Looking for advice on a lump on lower neck..

Hi all, I am on the hunt for some advice as I am not sure if what i am feeling is normal or not.

 

The other week I noticed I could feel a lump at the jugular notch on my neck.  This is the notch right where the sternum ends and the neck begins and its like a little v shape.  Right where the neck starts I can feel a lump, its maybe about 1.5 cm long and 0.5 thick.  It is painless.  I think it seems to be growing too.

 

My issue is when I google this - there doesnt seem to be any anatomy at that part of the body! No lymph node, no muscles, nothing really so I am stumped as to why there would be a lump there.  The only things that I have seen is it could be something from the Thymus - which is down in the sternum so unlikely or something is badly up with my throid....or this thing has always been there and only now have I noticed - so I was wondering can anyone else feel a lump in that area? 

 

The only other thing I feel is kinda a general pressure there especially if I put my head down.  I feel like I have something stuck in my throat in that area today.  Could that be because i have been pressing there a bit...though I have tried to avoid doing that too much for this kinda reason, it could maybe be because I have bad reflux and it is just a coincidence both in the same area?

 

Any help or advice welcome, I am reluctant to go to Drs as I am always so embaressed if it turns out its nothing (I had to last year with a lump in my abdomen - it was just a fatty lump but I felt so stupid when I was leaving!)

  • Hi LeehartSco,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. It's always best to get things that you're concerned about checked out by a GP. Try not to be embarrassed - they are well used to dealing with all sorts of situations, and getting some certainty and peace of mind about any unexplained symptoms is important.

    Try to avoid Googling too much as it's not possible to self-diagnose and the information may also be incorrect or outdated.

    All the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Thank you.   I went to the GP about it yesterday and not sure what to make of it. 
     

    Essentially he couldn't feel it - he checked my thyroid etc and said it all felt fine but couldn't feel the lump. In the end he said it was a skin fold or one of the rings of the neck - at which point I told him I was a trained nurse - I know at least a little about the neck. Overall I am a bit frustrated, I know there is a lump there but no closer to knowing if it is a concern or not. I'm gonna take from his statement the thyroid is fine that I shouldn't be too concerned and review again in a few months. 
     

    thank you for the reply. 

  • That's good to hear - thanks for letting us know. Reviewing again in a few months sounds good.

    All the best,

    Ben

  • Hi Ben,

     

    That's the trouble the Internet we go on there and make ourself feel worse but when I've taken care of 3 terminal ill cancer family members you get to learn all about it, cancer runs in my mother's side of the family and my father's. Four members of my mother's sisters family died of throat cancer yet her husband who's not got the same in his family died of it too. First her eldist son died of throat cancer at 14 year old and 7 years later his brother was 14 he died of it, 6 months after their father died of the same thing so poor mum's sister was in a terrible state with all the loss. She went to see her sister who all had bed and breakfast hotels and tried to enjoy life but tried to end her life but in the end she didn't need too she died 6 months after her husband with throat cancer. 

     

    My mother died of bowel cancer that went to her liver she refused treatment till she got back to the UK and was too late, my youngest brother was told he had cancer of the stomach same days as mum was told she had it you couldn't make it up.

     

    3 nephews at the age of 3 had brain tumurs all cured but one left in a wheelchair and neck brace bolted to him and the list gets longer but I'll stop at that.

     

  • Absolutely, google doesn't help.  My issue is I'm a trained nurse (in a different profession now) so I know a bit about the anatomy, going to the drs didn't reassure me as in the end he, because he couldn't feel it, he dismissed it as a skin fold! (I'm steadily getting angry about that).  I know something is there but kinda waiting until either I have a fairly certain list of symptoms (that I know are not psychological) and hopefully if this is something it has the decency to grow some so others can feel it and I don't have to deal with that humiliation if I go back. 
     

    im aware there is a sporadic pressure there, it's not consistent though. My voice is a little hoarser - especially if it try to sing (though that has never produced an enjoyable sound - it's actually a little better now!). Those could be linked to bad reflux which i get at times too though...so I'm gonna wait it out for a bit and see how things look in a few months. 
     

    im so sorry you have been through so much heartache! 

  • Hello LeehartSco,.   

    Did you find out what the lump is? I have exactly the same thing going on. I seem to be the only one who can feel it.

    I would be very interested to know how you are now.

    Thanks    Colin

     

     

     

  • Hi,

    do either of you have an update as I have the exact same thing and nobody else including the doctor can feel it!