Ball-like lumps on either side of neck, still can't figure out what it is?

Posted , 4 users are following.

I'm not sure if I had it before this and never noticed but when I had mono earlier last year, I had noticed these two ball-like lumps in my neck. My first doctor said she didn't feel anything, my second and current doctor claimed they were lymph nodes, even though they're large, hard and fixated. And even though my mother has the exact same thing in her neck as well.

As a bit of information, they're both about half an inch behind my earlobe, with just a small space between my jaw and the lump on each side. They're typically painless unless I start coming down with something, which makes me wonder if they're somehow connected to lymph nodes at all. One of them is a little less than an inch and the other is maybe a little over half an inch. Both feel completely round, hard and fixated. 

Does anyone know what these things are? I keep looking at the anatomy of the neck and nothing seems to come close to what these things are (except maybe the c1 vertebra or something similar?). Again, I know for sure my mother has the same thing so it's very unlikely that it's something dangerous or life threatening, however my hypochondria tries to convince me otherwise.

Thanks in advance for any comments!

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    I should also mention that I had blood tests earlier this year that showed no signs of lymphoma or anything like that.
  • Posted

    Did any Doc suggest taking out some material from inside these balls for biopsy or otherwise. It may come out be just fat? If it is so, then nothing to worry. Lymph nodes are possibly normal that is why the Doc s may not be concerned about it. Abnormal size of lymph nodes do require furher analysis.
    • Posted

      My doctor wasn't concerned about them at all, even said that an ultrasound or anything like that would be pointless. Because I've had them for so long without any real problems or change to them, I guess I can understand where my doctor is coming from. But I would still like to know what these really are.

  • Posted

    I've had 2 lumps in my throat! One on one side, the other on the other side. They were goiters on my thyroid. Had surgery to remove thyroid and goiters. Must take meds to replace thyroid! But yours sound different, so yours might not be anything to worry about. If they are on the outside, use anti-biotic cream. It might help!

    • Posted

      Ouch! I'm sorry you had to have surgery for those. Unfortunately, mine aren't on the outside. They're rather deep under the skin, though when they're swollen like this, I can definitely feel them without having to press to hard. I had originally been extremely freaked out by them because they were so painless, hard and fixated, typical signs of something more cancerous, if it was a lymph node. But as I said previously, I already had bloodwork done and my lymphocytes were completely normal. I hope one of these days I'll figure out what these things really are!

  • Posted

    Your description sounds like your cervical lymph nodes. Some people have quite large nodes/glands...in your case it sounds as though its inherited from your Mother. Some people have one larger and harder than the other.    You really should stop fretting over these...you have had all the tests,and they dont give you any problems,so your doctor wont do anything else.

         If they swell up and you feel really unwell they are doing their job of fighting infection and in that case you may need to visit your doctor.

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