Lumps | 1st Choice Pharmacy Health Advice

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Lumps

Lumps can appear anywhere on your body. Most lumps are harmless but it's important to see a GP if you're worried or the lump is still there after 2 weeks.

Most lumps are normal

It's common for people to get lumps and growths on their skin. They can be caused by many things.

They can:

be soft or hard to touch
move around
be very small or up to the size of a golf ball
be a lump under the skin or a growth that hangs off your skin

See a GP if:

your lump gets bigger
your lump is painful, red or hot
your lump is hard and does not move
your lump lasts more than 2 weeks
a lump grows back after it's been removed
you have a lump in the breast or testicles
you have a swelling on the side of your neck, armpit or groin that does not go down within 2 weeks

What happens at your appointment

The GP will look at your lump. They may be able to tell you what's causing it.

If they're unsure, they might refer you to hospital for tests, such as a biopsy (where a very small sample of the lump is removed and tested) or an ultrasound scan.

Possible causes of lumps

There are lots of possible causes of lumps and growths.

Your symptoms might give you an idea of what's causing it, but do not self-diagnose.

See a GP if you're worried or the lump is still there after 2 weeks.

Lumps anywhere on the body

Possible causes of lumps on your body
Lump	Possible cause
Lump Small, fleshy growth on the skin	Possible cause Skin tags
Lump Soft, squashy lump that moves	Possible cause Lipoma
Lump Smooth lump under the skin	Possible cause Skin cyst
Lump Swollen, painful lump with a high temperature	Possible cause Skin abscess
Lump Lump that’s painless at first, then gets bigger and becomes painful	Possible cause Soft tissue sarcoma

Lumps on the armpit, neck or groin

Possible causes of lumps on your armpit, neck or groin
Lump	Possible cause
Lump Swelling on the side of the neck, armpit or groin	Possible cause Swollen glands
Lump Lump in the groin	Possible cause Hernia
Lump Lump on the front of the neck	Possible cause Goitre
Lump Fleshy growths around the groin	Possible cause Genital warts
Lump Swelling on the side of the neck, armpit or groin that does not go down	Possible cause Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Lumps around the bottom

Possible causes of lumps around the bottom
Lump	Possible cause
Lump Lump or lumps around the bottom (anus), often with itching or pain	Possible cause Piles
Lump Lump on the bottom (anus) and not being able to control when you poo	Possible cause Rectal prolapse