Scm muscle on neck larger one side

[anxietybegone]

Hi everyone back here again after a break where I felt I had my health anxiety under control. So in February I had an ultrasound on the right side of my neck as I felt one side was larger than the other. It's kind of like a lump but more raised and barely visible looking in the mirror but feels different to the other side when I prod it.It pulsates too so think it is under a vein. Gp thought it was the vein or a muscle called scm I think. I got the ultrasound everything was normal according to doc but now I'm back worrying about it again, like why is one side different , ugh its so exhausting feel like I want to go back and get another ultrasound... should I get another one or is this just entering the cycle again ?

[kyllikki]

Bodies are not symmetrical.

The SCM is one of the most powerful muscles in your neck. Bad or even just uneven use or posture (awake or asleep!) can cause an imbalance in muscle tone and appearance from one side to the other.
I've had it my entire adult life and half of my childhood. It's really not anything to worry about, especially if a doctor has already had a look.
Keep on fighting that HA!!

[anxietybegone]

Thank you so much yes that makes sense, I just always have that nagging what if ? I guess that's anxiety though x

[kyllikki]

Hey anxietybegone, I have a funny for you. Well, I hope you will find it funny. After I replied to you I looked in the mirror later that evening and thought "at least I've never worried about being so lopsided, as I've always been lopsided" and then I thought "I think my SCMs really are at different angles, too, oh well" and started turning my head this way and that. Did that for a few minutes, with zero anxiety involved, just curiosity, then gave it up and watched some tv.

Well. Guess who woke up the next morning, and the morning after THAT, with a ROARING neckache, the "slept on it wrong" type?! And right in the SCM, too!

Anyway, I took some NSAIDs and though the pain was quite breathtakingly bad, "leaned in" to the muscle tightness and stuck a knuckle into the M or "mastoid" part of the attachment until the pain went from 9/10 to about 3/10 and I could turn and tilt my neck again. Might see a massage therapist if it continues.

I used to have this really frequently but it's been better over the last few years.... I never knew it was a communicable disease!