Hi Angel,

I'd like to provide a bit of reassurance here because you or symptoms (to me) do not appear to be cancer. 
 

I had a rubbery, painless lump in my neck very recently and convinced myself I had Hodgkins Lymphoma. I am a 23 year old woman. The doctor undertook an ultrasound scan and a blood test which both ruled out cancer completely. 
 

The doctor mentioned it could well have been a cyst or a lymph node. To put your mind at ease, he also told me that some lymph nodes stay enlarged for quite sometime (and some never seem to go down at all). To put your mind even more at ease, my Doctor that that if a swollen lymph node is painful and is enlarged in roughly the same period of time as having some kind of infection, then the chances of it being cancer is almost zero. Painless, solid lumps within the lymph nodes are cause for concern, particularly if there has been no sign of infection at all, or within the last month or so. This is why I went to see the doctor because my symptoms were worrying - yours don't seem to be. 

I know this is easier said than done, but try not to worry. If your ear is painful, chances are that there is some sort of infection or inflammation which is causing the nearby lymph nodes to react. With regards to your itching, I truly believe this is most likely to be caused by your anxiety. As soon as I discovered the lump, I was waking up with severe night sweats (a typical early symptom of lymphoma). This caused my anxiety to go through the roof as to me, it seemed too coincidental. After I was given the all clear, I haven't had a single night sweat since - it was all anxiety related and my mind going into overdrive.

Hope this helps, feel free to message privately if you need any more support.

Emily

Thank you so much!! The whole of the front of my neck is sore going into my collar bone which is making me worry even more (it's not sore to touch.) I've never in my life even felt in my neck before up until this, so I have no idea how long the lump has been there. It doesn't feel like a node to me and its pretty hard but when I rub my finger on it, it moves side to side. I can't stop poking and fiddling with it! 

And just to add - I've also got shooting pains going down the front of my neck into my collar bone :|

I've also just been prodding round my body and found a soft lump behind each knee, which is now making me think its 100% lymphoma! 

Hi Angel,

Soft lumps are usually much less likely to be cancer, particularly if they're moving around. 

I reckon the lumps behind your knees could also be related to the infection you have had relatively recently, and that they just haven't gone down yet (or are lingering there). 

Are your lumps painful to touch if you prod them, or is the pain more around the area itself? Also, how big would you say these lumps are?

x

Thanks for the reply! No, the ones behind my knees don't hurt, they're very soft, but I spoke to my gp and he said personally he doesn't think there's anything going on there. With regards to the one in my neck, it feels kind of rubbery, and when I push on it and move my finger over it, it feels like it moves. I'd say it's maybe 0.5cm big (not precise) but my neck in that area is sore. I'm not sure if it's due to me prodding around because it's all I seem to do, or because it's something serious. My neck started to hurt a few weeks before I went digging around, but I didn't know if that was related to work, because I'm always leaning over and picking up heavy things etc. I'm also having pains going from my neck and into my collar bone, and when I run my finger over the top of my collar bone, it almost feels like a vein if that makes sense? 

X

Hi Angel,

to me your lumps don't seem concerning. Your neck lump description is pretty much exactly what mine was - rubbery but can be moved with the prod of a finger, small (~0.5cm), painless. I reckon the neck pain may be associated with you prodding it, although I can't be certain.

I personally believe this is very likely to be a cyst (as mine was). If your pain doesn't subside at all in a week or so I would go back to your Dr just in case it's something else that might need medication/sorting. At present though, to me cancer looks very unlikely so hopefully your anxiety will go down a bit . Seeing a doctor though might be able to put your mind even more at ease. 

Thanks [@Emily_B]‍ I've got appointment this week with ENT so hopefully I'll know more. Did you find out what was causing it more or less straight away? If not, did they give you a rough idea of what they thought it was?

X

No problem Angel, I'm happy to help as I know ho terrible it can be to worry excessively. Keep us updated if you'd like, very best of luck I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine. I went private so it may be different if you're using the NHS, but yes they told me straight after the ultrasound I had that it wasn't cancer. The GP before I had the ultrasound said it was inconclusive from feeling it which is why I had the ultrasound. But ask as many questions as you can/would like to when you're there x 

Hi, just a quick update.. I went to ENT today and had a scan. It wasn't a lymph node or a cyst. It was bone. Part of the spine vertebrae. I feel such an idiot. Even though it was my doctor who thought it was a lymph node and reffered me. Such a relief though. And thanks for your advice, it really helped! :)

X