Hard lump in back of neck

If you are experiencing progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes in your neck, or if they feel "rock hard," then you should probably be evaluated by an ENT surgeon or general surgeon for consideration of biopsy (to rule-out lymphoma or other forms of cancer that can involve the lymph nodes). At the same time, lymph nodes that are very tender are usually reacting to some source of inflammation or infection. However, it is impossible to offer a specific diagnosis over the internet. Your personal physician can examine you, and if these lymph nodes are concerning, he/she can refer you to a surgeon for consideration of a biopsy/

Sincerely/ Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS

http://doctorwascher.com

My brother has a hard painful lump at the back of his neck. At first the lump appeared and lasted for about two weeks and then it went. However it has returned again and is more painful than the last time.

i also have a lump on my nape. it's really hard and it's in the middle. it's not noticeable but you can feel it when you press it hard. when i tilt my head down i can't feel it. but when i tilt my head up i can feel it. it's hard like a marble it's kind of slightly larger than a marble. i don't feel ill or anything but i sometimes feel stiff when i lay flat on my stomach; (my head tilts sort of vertically) using my laptop. And when i strain my neck from doing some paper works, long drives where i cannot rest my head etc. what i do is i just rest and i just goes away. if it's really stiff i put some "salonpas" pain relief patch, eventually the stiffness goes away but the lump is still there. i can't actually notice if it's getting bigger because you can't really tell that i have a lump unless you press my nape hard. i hope this is not serious. i hope all will be well for us guys. take care... ; )

Hi,
I'm experiencing the exact same symptoms as you have. Do you have any updates on your condition? I'm wondering if this is worth a dr appt or if it's something I need to learn to live with.
Thanks!

Did any of you two find out what this is? Please get back to me. I have the same symptoms. When I tilt my head up to look at the ceiling, what ever tissue it is, seems to be buckling to cause a lump. When my head is in a neutral position, the lump is not as noticeable to the touch. It's in dead center back of the neck right at the hairline right above the large 7th cervical vertebrae. Please contact me. Thanks.

I also have a large lump directly on top of my cervical spine, in the 6th & 7th cervical vertebrae area. It's large, smooth/rounded, and slides vertically (up and down) when I press on it, but not horizontally (from left to right). Mine is also not easy to spot with the naked eye, and when I tilt my head down I can't feel it with my fingers, but when I tilt my head back, it kind of pops out and is easily felt. It's about the size of a marble. And of course now that I know it's there, I can't keep my fingers off of it. I had some xrays done last week, which didn't show much besides what I already knew-there's some kind of mass present. I'm going for an MRI on Friday, and I'm scared to death of what they'll find. I'm a terrible hypochondriac, but hey, even a hypochondriac can be right once in a while. I'm praying it's something benign. I'll try to remember to come back to this forum & post the results. Best of luck to everyone else on here as well. -Angela M.

I also have a large lump directly on top of my cervical spine, in the 6th & 7th cervical vertebrae area. It's large, smooth/rounded, and slides vertically (up and down) when I press on it, but not horizontally (from left to right). Mine is also not easy to spot with the naked eye, and when I tilt my head down I can't feel it with my fingers, but when I tilt my head back, it kind of pops out and is easily felt. It's about the size of a marble. And of course now that I know it's there, I can't keep my fingers off of it. I had some xrays done last week, which didn't show much besides what I already knew-there's some kind of mass present. I'm going for an MRI on Friday, and I'm scared to death of what they'll find. I'm a terrible hypochondriac, but hey, even a hypochondriac can be right once in a while. I'm praying it's something benign. I'll try to remember to come back to this forum & post the results. Best of luck to everyone else on here as well. -Angela M.

I have had a marble size lump in my neck for several years - when it swells up and gets very hard it hurts terribly. I have been to the doctor only to hear that it may be a muscle knot but when it swells I get nauseous and achy. I am really struggling with it - anyone else experience this???

Hi i have had swollen glands and tonsils for about 6 months,they are not painful.over the last 2 months i have had a hard lump in the back of my neck increasing in size,i can feel it but it is not visible.i have had an MRI, ultra sound and blood tests which were ok.the doc said my my glands didnt look cancerous but i dont feel 100% and dont get why my tonsils are swollen and this lump is growing in back of neck.im scared doc has missed something.has anyone had similar.i also have a sore throat that comes and goes.

I have a hard lump on the back right side of my neck. If I'm on the computer too long or I turn my head to the side for too long, it bulges out and causes a head/neckache, nausea, and I get the shakes. It started off (about 2 years ago) about the size of a nickel, but it's doubled in size since I first noticed it. I don't have insurance, so I don't know what's going on, but I'm glad that I'm not the only one.

Cyrs, I have the same thing. I'm terrifyed I've got cancer. It hurts so bad, my dads telling me to ice it, I'm not sure it will help. But what bothers me is I've had them before. Ilooked it upand it can only be cancer. I'm scared.

I'm a 17 year old girl, I've had a marble sized lump in the right side of my neck for years, but about 4 months ago it go bigger and painfull as a result of a cold. The doctor prescribed my some antibiotics however they did nothing. I went back to the doctors and had a blood test, and the results came back as normal; no further action.
However I'm still worried because I don't even know what it is, I don't think a blood test can test for absolutely everything. I want to go back to the doctors but I don't want to be seen as annoying :/ its a hard lump that moves about, what do you think I should do?

I have the same thing as cookie jar..I'm 21 and have had a lump on the back of the right side of my neck (right at the hairline) for as long as I can remember. It never really bothered me until a few years ago. It has been swelling on and off more frequently than ever. It seems to flair up a few days after I have messed with it or rubbed it . I have also noticed being sick affects it. When it swells it doubles in size and really hurts..to the point that I don't want to lean my head back. It also feels like the area around it is bruised and kind of stings like on the lower back part of my head. It is really weird but all the doctors I've been to have kind of blown it off. I can't seem to find any stories similar to mine but cookie jar is pretty close! Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I'm kinda worried

Hiya,

I have something very similar by the sounds of it. It started off as when I laid or sat in certain positions a lump swelled on the right side of my neck and was very painful. Now it nags all the time, but most positions make it swell and more sore. I can't get any sleep at night because every position hurts so much, the right side of my face gets very very red and hot up to my forehead and I get dizzy frequently. I've had two MRI scans where a lump showed up as being 2cm by 2cm, and then an ultrasound where nothing showed, and another ultrasound which showed nothing when I was sat up, and then something wierd when I laid down. A surgeon thought he knew what it was and operated on me, but he couldn't find anything. Now it just hurts too much and I'm too tired to do anything, battling through my first year at University. How is yours? Has anybody diagnosed you yet? Hope it's not too sore. x

Thanks for all your answers and i have the same lump as you guys and it does hurt i put some heat wraps and that helps the pain for a while i was thinking of a cold wrap and me to i do not have any type of insurance some times the lunp gets big and sometimes it gets a little smaller but it does hurt to the touch some one told me it was a goiter but from what a read they said only in front of the neck

I'm 13 and I have got a hard lump on the left side of my neck at the back it's really painful moving my neck and lying on my back. The pain is consent and am having to take pain killers because it is so sore.Am supposed to be going to the doctors tomorrow so will post a comment to tell you what it is.

i have had the same problem ,i had 3 lumps on my right side of neck from almost a week ,it is causing me earache with shoulder and hand ache too , sometimes i can't even write with my right hand , i have a sore throat and heartburn with coughs too ,,,, i am soo scared that it might be lymphoma or cancer or any other maligenancy !! did anyone experience that ???

i have very similar symptoms to those named above, periodic pain in my neck and it feels as if there is a lump under the muscle. in my throat, mainly on the left side it feels as if the glands are larger and i sometimes have difficulty swallowing with a pain spreading to my chest (possibly lungs). does anyone have any information i periodically feel unwell and im a smoker so am v worried.
appreaciate any info thanks

Hi. I had 2 lumps on the back of my neck behind my ear on the left side. after a few weeks, one got smaller, but then i got a even larger lump on the other side in the exact spot behind my right ear, and it's the size of 2 quarters (right). My identical twin sister has lupus. It's a disease of the immune system and antibodies. It can't tell the difference between the person's own flesh vs a harmful virus....causing much damage. But, I was tested clean a year ago. But I heard the lymph nodes control the immune system, so maybe I got it. Maybe I have cancer. I have been feeling so tired, so run down. I have also had shooting pains in my back, and my spine and neck is very sore and stiff 24/7. 4 months past now. and it's not getting better. the right side is getting bigger and I'm getting more tired and stiff. I went to the doctor and he blamed it on my acne. I'm getting nervous. I want to go to the doctor, but I don't want to spend money if I am going to leave with no answer, or leave with no solution.

my husband has for the past couple of days has a large lump at the back of his neck near the beginning of his skull it is very red

my husband has for the past couple of days has a large lump at the back of his neck near the beginning of his skull it is very red

my husband has for the past couple of days has a large lump at the back of his neck near the beginning of his skull it is very red

I have noticed two lumps in the neck in the past year. The first is on the left side of my neck, the size of a pea, and very hard and immovable. I went to the ER and had a ct scan done and the doctor said its a swollen lymph node tha t never went down. The second lump is on my hairline on the back of the neck, just to the right of my spine. It is also hard, and as big as a quarter. I can only feel both of them if I push hard. If I turn my head to the left, the one in the back disappears. Sometimes when I turn my head the pea-sized lump makes a popping sensation. I feel fine otherwise, except for neck stiffness, occasional headaches, some shoulder pain. I'm scared to death its cancer or something, I have 3 young children and no health insurance.

Im in the same boat as you ashalily1 ....I have had my lump for at least 10 yrs. When I was 11 I got sick and gained some weight and got a little (smaller than a pea) bump. It would dissappear and come back when i was stressed or sick. Im now 21 and it has gotten to be the size of...well I can't describe it really but one of those cup cake toppers? a football one. yes one of those mini footballs that go on cakes. When I look up i do not feel it with my fingers but when i look down, it hurts so bad! I don't know if I'm just one of those people that get cysts or what. I have Polycystic ovarian syndrome and I get cysts under my arms, other creasing areas and just a month ago found one on my breast. It's extremely painful and scary not knowing what these are or even if they are linked, but I also don't want to know and get depressed. I have a two yr old to take care of and I don't need any more stress. Hope we all get better :/