What disease could a lump in the neck be a sign of?

The neck is a relatively vulnerable part of the human body, so it is often easily invaded by various pathogens, thus inducing the occurrence of many diseases. Many patients have lumps in the neck. There are many causes of neck lumps, which may be caused by inflammation or may be congenital, but the possibility of tumors cannot be ruled out. Therefore, if you find a lump in your neck in your daily life, you must seek medical treatment in time.

A neck lump refers to abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck, or an abnormal mass in the neck. Because the neck is the gathering place of lymph in the head and all over the body, it is the hub of the respiratory and digestive tracts, and it is also an important gateway to block bacteria and other harmful microorganisms from entering the body. It can be seen that understanding the possible causes of neck lumps is of great significance for detecting early diseases. Therefore, once middle-aged and elderly people find a lump in the neck, they should first pay attention to the location, depth, color, mobility, shape, texture, size, quantity, tenderness, etc. of the lump.

In terms of the nature of the tumor, malignant tumors of the neck are generally hard and have poor mobility. Metastatic cancer in the neck may cause multiple lumps, but the tenderness is not very obvious. Benign neck tumors are generally of medium texture, with clear boundaries and good mobility. Branchial cleft cysts, cystic hygromas, and epidermoid cysts are cystic tumors, but some thyroid metastatic cancers can also appear cystic. Inflammatory masses in the neck have symptoms of redness, swelling, heat and pain. Acute cases have systemic symptoms including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and increased total white blood cell count. When an abscess is formed, there will be obvious tenderness and pitting edema on the local skin, and superficial abscesses can be detected with obvious fluctuation.

Generally speaking, a lump in the neck may indicate the following diseases:

(1) Lymphadenitis: If the lump is located under the jaw or on the side of the neck, is oval in shape, has a smooth surface, is sometimes larger and sometimes smaller, is mildly tender or painless, and is accompanied by inflammation in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, etc., it is often chronic lymphadenitis. If the lump is obviously red, swollen, hot and painful, it is often acute lymphadenitis. When the primary lesion disappears, both acute and chronic lymphadenitis will disappear.

(2) Lymphatic tuberculosis: At the beginning of lymphatic tuberculosis, the original lymph nodes are often painless and swollen, and gradually rupture, sometimes forming numerous scars, and continue to spread to the surrounding areas, just like a mouse digging a hole, constantly forming multiple fistulas, sinuses and ulcers under the skin.

(3) Thyroid adenoma: Thyroid adenoma is mostly located on both sides of the trachea in the lower front neck. Most of them are single, with clear boundaries and smooth surfaces. They are characterized by their ability to move up and down with swallowing.