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Neck Lump - somebody please reply?!!

Posted , 6 users are following.

Monkey16
Monkey16

In June last year I suddenly came down with a pretty severe case of dizzyness/loss of equilibrium. At its woes it lasted about a month, I steadily improved over time but couldn't work for 9 months. I'm back to work but still don't feel 'right'

At the time I was diagnosed with labyrinthitus but when I saw the ENT specialist he was dubious as my symptoms were not A-typical. All my ear test checked out fine.

The whole time there have been two constant things. The fine is a faint red ring on my left cheek about an inch and a half in diameter which I only notice since I was poorly. Not sure if it's relevant.

The second is that I can feel a lump on the back of my neck just to the right of my spine beneath the hairline. It feels kinda squidgy and I can move it a little. If it tilt my head to the side there is an audiable crack from this/near location.

I have had MRI and ultrasound which apparently came back normal ?! The weird thing is when I stand under the shower and press firmly on the lump it creates an audiable crack/pop in my sternum/collarbone area - as if something is rubbing or realeasing. I've had people stand next to me when I do it and can hear it even with shower running. Surely this specific symptom can point to something? Can it be some kind of muscular knot and is there any way it can explain what happened to me last year.

0 likes, 64 replies

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  • gillian76726
    gillian76726 Monkey16

    Posted

    If the limp is squidy t can often be a fatty lump, ( i have one near my collarbone), if you can squeeze it between yr fingers and it moves around it cld be that. If it was musuclar it would be giving you stiffnes or soreness.  My dermatologist ensured me it was anfatty lump and not dangerous.  The one on yr face cld be a skin lesion. I have just had one on my neck removed. It was just a red patch so Maybe you shld ask yr gp for a referral to a Dermatologist, to put yr mind at rest?
  • lily65668
    lily65668 Monkey16

    Posted

    It does sound as if there could be some connection. Certainly neck problems, especially knots in the muscle due to tension, can cause sensations of dizziness or even full-on vertigo. Was the MRI of your neck as well, or just your head?

    That remote cracking thing rings lots of bells with me, but I don't think it would apply to you. I get sudden attacks of pain in my upper arm, which I can sometimes "release" by moving my wrist. This causes a popping sensation in my wrist. Ditto pain behind my knee that I can release by kicking gently, which then causes a popping sensation on the front of my thigh, up near my hip joint. My GP says this is due to generalised tendinitis (due to an autoimmune condition I have).

    However... as far as I know, there aren't any tendons in the neck so I don't think this theory would hold water in your case. Have you been able to demonstrate this phenomenon to your doctor, and was the MRI done in response to this, or just because of your dizziness? If it's the latter, it might not have covered your neck.

    The lipoma (fatty lump) theory would seem reasonable but I'm not quite sure whether it would cause the clicking and popping.

    The thing on your cheek is just a skin lesion of some kind - possibly fungal. (I get these sometimes.)

  • Waffalobill
    Waffalobill Monkey16

    Posted

    Could be like Gill said, just a cyst(fatty substance). Most times they start off the size of a pea. Can grow bigger. I had one got the size of a golf ball. It is capsulated. If you keep hitting it or moving it and the capsule breaks, it can get bigger. Mine was on my shoulder. I ruptured it carrying boxes at work. It got red around it. Gp usually will drain them but he was afraid what may be involved cause I had it so long. Sent me to a surgeon. He cut it open and squeezed it out. Stuff was like cottage cheese and stunk bad. It drained for months before it healed closed. No meds needed.
  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    It definately happens when I press the lump down when in the shower - as if the heat somehow affects it - it won't do it at any other time.

    I also have a clicking is the same area when I rotate or shrug the shoulder on that side.

    The MRI was done on my neck because the ENT didn't find anything wrong with my ears. Agreed he could feel a lump on my neck and I was getting aching in my neck across the shoulders and also weirdly in the inside joint of my left arm.

    I just got a letter to say it came back normal. The aching and arm pain has stopped but I still feel like I need some kind of explanation as I am still convinced it was something connected to what initially happened to me.

    What is your advise??

    • gillian76726
      gillian76726 Monkey16

      Posted

      Maybe to start with ask your gp for a referral to Dermatology, get the ball,rolling on that as often of they cant diagnose it they will suggest anither consultant type.  And re your clicking in yr shoulder and underside of arm, that wld be good to get a physio to see that.
  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    I have seen a physio but it was some months ago - at that time I hadn't connected the shower thing.

    The physio did some work on my neck to try and 'release' the lump but he seemed a bit clueless to be quite honest. He also put the shoulder clicking down to 'getting old' I'm 33 and fit as a fiddle.

    Going back to the neck lump - when I think back I had a large sore over the same area on my skin, like a large angry boil. Even now I still have a sore there that won't heal - it seems to be directly over the lump on the skin but the lump feels very deep in my neck. It's no longer angry just like a scab that never heals and it's been the same for a good six months. Not sure if this is connected.

    • gillian76726
      gillian76726 Monkey16

      Posted

      Well i think you need,to see a better physio to start with. It could be your rotator cuff. You are perfectly entitled,to a second opinion!  With the scab that never heals that sounds like my neck one and my dematologist takes that seriously. It's actually comes under plastic surgery. Just tell,your gp you need to see someone who deals with skin lesions, non healing, like moles that change etc etc. And dont take no for an answer!!

  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    Here's a thought guys.

    It is possible that this lump on my neck is blocked gland - maybe the initial ladyrinthitus/infection I had it the first stage drained to here?

    Does anyone know if the are glands in the back of the neck that drain the ears/head!

    • lily65668
      lily65668 Monkey16

      Posted

      As far as I'm aware there are no superficial lymph nodes (i.e. directly under the skin) in the back of the neck. These are all around the sides of the neck and scalp.

  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    Occicipal nodes looks fairly close to where I'm feeling the lump.

    • lily65668
      lily65668 Monkey16

      Posted

      Yes, but to the best of my knowledge they're deep within the structures of the neck and could never be felt. Most lymph nodes are actually deep within the body - only a few of them are accessible from the surface.

      But why not ask your doctor about this?

  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    Just to be clear - the lump I can feel is deep below the surface inside my neck - not on the surface.
    • lily65668
      lily65668 Monkey16

      Posted

      No - I mean much deeper than that. Like the other side of your vertebral column. You can't feel round that. Ask your doctor if you're worried about it.

  • Monkey16
    Monkey16

    Posted

    What about the possibility of an undiagnosed MRSA infection?
    • lily65668
      lily65668 Monkey16

      Posted

      Monkey, you first posted two months ago. You'd be in serious trouble - and possibly dead - by now if it was MRSA!

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