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Lumps in neck
Hi everyone. I posted in the ear, nose, and throat forum and had no luck. Hopefully I will get some here.
About 8 months ago I first found a small hard lump in my neck under my jaw. I can't see it through my skin I can just feel it. I didn't think anything of it until about 2 months ago when I randomly was feeling my neck and felt that same lump again. Now due to my hypochondria, I am obsessed with this lump. It hasn't grown, at least not to my knowledge, since first finding it 8 months ago. I have been to two doctors within the past 2 months to ask them about it. An ENT and a regular clinic doctor. No tests were done. Both just felt it and seemed sure that it felt normal. Clinic doctor suggested a permanent enlarged lymph node but nothing alarming since it felt like a pea. ENT said he didn't think it was a lymph node but a bone. He said if I was still worried to come back in 3 months and he will do testing then but he assured me it wasn't anything serious. It does feel hard and doesn't move which I have read suggests the worst. But I guess the good thing about it is that it doesn't seem to have grown. Someone suggested to me it could be a hyoid bone but after looking at pictures of it on the net I'm not sure that what I'm feeling is in the same place the hyoid bone would be. Another thing is that I can obviously feel it, but I can't grab it. Does this mean or suggest anything? My main worry is obviously cancer, lymphoma or leukemia, but since first finding it 8 months ago I don't have any of those symptoms that those cancers would cause. I would see a third doctor but because I saw those first two doctors weeks apart from each other my insurance has become a problem and I wouldn't get new coverage until the new year anyway and that's why I have been searching the net for questions like crazy. I have also noticed another one, the same small size, almost next to it. I noticed that about 2 months ago for the first time and haven't thought much about that one until now too. That one seems like it's the same pea size but a little flatter. The first one feels more pointy and noticeable. Any ideas or suggestions would be great! The only thing that is literally keeping me from going insane with these lumps is that fact that I read and have been told that small pea size lumps are normal.
Thanks for any advice and suggestions. :)
About 8 months ago I first found a small hard lump in my neck under my jaw. I can't see it through my skin I can just feel it. I didn't think anything of it until about 2 months ago when I randomly was feeling my neck and felt that same lump again. Now due to my hypochondria, I am obsessed with this lump. It hasn't grown, at least not to my knowledge, since first finding it 8 months ago. I have been to two doctors within the past 2 months to ask them about it. An ENT and a regular clinic doctor. No tests were done. Both just felt it and seemed sure that it felt normal. Clinic doctor suggested a permanent enlarged lymph node but nothing alarming since it felt like a pea. ENT said he didn't think it was a lymph node but a bone. He said if I was still worried to come back in 3 months and he will do testing then but he assured me it wasn't anything serious. It does feel hard and doesn't move which I have read suggests the worst. But I guess the good thing about it is that it doesn't seem to have grown. Someone suggested to me it could be a hyoid bone but after looking at pictures of it on the net I'm not sure that what I'm feeling is in the same place the hyoid bone would be. Another thing is that I can obviously feel it, but I can't grab it. Does this mean or suggest anything? My main worry is obviously cancer, lymphoma or leukemia, but since first finding it 8 months ago I don't have any of those symptoms that those cancers would cause. I would see a third doctor but because I saw those first two doctors weeks apart from each other my insurance has become a problem and I wouldn't get new coverage until the new year anyway and that's why I have been searching the net for questions like crazy. I have also noticed another one, the same small size, almost next to it. I noticed that about 2 months ago for the first time and haven't thought much about that one until now too. That one seems like it's the same pea size but a little flatter. The first one feels more pointy and noticeable. Any ideas or suggestions would be great! The only thing that is literally keeping me from going insane with these lumps is that fact that I read and have been told that small pea size lumps are normal.
Thanks for any advice and suggestions. :)
Best Answer
Hi and thank you so much for responding.
I am about 99% sure I haven't noticed a growth but because I have been so obsessed with touching it I feel like my mind is playing games with me and I'm starting to question if there has been any growth. But I keep thinking that even if there had been it would have been very little within the past 8 months. The only thing I'm certain of is that I haven't experienced any symptoms. At least none of the typical ones I read about online.
I have also considered your suggestion regarding an infection. But I can't think of any infection that would have lasted 8 months. Is that even possible? And I'm wondering that if it is due to hardened scar tissue the only thing I can think of is my suffering from year round allergies which involves 24 hour sneezing and sniffing at least once a week. Could that be a possibility?
P.s. I love your username :)
I am about 99% sure I haven't noticed a growth but because I have been so obsessed with touching it I feel like my mind is playing games with me and I'm starting to question if there has been any growth. But I keep thinking that even if there had been it would have been very little within the past 8 months. The only thing I'm certain of is that I haven't experienced any symptoms. At least none of the typical ones I read about online.
I have also considered your suggestion regarding an infection. But I can't think of any infection that would have lasted 8 months. Is that even possible? And I'm wondering that if it is due to hardened scar tissue the only thing I can think of is my suffering from year round allergies which involves 24 hour sneezing and sniffing at least once a week. Could that be a possibility?
P.s. I love your username :)
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Try to put it out of your mind (I know, easier said than done) but if it would help put your mind at ease, go ahead with further testing with your ENT.