Neck Lump

The most common causes of enlarged lymph nodes among younger people include the following:

One or more neck lymph nodes often enlarge in response to an upper respiratory infection, throat infection, or dental infection. These nodes are soft, not tender, and typically return to normal shortly after the infection goes away.

Sometimes, bacteria can directly infect a lymph node ( lymphadenitis Lymphadenitis Lymphadenitis is infection of one or more lymph nodes, which usually become swollen and tender. (See also Overview of Bacterial Skin Infections.) Lymph is a fluid that oozes out of the body's... read more ). Such infected nodes are quite tender to the touch.

Certain systemic infections typically cause multiple lymph nodes to enlarge, including some in the neck. The most common of these infections are mononucleosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and tuberculosis.

A much less common but more serious cause of enlarged lymph nodes is

Cancerous (malignant) neck lumps are more common among older people, but they may occur in younger people. A lump may be a cancer of a nearby structure, such as the mouth or throat, that has grown into the neck. Or, a lump may be a cancerous lymph node, which may occur when a cancer spreads (metastasizes) from a nearby structure or from more distant parts of the body, or when a cancer arises in the lymphatic system itself (lymphoma). Cancerous lumps are not painful or tender to the touch and often are rock-hard.

Cysts are hollow, fluid-filled masses that are usually harmless unless they become infected. Some cysts in the neck are present from birth because of abnormalities that occurred during fetal development. Sometimes cysts develop in the skin ( epidermoid cyst Cutaneous Cysts Cutaneous cysts are common, slow-growing lumps. Epidermal inclusion cysts are the most common cutaneous cysts. (See also Overview of Skin Growths.) Epidermal inclusion cysts (epidermoid cysts)... read more ), including in the skin of the neck.

A salivary gland under the jaw ( submandibular gland Salivary gland swelling Salivary glands produce saliva, which moistens food to make it easy to swallow and contains enzymes (proteins) to help break down food so it is easier to digest. Salivary glands can malfunction... read more ) can enlarge if it is blocked by a stone, becomes infected, or develops a cancer.

The thyroid gland, which is in the middle of the neck just above the breastbone, can enlarge. The most common type of enlargement is goiter, which is noncancerous (benign). Cancers and thyroid inflammation (thyroiditis) are less common.

In people with a neck lump, certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include

In general, painless lumps are somewhat more worrisome than painful ones.

People who have any type of neck lump for more than a few days should see a doctor, particularly people with warning signs. People with other symptoms (such as fever) should have an earlier visit.

Doctors ask questions about the person's symptoms and medical history and do a physical examination. What doctors find during the history and physical examination helps decide what, if any, tests need to be done.

During the medical history, doctors ask about the following:

During the physical examination, doctors focus on the ears, nose, and throat (including the tonsils, base of the tongue, and thyroid and salivary glands). They look for signs of infection or abnormal growths, including looking down the throat with a mirror or a thin flexible viewing tube (laryngoscopy). They also feel the neck lump or lumps to determine whether it is soft, rubbery or hard and whether or not it is tender.

If there is an obvious source of infection, such as a cold or a sore throat, or the person is young and healthy and has a tender lump present for only a few days, no tests are needed immediately. Such people are watched closely to see whether the lump goes away without treatment. If it does not go away, tests are needed.

Most other people should have a blood count and a chest x-ray Plain X-Rays X-rays are high-energy radiation waves that can penetrate most substances (to varying degrees). In very low doses, x-rays are used to produce images that help doctors diagnose disease. In high... read more . For younger people without risk factors for or findings that suggest cancer (such as mouth growths), doctors often take a tissue sample (biopsy). For older people, particularly those with warning signs or risk factors for cancer, doctors often do several tests to look for a source of cancer before doing a needle biopsy or excisional biopsy (remove entire lump for testing). Such tests often include blood tests and computed tomography Computed Tomography (CT) In computed tomography (CT), which used to be called computed axial tomography (CAT), an x-ray source and x-ray detector rotate around a person. In modern scanners, the x-ray detector usually... read more (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves are used to produce highly detailed images. MRI does not use x-rays and is usually very safe... read more (MRI) of the head and neck. Ultrasound Ultrasonography Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound (ultrasound) waves to produce images of internal organs and other tissues. A device called a transducer converts electrical current into sound waves... read more is preferred for children to avoid radiation exposure and may be used in adults if doctors suspect a thyroid mass. Children, in whom lumps are caused most often by infection, are usually first given a trial of antibiotics.

To look for cancer originating in other parts of the body, doctors usually take x-rays of the upper digestive tract, do a thyroid scan, and do a CT scan of the chest. Direct examination of the larynx (laryngoscopy), lungs (bronchoscopy), and esophagus (esophagoscopy) and simultaneous biopsies may be needed.