Neck Lumps

Neck lump is a lump, bump, or swelling in the neck and these lumps may be tumors, benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Enlarged lymph nodes are the most common lumps in the neck. These enlarged lymph nodes are caused by bacterial or viral infections or cancers. Some of the disease conditions that lead to enlarged lymph nodes in the neck are tonsillitis, childhood leukemia, nonHodgkin's lymphoma, allergic reactions, food allergies, and mumps.

The common regions in the neck where lumps are often found are salivary glands under the jaw, thyroid gland, and muscles of the neck. Lump can become cancerous as age advances and in people who smoke often or are chronic alcoholics.

Your doctor will diagnose the neck lumps by taking your medical history and by doing physical examination. If your doctor suspects a nodule or a cyst, then CT scan of the head and neck and biopsy will be required to confirm the presence and type of tumors.

After the diagnosis, your doctor will decide on treatment modality best suited for you. If the lump is caused due to bacterial infection, antibiotics may be recommended. Amoxicillin is usually prescribed for 10 to 12 days. Your physician may recommend continuing the treatment though the symptoms subside.

In case of a noncancerous mass or cyst surgery may be needed to remove it.