Neck Lumps

Causes

There are many causes for the appearances of neck lumps. Swellings can be either benign, or malignant (cancerous). The different structures that could cause swelling in the neck includes:

• Cysts within the skin
• Lymph nodes
• Salivary glands
• Thyroid gland
• Swelling related to blood vessels or nerves

In Miss Cheang’s clinic, she will take a detailed history and perform a full head and neck examination in order to narrow down the diagnosis. Examination would typically include a camera test (nasopharyngoscopy), which serves to look into the deeper aspect of the throat. This is because neck lumps especially lymph nodes can arise from the other areas in the head and neck. Usually there will be further investigations including various scans as well.

Treatment options

The treatment options depends on the cause of the neck lump. Benign swellings can be removed in an operation, if it is deemed necessary. Malignant conditions will be referred to the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team which Miss Cheang is a member of, for discussion of further management plan.