on my neck spine that makes cracking noise kinda like cartlidge.
It's frustrating because I can't find any info about my concerns and I feel like all the doctors I go to aren't familiar with this kind of thing.
I've got really similar symptoms as you. I'm so scared that I have a slow growing but deadly cancer.
My symptoms:
- hard lump under ear between jaw and neck. Hasn't grown in months since I found it.
- weird lesions on hard palate where it meets the soft palate.
- dull pains in sinus.
- slight hearing loss right ear.
- pain behind right eye.
- hard rock lump on hair line that I can't move, but feels like it moves when I tilt my neck left and right.
- weird stringy lumps on my neck spine that makes cracking noise kinda like cartlidge.
I have pretty much all of that! Glad i'm not the only one I suppose but it is scary. The hard rock lump on your hair line is pretty much exactly what I have. Moves when I tilt my neck left and right.
I'm going to the dentist first thing tomorrow morning to get things checked out. Will keep everyone updated.
My earache has subsided significantly since using the prescribed ear drops. I still feel some discomfort occasionally but not nearly as bad as it was, so that's encouraging.
My earache has subsided significantly since using the prescribed ear drops. I still feel some discomfort occasionally but not nearly as bad as it was, so that's encouraging.
Before I went in for surgery to remove the cancer from my neck, the tumors had grown in and around structures in my neck. I had constant discomfort and pain in my neck/throat and ear. It had been slowly getting worse over the last two months prior. Nothing took it away, pain pills masked it somewhat but it was always there.
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
When my journey started, I went through two rounds of antibiotics and the node still grew. It didn't stay the same or go up and down. When noticeable symptoms started, they persisted and got worse. The meds would have done nothing if it were cancer. That's a fact. I lived it.
Positive thoughts
I have pretty much all of that! Glad i'm not the only one I suppose but it is scary. The hard rock lump on your hair line is pretty much exactly what I have. Moves when I tilt my neck left and right.
I'm going to the dentist first thing tomorrow morning to get things checked out. Will keep everyone updated.
My earache has subsided significantly since using the prescribed ear drops. I still feel some discomfort occasionally but not nearly as bad as it was, so that's encouraging.
It feels nice knowing I'm not alone! Please let us know what happens with you. Thanks!!
I have pretty much all of that! Glad i'm not the only one I suppose but it is scary. The hard rock lump on your hair line is pretty much exactly what I have. Moves when I tilt my neck left and right.
I'm going to the dentist first thing tomorrow morning to get things checked out. Will keep everyone updated.
My earache has subsided significantly since using the prescribed ear drops. I still feel some discomfort occasionally but not nearly as bad as it was, so that's encouraging.
It feels like it's moving but the funny thing is, I think it's not actually moving. Does yours feel like its stuck to a place in your neck, and when you move your neck it gives the illusion that the lump is moving. In reality, it's your head moving and the lump staying in place. It's such a weird feeling and idk if everyone has it.
The really weird thing is, I have little things like that lump everywhere such as my palate, salivary gland, etc, but nothing has grown. I think it's just normal anatomy that I am paying attention to.
The way cancer presents itself based on my research, is there is a primary tumor. For example, you would notice that you have a huge lump on your neck. After you notice the lump on your neck, it would spread to nearby tissue. Not vice versa like in our case where we have a lot of little issues. That is more suggestive of an infection or something benign.
So I finally saw a dentist today. She didn't seem concerned about my palatal bump. told me to give it 6 months, not sure I want to wait that long but didn't seem to believe it was anything to be worried about because it wasn't painful. Said it seemed like a bone to her (which didn't surprise me as that's how it's always felt) even though I don't remember it being their prior to a few weeks ago.
Doubt she had seen anything like it before. I'm still having intermittent earaches that seem to be non existent in the morning only to get progressively worse throughout the day. I'm working through the anti-biotics they prescribed and have a follow up with my actual doctor next week. Bumps and symptoms are still present.
I'm still pretty worried about all of this, don't think anybody but a trained ENT would help to satiate my fears. I've heard most palatal cancers are rare so a regular dentist and a nurse practitioner might not know what they're looking at. :weep:
And so the cycle continues :lac:
Positive thoughts
AMomentofClarity
05-06-18, 18:48
don't think anybody but a trained ENT would help to satiate my fears.
I bet you would still find something to worry about....something they missed, experience level, something you forgot to mention etc. The HA mind always finds something.
Dentists are absolutely experts in recognizing oral cancer. If they were concerned they’d submit you for additional testing.
I suppose all of that is true. I'm trying to keep a level head. Logically speaking, I know what you're saying is correct.
The mind tends to gravitate towards the worst when a hard lump is found. It'd be at least nice to know what it is exactly.
I bet you would still find something to worry about....something they missed, experience level, something you forgot to mention etc. The HA mind always finds something.
Dentists are absolutely experts in recognizing oral cancer. If they were concerned they’d submit you for additional testing. For sure they would HA plays many sophisticated tricks that's why it's important to get help for HA wether that be meds/therapy/books or all 3 :) ATB
ThroatGoat
05-06-18, 19:14
You've just seen the experts on OC, and they gave you the all clear.
AKA: You haven't got it. :D
So today I saw my actual Dr. and he didn't want to chance it. Said he could feel a very clear growth in the spot between the hard and soft pallets on the right hand side. Said it was asymmetrical, meaning it is on the right side of the pallet but not the other, and has now referred me to an ENT. He also made note of the occipital node on the back of my neck.
I'm waiting for a call for my appt.
:weep:
So today I saw my actual Dr. and he didn't want to chance it. Said he could feel a very clear growth in the spot between the hard and soft pallets on the right hand side. Said it was asymmetrical, meaning it is on the right side of the pallet but not the other, and has now referred me to an ENT. He also made note of the occipital node on the back of my neck.
I'm waiting for a call for my appt.
:weep:
I've replied a few times on this subject because I lived it. I said a few times that "Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go, nor does it stop once it starts".
In the couple of months you've had this(I know you said weeks but I remember the post in March because I responded to it and saw it before things were merged/deleted), that bump and/or the gland would have grown too. The ear ache responded to medication and that wouldn't have happened if it were sinister. I know because, prior to my surgery, as my cancer grew in my neck, the tumors began to wrap around structures in my neck and in turn that caused pain and other symptoms. It didn't come and go nor did it respond to antibiotics. Even pain meds didn't help that much.
Your doctor is practicing CYA medicine (cover your ass), and to me that's the sign of a good doctor. I understand 100% of what you're feeling because I've been there but there's something I personally found to be the kryptonite of that worry.... "It's NOT cancer until the say it's cancer".
Let me share one more personal experience (sorry, my fingers are rambling). About a year out from my cancer treatment (and my cancer had a 50/50 chance of recurring!) I had a big scare. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=151419) Turned out to be a severe reaction to a virus. So just saying that even in my situation, which had a 50/50 chance of being sinister, it was Ok. Think about the odds in your situation with no history of oral cancer. Let us know how you make out!
Positive thoughts
Positive thoughts
I appreciate the kind words Fishmanpa, as always. I had a similar thing happen a few years ago when I had a very rock hard swollen gland in my neck under my jawline and assumed the worst as I had no other symptoms with it. 2-3 weeks later after discovering the lump I had the worst strep I had ever had and it turned out to be mono.
Unfortunately, my mind is connecting dots that make sense in theory but could also be anxiety taking over. I recognize this, but I used to smoke, it wouldn't surprise me if I had HPV from a previous relationship with a not so loyal partner, and unfortunately, this thing just does not seem to be going away.
I'll keep everyone updated as always. Just wish I wasn't dealing with this worry in the back of my head 24/7. I'm surprisingly calm and collected about it from previous experiences but this time seems more of an "UH OH" than others.
I saw an ENT today and she seemed very dismissive that my bump was anything sinister. Said it was most likely a bone and that even if it were a tumor it'd be very slow growing and benign. She seemed pretty confident despite my questions and assertions that these kind of cancers often go misdiagnosed. I told her it was odd that a bone would just randomly appear a month ago out of the clear blue sky but she seems to think its trauma related and I noticed it and fixated on it due to my anxiety. Also told me it was definitely not a Torus.
So I'm gonna try my best to accept that 3-4 separate medical practitioners have assured me that it isn't anything to be concerned about. I can feel my health anxiety telling me that they're potentially missing something serious. No tests (CT, Blood, ultrasound, etc.) were done either so that doesn't really help anything. I guess maybe I should've asked for one but I feel silly demanding something that none of my drs have recommended.
Ultimately I was told to keep an eye on it. I don't like the idea of constantly having to check it every other day for 6 months but whatever. For now I'm just gonna call it a day on this one.
Finally, the node in my neck was dismissed as normal despite it feeling larger on one side and not the other. No test done here either. Considering i've had this for 8+ months now, I'm not as worried about it. My Ear continues to have an on and off pressure feeling. ENT explained that I had a deviated septum and that allergies and over-aggressive cleaning (which I am guilty of) are probably the cause.
Will update if this unfortunately does become sinister in some way. I know sometimes people google/search for similar issues and ask for updates.
Thanks to everyone who helped see me through it all.
Great to hear! Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood "Told Ya So Gang"!
https://media.giphy.com/media/5tojx1LzP3mMA1J1CE/giphy.gif
Positive thoughts
AMomentofClarity
20-06-18, 17:29
despite my questions and assertions that these kind of cancers often go misdiagnosed. I told her it was odd that a bone would just randomly appear a month ago out of the clear blue sky
As much as I’m sure she appreciates your vast internet acquired knowledge and clinical opinions, it’s probably best to trust the professionals on this one.
As much as I’m sure she appreciates your vast internet acquired knowledge and clinical opinions, it’s probably best to trust the professionals on this one.
Which I am doing. I wasn't trying to be rude when I told her this, I just wanted to express my concerns clearly and concisely. It's not unheard of for doctors to get things wrong, they've done so multiple times with my own family and friends. It never hurts to express concerns.
As stated though, I'm gonna trust the ENT's opinion to the best of my ability and try to move on.
Which I am doing. I wasn't trying to be rude when I told her this, I just wanted to express my concerns clearly and concisely. It's not unheard of for doctors to get things wrong, they've done so multiple times with my own family and friends. It never hurts to express concerns.
As stated though, I'm gonna trust the ENT's opinion to the best of my ability and try to move on. Which is good, but what are you going to do regarding your HA it's important to get this treated let us know how you get on please :) ATB
Hi Ryzinn
Just wondering if there’s any update on this? Got something similar at the moment (small lump in the roof of my mouth, hard and off centre) which is driving me crazy.
Thanks
I'll go ahead and post an update since a few of you have asked, I know it's almost a year later since the last post but since people have found this thread I figure I might aswell.
Anyway I went and saw an EMT for this issue and he didn't seem concerned. Said it's perfectly normal to not be perfectly symmetrical in all manners of your own body. For example your face, you may have one eye that is higher than the other or one side of your face that appears larger than the other or whatever. My ears, for example aren't symmetrically aligned.
Anyway, to elaborate, the bump that I had felt with my tongue between my hard and soft palates towards the right hand side of my back molar he concluded, was just the structure of my mouth and even though I have this bump on the right side, doesn't necessarily mean I have to have the same thing on the left. The bump in quesiton has not grown at all, and the pain that I had in my ear at the time did eventually go away and hasn't come back. Anxiety can affect your ears and I was also aggressively cleaning my ears out at the time with a solution that my girlfriend had turned me onto. I also had an occipital lymphnode that seemed larger than usual but has been there for some time now and hasn't grown at all either.
Those of you that find this thread, for some reassurance, keep in mind that your anxiety may very well be playing tricks on you. See your doctor, listen to what they have to say, and if it turns out to be nothing, move on as best you can. Look up or talk to fishmanpa if he's still around. That dude has been through it for real and he's a saint.
Take care. If any other questions PM/DM me, I don't log on often but I'll try to answer if I can. :)
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