Lipoma on mid spine

[Mary Schuberth]

I am a 34 year old female in otherwise good heath in need of some quick advise. About six weeks ago I took a fall down several stairs, I mildly injured my mid-back area and buttocks. It was enough to keep me out of work for a day but I felt fine within three days.  Just under a week ago I noticed a silver dollar size bump on my back located directly over my spine at about midpoint.  I have also been having random dull upper and lower back pain and stiffness for almost two weeks (but no direct pain in the immediate area of the lump).  Initially I wrote the pain off to other causes, sitting in the wrong position too long, not stretching, things like that.   I have just seen a general surgeon for this bump and he has advised me after physical examination that it is a lipoma, and will remove it in two weeks.  He didn’t seem concerned that the lipoma is located right over my spine and he also said that my back pain probably didn’t have anything to do with the lipoma, and that I would probably need to see someone else for that.   My questions are these: how common are lipoma’s on this area of the back?  Can they in fact cause back pain as I have described?  Can they be caused by such injuries as described?  Are there other considerations I should make before having the procedure done?

The Physician I have met with unfortunately was not too forthcoming with answers, and now I am trying to decide weather to wait the two weeks for removal & deal with the pain. Or just move on to a physician that can address the issue of the back pain also.  

Thank you,
Mary

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Mary:

Lipomas are common.  Most of the time (>95%) they are completely benign and need only watching.  Surgery is usually done when something is compromised by them, such as muscle invasion and nerve compromise.  I would get a second opinion about your lipoma from a neurosurgeon or neurologist.  A general surgeon's first thought is surgery.  You need to know if it is completely extradural and not compromising any structure (nerve).  At the same time, you can have spinal column and cord examined to see if your have a disc herniation or whatever to cause the pain.  Most of the time, lipoma surgery is for cosmetic reasons.  But, if you have one lipoma you might have others, so it is best to have things checked out.  I would not rush into surgery until you get another opinion.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Maria]

Dear Medico

I am writing this on behalf of a 32 year old mother who has been diagnosed with Cervical cancer.

Presently she is in chronic pain and is on Provaldone around the clock every 4 hours.  She is going to see a neurosurgeon who will talk regarding the effects of nerve block to alleviate this pain.  (She has been in radiotherapy etc, but this has had little effect on her cancer and has been told she has 2 months to live, this was 3 weeks ago.)

I have noticed a lump around 6 cms diam on her spine upper back.  She has had it for a year and was told that it is fluid.  Could this be the contributing factor to her pelvic pain that has been overlooked?

Regards Maria

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Maria:

It is difficult to tell you for sure, one needs to know if the neural foramena (where the sensory nerve exit the spinal cord) are affected.  In addition, the upper back is not the location where one usually see a process affecting the pelvis, this is usually lower in the lumbar/sacral area.

CCF Neuro MD

[ElizabethJane]

I noted the posting on lipomas!  I have multiple lipomas without a cause for such; however, can this lipomas, which are in my muscles(some noted by rhumatologist) CAUSE neurological problems such as pins and needles down arm and weakness in legs, etc.  Have you heard of such lipomas, painful/tender, lipomas of various sizes, causing such problems such as pain, tingling, pins and needles or pressing on nerves to cause such symptoms?  Or is it just another neurological problem as I have been dx as having sle in 1990 but now supposedly in remission but still have some disturbing symptoms.....e

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear ElizabethJane:

Sorry to hear about your lipomas.  Yes, if the lipoma puts pressure on a nerve one can have effects of pain/and or parasthesias.  If the lipomas are large in the muscle they also can produce muscle pain.  However, having SLE can also produce these same symptoms, however from a different entity.  The autoimmune reaction can affect the nerves due to inflammation.  Usually, SLE is a life long disease that has excerbations or flares.  

CCF Neuro MD

[Priscilla Manickam]

Well I'm very concerned about my lipoma. I'm 17 years old and i had lipoma ever since i was 15. The first time I noticed a lump on both of my under arms, I went to my school health ceter, and the nurse practioner said that it was just extra breast tissue.

Then it started to hurt and get red, sometimes, so i went to a clinic, and they told me it was lipoma, and the only way i could remove it is surgery, but insurance won't cover it because it's considered cosmetic.

I feel like I'm the only young person that has it, it's embarassing. I have alot of question, please answer them for me. I'm very curious about lipoma.

1. How do you actually get lipoma

2. What is it really??

3. Will it ever get bigger, if you get pregnant?

4. Is it odd that the lipoma is on my underarm?

5.Why does it cause some pains?

This is all of the questions I have for now, please get bck to me at my email address: sticky_rice***@****

Thank you so much, it feels good to talk to someone about this.

Sincerely,

Priscilla

[Priscilla Manickam]

Well I'm very concerned about my lipoma. I'm 17 years old and i had lipoma ever since i was 15. The first time I noticed a lump on both of my under arms, I went to my school health ceter, and the nurse practioner said that it was just extra breast tissue.

Then it started to hurt and get red, sometimes, so i went to a clinic, and they told me it was lipoma, and the only way i could remove it is surgery, but insurance won't cover it because it's considered cosmetic.

I feel like I'm the only young person that has it, it's embarassing. I have alot of question, please answer them for me. I'm very curious about lipoma.

1. How do you actually get lipoma

2. What is it really??

3. Will it ever get bigger, if you get pregnant?

4. Is it odd that the lipoma is on my underarm?

5.Why does it cause some pains?

This is all of the questions I have for now, please get bck to me at my email address: sticky_rice***@****

Thank you so much, it feels good to talk to someone about this.

Sincerely,

Priscilla

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Ms. Manickam:

Unfortunately, lipomas found outside the nervous system will continue to grow.  They usually arise from fatty tissue that loses its autoregulation.  The only way to remove them is surgically.  Lipomas can develop anywhere in the body.  No, they grow but are not associated with pregnancy, except for the increase in fatty tissue growth during pregnancy.

CCF Neuro MD

[LORRIE]

Dear Dr. I just found a large lipoma laying at the bottom of my rib cage I have had three others removed a couple of years ago all on my ribs, I am extremely worried about the lumps being cancerous. Is the rib cage a ususal spot for these and what's the chance they will turn cancerous and is there any similarity to
a person who develops lipomas and a person getting cancer I had one removed and it had a blood supply hooked to it but they all came back benign I have also had 2 large ovarian cysts removed as well. I am a 32 year old women in other wise good health eats well exercises drinks lots of water.