MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Neck lump

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Neck lump

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Considerations	Common Causes Home Care Call your health care provider if What to expect at your health care provider's office

Illustrations

Lymphatic system

Neck lump

Alternative names Return to top

Lump in the neck

Definition Return to top

A neck lump is any lump, bump, or swelling in the neck.

Considerations Return to top

There are many causes of lumps in the neck. The most frequently seen lumps or swellings are enlarged lymph nodes, which can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, malignancy, and other rare causes.

Enlargement of the submandibular salivary glands (under the jaw) may result from infection or malignancy. Lumps in the muscles of the neck, almost always in the front of the neck and involving the sternocleidomastoid muscle, result from injury or torticollis. Lumps in the skin or just below the skin are often caused by cysts such as sebaceous cysts.

The thyroid gland may also produce a lump, multiple lumps, or swelling in the neck as a result of thyroid disease or malignancy. Most cancers of the thyroid gland are extremely slow growing and often curable by surgery even if they have been present for several years.

Common Causes Return to top

CERVICAL (NECK) LYMPH NODE ENLARGEMENT

Bacterial
- Strep throat
- Other types of bacterial pharyngitis (sore throat from a bacterial infection)
- Cat scratch disease
- Tuberculosis
Viral
- Infectious mononucleosis
- HIV disease
- AIDS
- Rubella (German measles)
- Viral pharyngitis
- Herpes infections
Malignant
- Hodgkin's disease
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Metastatic oral lesions (mouth cancer)
- Other malignancy
Thyroid
Other

SALIVARY GLAND ENLARGEMENT

Infection
Mumps
Stone in salivary duct
Salivary gland tumor

Home Care Return to top

Consult your health care provider for treatment of the cause of the neck lump.

Call your health care provider if Return to top

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have prolonged and abnormal neck swelling or the presence of lumps.

What to expect at your health care provider's office Return to top

The health care provider will obtain your medical history and will perform a physical examination.

Medical history questions documenting your neck lump in detail may include the following:

Type
- Is it a firm lump?
- Is it a relatively soft, pliable bag-like (cystic) mass?
- Is it a painless bag-like (cystic) mass?
- Is the entire neck swollen?
Where is it located?
Time pattern
- Has it been increasing in size?
- Over how many months?
What other symptoms are also present?
Is there a rash?
Is there difficulty breathing?

If a thyroid goiter is diagnosed, medical management or surgical removal may be indicated. If a thyroid nodule is suspected, a radioactive thyroid scan, CT scan of the head or neck, or thyroid biopsy may assist in diagnosis and treatment.

If the lump is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be necessary. If the cause is a benign mass or cyst, surgical removal may be necessary.

Update Date: 5/4/2003

Updated by: Bridget Martell, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.