Very worried about lump on AC joint

[erica1991]

Hello,

I posted in this forum a while back because I was trying to figure out why I had a large hump on the top of my spine. All medical causes were ruled out and they said that it was just a large amount of adipose tissue collecting because of my recent weight loss. I am having that removed in December, because it is not cosmetically appealing and it causes a lot of pain and discomfort. Around the same time I noticed in the shower a pea sized node on top of my shoulder near my collarbone, and that the proximal head of the humerus is rather large. I had it checked by a doctor who told me it was just my bone (it's not, the lump is just really hard) and I forgot about it. A week ago in the shower i was washing myself with body wash without a wash cloth and I felt the same area and realized that this lump had gotten huge and it has been causing a lot of achy discomfort. I decided to be on the safe side and make an appointment with an orthopedic since the lump has been there since June, it has grown rather significantly, and it is now causing pain and discomfort. I had an x-ray done on my shoulder before I saw the doctor, and before he even felt my shoulder he said that the x-ray is showing a prominent area on my AC joint (right at the end of my collarbone) and said that it is presenting itself as a mass. He said without further imaging he cannot tell me the kind of mass that it is. He said that when we know what it is we can discuss options for removal and do testing on it to see the type of mass (benign, malignant, cystic legion, ect). I was scheduled for an MRI on Friday, and I was told to call early Monday morning for my results, but my MRI ended up being cancelled because their machine went down, so instead of Monday morning I won't know anything until Wednesday morning (I am having my scan done on Tuesday) so I am rather anxious. I also did not tell him that I thought the top of my shoulder (proximal humerus) looked rather large compared to the other (because I didn't know if it was in my head or not) but while we were talking he grabbed the area and compared it to the other side, so I'm not sure if that area is involved with the lump or not. From what I have read on the internet, it is rather rare for a mass to grow in the AC joint, so I am just very anxious to hear my results. He also said that if a mass does not show up on the MRI then it is something wrong with my joint and it would be inflammation on the x-ray, (I don't know what else would be wrong because I am a 23 year old female who does not lift weights or is involved in any kind of sport)


Any advice or has anyone else experienced this?

I also have lost 15 pounds, but I don't know if that would be involved with this issue since it has been over the course of 3 months, but I also am not dieting or hardcore working out.

[namnam46]

My Dear Erica.  :)

I'm so happy that you have found our Back & Neck Community here on MH (MedHelp) Community.  I need for you to understand that none of us on the Back & Neck Community are Doctor's.  We are all basically CP (Chronic Pain) Patients that are having pain with our Backs & Necks from all types of different causes.  Mine is from Osteoarthritis.

I'm so sorry that you are having to experience everything that you are experiencing with your back and spine.  I know this must be so frightening for a very young person of 23 years of age such as yourself to have to even think about something such as you are going thru in your life right now.  I know it's hard to wait but it's almost over now and you'll have your MRI tomorrow and get your results on Wednesday morning, if I read your post correctly.  

First, let me congratulate you on your weight loss.  :)   I know how difficult it can be to lose weight.   I doubt that your weight loss had anything to do with this condition but your Doctor can tell you that for sure.  

I HOPE that you will update us on Wednesday after you have received your results as I as a Grandmother, will be anxiously waiting to hear your results. We Grandmother's  (hence the name NamNam) tend to worry about ALL young people.  :)

I wish you the VERY BEST and look forward  to any and all updates that you will post.  Everyone on here is very compassionate and whether or not they are Grandparents, they all wonder and worry about our posters here on MH.

Thinking of you, Erica.   .....   Sherry   :)

[erica1991]

I would like to update you on everything that happened when I had X-rays and Mri done. The hump on back of neck I refer to is a dowagers hump that has fused my vertebrae together, I have adult onset scoliosis in my thoracic spine and the lump on ac joint is a bone spur from degenerative changes due to osteoarthritis, which is present in both left and right ac joints.