9 replies to this topic

[tfor]

Many years ago I accidentally discovered while I was lying in bed and examining my neck area that there are

lumps in the clavicula area.

They are pretty hard to actually get access to with my fingers. When I want to see them and grab them I have to pull

my shoulders back as far as possible and then I can basically move those lumps which have the size of a rice corn but

a bit thicker over my clavicula. I can basically trap the lump over the bone. But as soon as I move my shoulders it moves

back under the clavicula and is gone.

I have those lumps on both sides. I have been able to identify 1 lump on each side. I am not sure what this is.

I have showed it once to an intern and a dermatologist. They thought it's harmless but I just wonder what these lumps are.

They could be lipomas cause I have many lipomas they could also be lymph nodes.

Is there a way to find out what they are with ultrasound? It would be difficult to do an ultrasound of the lump cause I'd have to

get a hold of it and keep it trapped on the bone with my fingers.

 

I wonder do other people have this as well? Maybe you could also try and see if you have movable lumps. You'd have to draw back

your shoulders and then examine the area right over the bone. When my shoulders are drawn back then I can move the lump with my

finger downwards over the bone. Once I have it trapped with my finger and it cannot slip back I can move my shoulders forward again

and then I'm able to see the lump right under the skin.

[holdout]

What you're describing could be many things -- from sebaceous cysts, to lumps of subcutaneous fat.  Ultrasounds might yield some insight but, the best way to check if it's a lipoma and it's too small for any doctor to recommend extraction, is to insist that they perform a biopsy on one of them, to check for malignancy.

 

Personally I don't have the lumps you are describing.

 

My best recommendation for you is to obtain a second opinion from a different dermatologist.  This time, however, call around to different clinics and try to find a dermatologist who is also practicing as a professor at a local university.  They will be the most knowledgeable.

[tfor]

That's scary. But I have been having these lumps for over 10 years and they haven't changed in size.

Also back then I actually showed it to a derm prof! He only looked at it a few seconds and said it's harmless.

This was a bit upsetting to me.

Cutting this thing out would be complicated. I'd have to trap it with my finger and the doc would have to cut it out

while I'm holding my finger on it.

[niner]

Why is it upsetting that the lumps are harmless? Would you rather they be malignant?

[holdout]

At this point I'm fairly confident that those are just swollen lymph nodes.  If you look at the physiology of the lymphatic system you will see that you have several of them up around the collarbone (clavicle).  Two diagrams are available here: http://en.wikipedia....ymphatic_system

 

According to WebMD, swollen lymph nodes around that area are due to infection or a tumour somewhere: http://www.webmd.com...-topic-overview

 

Since you've had them for many years, it's probably not because of an infection, but don't freak out -- if it's because of a tumour, it's probably a benign (non-malignant) tumour.  You may wish to bring this up with your family physician and request a full-body MRI with contrast agent.  If the MRI comes back negative, then at that point I would recommend you try a parasite cleanse regimen.  Look for a product that contains the ingredients "wormwood" and "black walnut hulls".

[tfor]

Hello,

but they don't really feel swollen. I mean they are simply there and haven't changed in size at all.

 

A full body MRI would be very expensive and I doubt that any doctor would just recommend it to me because of this.

I'm also scared of MRIs and always need sedating before going into the machine. A full body MRI would also take hours.

I really cannot imagine being in there for hours at a time.

 

Could an ultrasound not differentiate between a lymph node and a lipoma? I have lipomas on my forearms which feel similar

to the ones under the clavicle. But they could also be lymph nodes. Really hard to tell.

[niner]

What difference does it make if they are lymph nodes or lipomas?  I think that you're obsessing over something that is harmless.

[tfor]

But lymph nodes are scarier than lipomas. Usually lymph nodes cannot be felt and they're small but if you can feel them it's scary.

Edited by tfor, 31 July 2014 - 12:46 AM.

[niner]

But lymph nodes are scarier than lipomas. Usually lymph nodes cannot be felt and they're small but if you can feel them it's scary.

Well, you might find it scary, but it's not that big of a deal. Lymph nodes can sometimes be felt. Why are you unwilling to believe the doctor who examined you and told you there was nothing to worry about? If it would make you feel better, it would probably be worth finding a different doctor, and another one after that, until you believe them..

[Gerrans]

Could be cysts. Probably harmless. Things that do not get worse are usually harmless.