Explanation of the formation of lump on back of the neck on the hairline, right side left side and under the skin. Understanding of the formation of painful lump, hard and soft lump and how to get rid of the lumps.
Lump on Back of Neck Causes
Lump on back of neck is also known as a neck mass. Neck lumps may be large and visible, or at times they can be too small. In Most cases, neck lumps are benign, this means noncancerous and also not harmful. A neck lump can be a sign of a serious condition on your body, like an infection or a cancerous growth.
If one has a neck lump, it should be evaluate promptly by a doctor.
The lump on back of neck may be soft, hard, tender or non-tender. It can either be located under the skin or it may be from the tissues and organs within the neck. The place where the lump originates always plays an important role to determine what it is. there are many muscles, organs and tissues that are found near the neck and therefore makes the neck lumps to from many places on the neck, including:
- neck muscles
- lymph nodes
- the thyroid gland,
- recurrent laryngeal nerves,
- parathyroid glands,
- the larynx, or voice box
- the trachea, or windpipe
- the brachial plexus
- salivary glands
- cervical vertebrae
- various arteries and veins
An enlarged lymph node is considered as the most likely cause of a lump on back of neck. The Lymph nodes have cells that help the body fight off infections and also attack the cancerous cells. When one is sick, the lymph nodes may become enlarged so as to help fight the infection. The Other common causes of an enlarged lymph nodes are:
- sinus infections
- ear infections
- tonsillitis
- dental infections
- strep throat
The diseases such as cancer and other disorders of thyroid gland like the goiter that is due to iodine deficiency may cause an enlargement of the thyroid gland. Viruses like the mumps too can make the salivary glands be enlarged. An Injury or torticollis may cause a lump in the neck muscles.
Most of the neck lumps are benign, cancer can be a possible cause. For the adults the chances of the lump on back of neck being cancerous increases after the age of fifty. Lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking may have an impact too. Excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol are greatest risk factors for the cancers of the mouth and throat.
The other risk factor for the cancers of the neck, mouth and throat is a human papilloma virus infection. This infection is usually transmitted sexually. The Cancers that appear as a lump in the neck can include:
- The cancers of the head and the neck tissues
- leukemia
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
There are also various viruses that can cause a lump on back of neck. They may include:
- HIV or AIDS
- leukemia
- herpes
- infectious mononucleosis
- viral pharyngitis
Bacterial infection may cause neck and throat problems thus leading to an inflammation and a neck lump. These bacteria may treated with the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. They include:
- atypical mycobacterium – This is a bacteria most common in people who have a compromised immune systems and lung disease
- tuberculosis
- tonsillitis
- cat scratch disease
- peritonsillar abscess – this is an abscess on or near the tonsils
- strep throat
There are also other less common causes of lump on back of neck. This can include an Allergic reactions to medicine and food. Stone in salivary duct can block saliva cause a neck lump.
Since a lump on back of neck may be caused by variety of conditions and diseases, there are many possible related symptoms. Other people may have no symptoms while others may have some of the symptoms related to the condition that is causing the lump on back of neck.
If the lump on back of neck is caused by an infection and the lymph nodes are enlarged, then one might also be having a sore throat, pain in the ear or even difficulty swallowing food. If the neck lump is blocks the airway then this might bring about difficulty in breathing or a sound hoarse when one speaks.
At times those people with neck lumps that are as a result of cancer do have skin changes around the area. Blood or phlegm might also be found in their saliva.
When one visits a doctor for examination, the doctor will need to know the health history of the patient. This includes details on the lifestyle habits and the symptoms. The doctor will also want to know for how long one has been smoking or drinking and how much one drinks and smokes on daily basis. The doctor will also need to know when the symptoms started and how severe the symptoms are. This will then be followed by a physical exam.
During the examination, the doctor will examine the scalp, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, throat, and the neck carefully. The doctor will check for any abnormalities on the skin and any other related symptoms.
The diagnosis of the lump on back of neck is based on the symptoms, history, and results of the physical examination. In some cases the doctor might refer an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a detailed evaluation of the ears, throat, nose, and sinuses.
The ear, nose and throat specialist performs an otorhino-laryngoscopy. The doctor uses a lighted instrument to check on the areas of the ears, nose, and throat that are not visible. This procedure does not need an anesthesia. The patient will be awake during this evaluation.
The doctor and the specialist might run a various tests so as to determine the exact cause of the neck lump. A complete blood count may be done to check the overall general health and also to provide an insight into a number of the possible conditions. An example is that a white blood cell count can be high if one has an infection.
Other possible tests can include sinus x-ray, ultrasound of the neck, MRI of the head and chest x-ray.
The chest X-ray allows the doctor to confirm if there is any problem in the lungs, trachea, or the chest lymph nodes. The ultrasound of the neck is a noninvasive test that uses the sound waves to examine the lump on back of neck. MRI is done on the head and the neck. It gives a detailed images of the structures in the head and the neck.
The mode on how the neck lump is treated depends on the underlying cause. The Lumps that are caused by bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. The Treatment options for those lumps on head and neck that are cancerous include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
An Early detection is very important and the key to successful treatment of the underlying cause. Those lumps that are cancerous on the head and neck can be cured with minimal side effects if they are detected at an early stage.
The lumps on the neck may occur on any person and they are not always signs of a serious condition. It is however important to see the doctor to confirm. It is better to be diagnosed and treated early, especially if the case whereby the neck lump turns out to be caused by something serious.
Lump on Back of Neck Hairline
Bumps may form on various parts of the neck. This includes the sides, in and on back of neck. A lump that forms in the neck is can be referred to as a neck mass. The lumps may be large and noticeable or at times small and tender. The lumps on neck may appear on the back of neck near the hairline depending on the cause. One may feel a movable lump that can cause some pain or sometimes painless.
A lump on neck that is found on the right side near the hairline can also be lipoma. A lipoma is fat deposit that is found under the skin surface. One is likely to see a bump on the neck, shoulders or on the back. A Lipoma is always soft and causes some little pain. It is easy to diagnose lipoma than the other skin problems.
A lipoma can also be described as a growth of fatty tissue that develops under the skin surface. Although it can affect every one of any age, it rarely develops on infant and children. Lipoma are always categorized as tumor of fatty tissue. This therefore means one has lipoma it should not worry one as they are not cancerous or harmful to one’s health.
Lipoma is different from the other skin tumors. The Lipoma is always pale and colorless. It grows slowly and it can move easily if touched with finger. The lipoma are usually painless but tend to be painful when it grows into the nerves that are under the skin. One has to visit physician if any changes on the skin is detected.
If the lipoma is left alone it usually causes no problem. But if the lump on back of neck lipoma causes discomfort then one has to get it removed by a dermatologist.
Lump on Back of Neck Right Side
A lump on back of neck that forms near the neck right side of the hairline at the bottom of skull and that keeps coming and goes after one or two years might be worrying and of concern. Hard lump found on back of neck that cannot go away can caused by the sebaceous cyst or lipoma. This it calls for a physical and medical examination so as to carry out a proper diagnosis.
The hard lump might be as a result of abnormal growth of the tissues that are behind the neck. This can be painless too depending on whether it is malignant or benign. It is only by medical examination that is cause can be ascertained.
Lump on Back of Neck Left Side
The formation of lump on left side of the neck can be as a result of several of different phenomena. It can be as a result of the swollen lymph nodes or an enlarged salivary gland. The underlying causes can be as mild as some allergic reactions or tonsillitis and can be as severe as a mouth cancer or even AIDS.
A Simple home remedies can help relieve the lump. But it is very important to consult a physician for a thorough checkup. There are many bacterial conditions that causes a swollen lymph nodes in the neck. They can include the strep throat, atypical mycobacterium, bacterial pharyngitis, tonsillitis or peritonsillar abscess.
Viral conditions may also be the cause of swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Viruses like the rubella which also referred to as German measles, AIDS, herpes infections, viral pharyngitis, and infectious mononucleosis are great cause of the swollen lymph nodes.
the other conditions that may also be the cause to swollen lymph nodes includes the Hodgkin disease, mouth cancer, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, thyroid food allergies, drug allergies and other allergic reactions.
One can purchase pain relievers at a pharmacy so as to ease the discomfort. Pain relievers such as Tylenol and ibuprofen or Motrin and Aleve may be used to ease the pain and also decrease the swelling. It is important to note that aspirin is not be given to children, because they may cause Reye’s syndrome.
A warm and wet cloth can be applied on the area to ease the pain as and also to reduce the swelling. Getting rest is very important as it gives the body time it needs to recover from injury or illness.
Lump on Back of Neck under Skin
The lumps on the back of neck under skin may not be worrying. Most of The lumps and the swellings are usually harmless. The location where the lumps form and the accompanying symptoms might help the doctor detect their cause. One may develop lumps on the back of your neck because of various reasons. It is important to visit a doctor one detects any lumps that seem to form without a reason.
The lymph nodes can be felt along each side of the back of the neck. The Nodes behind the ears can also swell causing lumps on the back sides of the neck. The skin along the back of the neck can also form a swelling below the surface.
One can feel some pain or itching around the area of the lump. An increase in temperature can indicate the presence of a fever and oozing or pus may indicate an existence of a skin infection. Some lumps can roll under the fingers and some may be immovable.
The Causes for lump on back of neck vary. A Swollen lump and that causes pain and appears suddenly usually occur as a result of an infection or injury. Lumps can also form under the skin as a result of the boils. Boils usually start as red and tender lumps and are always caused by bacterial conditions that infects the hair follicles. A Swollen lymph nodes often forms when the body fight off an infection.
It is recommended to take measures to help prevent and heal the lumps caused by boils. By an application of a warm cloth compressed to the boils for a few minutes can help. The cloth is to be soaked in warm salty water before application so as to help the boil rupture and drain.
It’s very important to visit a doctor if the lymph nodes continue to grow or remain enlarged after several weeks. If the nodes are tender, hard to the touch or red, the doctor should be told about any other accompanying symptoms like fever and unexplained weight loss.
Large Lump on Back of Neck
A swelling on back of neck that looks like a bump can be caused by tumor. If the bump on back of neck is painless, then it might be caused by a tumor. The lump forms from an abnormal growth of the tissues whether benign or malignant. This unusual growth of the tissues around the neck muscles may lead to a big hard lump on back of neck.
The Treatment of the tumor on back of neck depends on the location where it has developed. Imaging and Tumor tests are often used to locate the tumor in neck. Benign tumor are always painless and are usually ignored. The big hard lump may be reduced in size or even completely removed by surgery.
The Cancerous tumors may be treated by chemotherapy, surgery or radiation.
Soft Lump on Back of Neck
The lumps on the shoulder, chest, back or arm are most likely a lipoma or a cyst. A lipoma is a fatty lump that forms under the skin. It is usually harmless and when pressed it feels soft to touch. It ranges from a size of a pea to few centimeters across.
A cyst on the other hand is a sac formed under the skin that contains fluid, usually pus. It can look similar to a lipoma but is more close to the surface of the skin. The lipomas are usually formed deeper under the skin. The Cysts are firm to the touch. They can disappear on their own without treatment. They can also be drained.
Hard Lump on Back of Neck
An Epidermoid cysts are small lumps that form just below the skin on the face and the neck. They are characterized as slow-growing painless lumps and are ordinarily hard and skin toned. When infected they turn red in colour and become tender. An Epidermoid cysts are noncancerous.
But they may give rise to skin cancers. When they rupture and become infected or inflamed they can be removed surgically. Corticosteroid injections may reduce the inflation in the non-infected epidermoid cysts. Lasers and incision methods may be applied to remove them completely.
How to Get Rid of Lump on Back of Neck
There has never been a perfect way on prevention of a lump on back of neck. However, there are several steps one may take to reduce the risk of developing one.
One can get rid of osteoporosis by consumption of a recommended daily allowance of calcium and vitamin D. If one has a medical condition that prevents from absorbing calcium from food, then a doctor can prescribe calcium supplements that are to be taken.
By regularly exercising lowers the risk of thinning bones and obesity. Also one should consider eating a healthy diet that comprises of all food groups.
When one hits a menopause stage or attains an age of 51, he or she has to increase the calcium intake from 950 milligrams a day to about 1800 milligrams a day. You must consult a doctor before increasing the calcium intake, especially if under medications or if one has a family history of osteoporosis.
It is advisable Stop Causing a Rounded Back. If one is sitting on the back of the pelvis instead of on the sitz bones, the he or she has to correct that by:-
- leaning forward from the hip joints and not on the waist
- pulling the feet back slightly so that they are under the chair
- placing the hands on the sides of the chair seat
- lifting the pelvis up off the chair and aiming the front of it towards the chair seat
- unbend from the hip joints and lean back against the chair, sitting in an upright position
By following the above, one will now feel the sitz bones underneath. This works well when on a firm chair with a flat seat.
When standing, you have to confirm that the pelvis is not thrust forward. A lot of people might think that they are leaning forward as their head and upper back are rounded forward. But that is wrong, the truth is that they are leaning backward. When one is able to stop the tendency of pushing the pelvis forward, it will greatly help reduce the tendency of getting a hump back.
In the event that the pelvis is forward, it makes the lower back lean backwards, and in turn the upper back will have to counter this by rounding forwards. Lifting of the chest by arching the back can also causes curvature of the spine and fatigue in the back muscles.
When the pelvis is under you instead of being in front of you, one has to relax the back and let the chest drop. This can helps to straighten the lower spine and eventually a way of getting rid of lump on back of neck.
Apparently there is no way on how to straighten the upper spine until the lower spine is straightened. When the lower spine starts straightening after following the above steps, you will have to stop the cause of the upper back roundedness. If you do not stop the cause the strengthening exercises may not be very effective.
A Simple Exercise can also do a great help. One can relax the right arm to the side then Draw the shoulder back and down as the arm is turned out so that the palm faces forward. The shoulder blade will be flattening on the back. This will then be repeated on the left shoulder. It can be done periodically throughout the day so as to open the shoulders and reduce the pull on the upper spine.
Strengthening and stretching exercises can bring about a big difference in straightening of the upper spine and one can regain the height and reduce the pain and look better.
Further references:
- Lump on Left Side of Neck: http://www.newhealthguide.org/Lump-On-Left-Side-Of-Neck.html
- Lumps and swellings: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lumps-swellings/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- Neck lump: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003098.htm