Sore bump

[Jen1965]

A bump on the back of my head has suddenly appeared.It is not red, there is no  rash, nor is it a pimple.  It is about the size of a quarter and it is painful to touch.  It is totally under the skin and just above and to the left of my ear.  What could it be?


This discussion is related to Hard bumps on scalp.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

This kind of bump can be a swollen lymph node,a sebaceous cyst or a boil. Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes) is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection along with other numerous causes.Treatment is usually cold compresses,over the counter anti-inflammatory analgesics(pain killers) like acetaminophen or ibuprofen,antibiotics if cause of infection is suspected to be a bacteria and surgical drainage if there is any abscess formation.

Sebaceous cyst is a closed sac or cyst below the surface of the skin that has a lining that resembles the uppermost part (infundibulum) of a hair follicle and fills with a fatty white, semi-solid material called sebum produced by sebaceous glands of the epidermis.It is usually painless but can become painful if infected.Then antibiotics are needed.

Boils are caused by infection of the hair follicle be staph aureus.Treatment includes antibiotics.

Diagnosis can only be confirmed after examination.I feel that you should consult a dermatologist and discuss these possibilities with him.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.