Swollen, infected salivary glands may also appear as lumps on the neck.
On rare occasions, certain head and neck cancers can cause a lump along the neck or jawline.
It may involve an abnormal growth of tissues or changes in cells that lead to cancer.
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Some of these causes can be diagnosed by your primary care provider.
Others may require a specialist in skin conditions called adermatologistor a cancer specialist called anoncologist.
A swollen lymph node may appear as a pea-sized lump in the neck that moves.
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Some can be as large as a grape.
They help filter disease-causing germs from fluids circulating through the body’slymphatic system.
Lymph nodes are filled with defensive white blood cells calledlymphocytes.
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If you have an active infection, these blood cells will activate to neutralize the germ.
The ensuinginflammationcauses the lymph nodes to swell and become warm, red, and painful.
This is referred to aslymphadenopathy.
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Treatment for swollen lymph nodes (aka swollen glands) depends on the cause.
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Most cases are not cancerous.
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Cysts
Lumps in your neck can also be fluid-filled sacs calledcysts.
These can form almost anywhere in the body.
A cyst usually feels soft.
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Types of cysts in your neck include:
Many cysts go away on their own.
Lipomas
Alipomais a benign lump filled with fat.
Those found on the neck commonly develop on the fatty part of the back of the neck.
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Lipomas are not cancerous.
They may have to be surgically removed depending on their size and location.
People with a family history of lipomas are more likely to get them.
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Note that there are rare fatty tumors called liposarcomas that are cancerous.
They are usually a sign of a thyroid problem but can also appear if you havenormal thyroid function.
Goiters can often be treated with medications.
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In some cases, goiters have to be surgically removed.
Boils
Sometimes, neck lumps are related to infections.
Aboilis a painful, pus-filled bump under the skin triggered by a bacterial infection of a hair follicle.
They can be deep, hard, and fairly large.
Mostskin boilsare caused byStaphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria found on the skin and inside the nose.
Boils develop at sites where the skin has been broken by a small injury.
Neck boils are common in people with coarse beards who haveingrown hairs.
Shaving can break the skin and provideS.
Aureuaseasy entry into ruptured hair follicles.
Boils can be drained by a healthcare provider.
Insect bites on the neck may also cause small swellings/lumps.
These types of allergic reactions are usually not serious and will resolve on their own within a few days.
If you know what triggered the reaction, you should take steps to avoid it in the future.
Thesemalignanttumors, while rare, fall under the larger category ofhead and neck cancers.
Can stress cause swollen lymph nodes?
In these cases, the lumps will go away when the underlying cause subsides.
In others, testing will be needed to finalize the diagnosis.
Either way, abnormal swelling or lumps are a reason to contact a healthcare professional.
If accompanied by fever, see a doctor as soon as possible.
If the lump is not sparked by infection or filled with fluid, your provider might perform abiopsy.
For a biopsy, a small amount of tissue is taken from the lump.
A tissue sample can usually be taken using a needle, but some have to be taken surgically.
The sample is then analyzed in a laboratory to see what the lump is made of.
Summary
Lumps in your neck are most likely not serious.
The most common cause of neck lumps is that your lymph nodes are swollen.
As the infection clears up, your swollen lymph nodes should go back to their normal size.
Neck lumps or nodules can also be triggered by cysts, boils, lipomas, and goiters.
These are not cancerous, but they may need to be surgically drained or removed by a provider.
It’s less common, but lumps on the neck can also be a sign of cancer.
If the lump is getting bigger or not going away, tell your provider.
They can figure out what the lump is and recommend the best way to treat it.
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