Lump In Your Body - When To Visit A Doctor For The Same?

What is a lump?

A compact mass of tissue with an irregular shape, lumps are normal and can appear anywhere on the body. Lumps are soft, movable and size of a pea can be benign or malignant, cyst, abscess, or accumulation of fat called lipoma.

When to see a doctor

1. When the lump gets hard and immovable

2. When it gets bigger in size

3. When lump gets painful and red

4. When bloody discharge oozes

5. New growth can be seen after removal.

6. Lump in breast or testicle

Common locations of lump

• Breast lump

• Facial lump

• Neck or throat

• Back, shoulder, chest and armHand, wrist, fingers

• Groin Testicle

• Around anus

When to consult for lump

1. Breast lumps: Breast lumps are common. It can be due to or can be because of some hormonal changes. However, if there are changes seen like redness of breast, blood oozing out from the breast, stony hardness and if symptoms last for a longer duration, you should visit the doctor.

2. Facial lump: When there is swelling on the eyelid with watery discharge from eyes, burning, itching.Swelling the cheek which could be due to salivary stone obstruction or infection with mumps.

3. Lump in neck /throat: Enlargement of the neck which can be due to enlargement of the thyroid gland with symptoms like irregular menses, increase weight, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal disturbance, weakness, and lethargy. Thyroid nodules are hard to feel and can be seen in the lower portion of the neck. If you see these signs and symptoms you need to consult and get treated.

4. Lump in back, shoulder, chest, and arm: Mostly in these regions lump formation take place which can be due to fatty deposition called as lipomas. Mostly they are not a cause worry. It can be removed by simple surgical procedure, but chances of recurrence are high. They are best when left alone.

5. Lumps in hand, wrist, fingers: Mostly in these regions the tendency to form ganglion. Ganglion firm, spongy painless immovable cyst on top of the hand, wrist fingers. Ganglia tend to develops after the injury. However, it can be ignored if they are not causing any trouble. However, you need to consult if there is numbness or if the limitation of movement of joint takes place.

6. Lump in groin: Common cause of or enlarged lymph node. Normally enlargement of lymph node settles within 3 weeks and in an internal part of body pushes into a weak surrounding muscle or tissue wall. If the swelling doesn’t settle within 3 weeks you need to consult.

7. Lump in scrotum: When there is a lump in with torsion of testicle, pain, heaviness in scrotum consultation is a must.

8. Lump around anus: It can be due to . It is swelling developed in and around the canal.