- I have a small very moveable lump on my collarbone. Noticed it about 5 weeks ago. It hasnt changed size of shape. Feels smooth and round but is firm (cant be squished). It sits almost on the front of collarbone but just on the underside of it. It can be moved on top of collarbone and also from side to side. It is about 0.6cm/0.7cm.
- Nov 26, 2018 I'm a 27yo female and about 3 weeks ago I found a lump above my left collarbone. It's about the size of a tic tac, it's movable And I think quite soft? Even though the more i touch it the harder it seems! I went to the doctors and she didn't seem too concerned as I've had no other symptoms.
- Last night, my husband noticed a large lump on the side of his neck just above the collar bone.It was very soft, more like fluid build-up than knotted muscle tissue.I searched online and concluded that it was most likely a lymph node, so we went to the walk-in clinic today.
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Just after some advice really (and maybe a virtual hug or two - feeling a bit overwhelmed) I've had a lump above my collar bone for at least 18 months (don't know exactly when it appeared but I have various lipomas and just brushed it off as the same at the time) it got really hard and more prominent just before christmas so I emailed the Dr to see whether it was worth making an.
Soft Painless Lump On Collarbone
Overview
What is a ganglion cyst?
A ganglion cyst (plural: ganglia) is a small, fluid-filled lump just below the skin. Ganglia usually form close to a joint. Most ganglion cysts are on the wrist, finger or foot.
How common are ganglion cysts?
Lots of people get ganglion cysts. Ganglia are some of the most common benign (noncancerous) masses that develop in the body’s soft tissues.
Symptoms and Causes
What causes ganglion cysts?
No one knows exactly what causes a ganglion cyst to start growing. Some theories indicate that a cyst may develop after something injures a joint, allowing tissue to leak or bulge out.
Currently, most researchers agree that ganglion cysts develop from mesenchymal cells at the synovial capsular junction as a result of the continuous micro-injury. Repetitive injury to the supporting capsular and ligamentous structures appears to stimulate fibroblasts to produce hyaluronic acid, which accumulates to produce the mucin 'jelly-like' material commonly found in ganglion cysts
Who gets ganglion cysts?
From what the medical community understands about ganglion cysts, anyone can get them. Certain factors may increase your chances of having one of these cysts:
- Sex: Women develop ganglia three times more often than men.
- Age: For most people who develop a ganglion cyst, it appears in early to mid-adulthood, between 20 and 50.
- Previous injury: Some healthcare providers believe a joint injury (such as tendonitis from overusing your wrist) could spur a ganglion cyst to develop in the future. Research hasn’t proven this theory yet.
- Arthritis: Having arthritis in your hands makes it more likely you’ll get a ganglion cyst. People with arthritis often get a ganglion cyst near their fingertips (at the joint closest to the nail). But having a ganglion cyst on your finger does not mean you have (or will get) arthritis.
What are the symptoms of ganglion cysts?
A bump beneath the skin is the main sign of a ganglion cyst. This bump can vary in size and shape. It may grow larger over time or when you use that area (joint) more. The cyst may not bother you at all. If you do have symptoms, you may notice some muscle pain or a tingling sensation. This is usually mass effect, which means that the mass is causing pressure and may cause inflammation.
Where do ganglion cysts appear?
Ganglion cysts usually appear at specific joints. Using the joint near the cyst may increase swelling and worsen any discomfort you feel.
Ganglion cysts typically develop on the:
- Wrist: On the front or back.
- Finger: Near any finger joint (close to your palm or just below the fingernail).
- Foot: Close to your ankle or near your toes.
What does a ganglion cyst look like?
A ganglion cyst usually looks like a lump or bump on your wrist, finger or foot. This lump may look symmetrical (round) or misshapen (more like an oval).
A ganglion cyst sits just below the skin’s surface. It may look like a bubble blown from a joint. Ganglia sometimes have a translucent effect (you can see through the lump at certain angles).
Are ganglion cysts hard or soft?
People experience ganglion cysts differently. Ganglia are usually (but not always) firm to the touch. Some people report that the fluid-filled cysts as soft. The lump likely moves easily under your skin.
Diagnosis and Tests
How is a ganglion cyst diagnosed?
Healthcare providers usually diagnose ganglia by physically examining you. A lump’s appearance and location (such as on the wrist or fingers) are telltale signs of ganglia. Your provider may press on the bump to see if it bothers you. Or they may shine a light on the lump to see if it’s translucent (partly see-through).
In some cases, your provider may remove a sample from inside the lump (called a biopsy) for further analysis. Ganglia usually contain a jellylike fluid, not solid tissue. In rare cases, your provider may recommend an X-ray to learn more about what’s causing your symptoms.
Your provider may use ultrasound to tell the difference between a solid mass and a cyst. There is also a difference between a ganglion cyst and a synovial cell. The difference is in the make-up of the lining of the cyst.
Can you have problems from a hidden ganglion cyst?
Some ganglion cysts are so small that they don’t cause obvious physical swelling, but they still cause pain. They are known as occult ganglions. Your healthcare provider may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test or an ultrasound to reveal them.
Management and Treatment
Do all ganglion cysts need to be treated?
If a ganglion cyst doesn’t bother you, it might not need treatment. Sometimes a ganglion cyst goes away on its own.
Your provider may recommend treatment if a ganglion cyst:
- Hurts, which may happen when a cyst presses against a nerve or joint tissues.
- Makes certain movements or tasks difficult, such as walking or gripping a pencil.
- Makes you self-conscious about your appearance.
How are ganglion cysts treated?
Ganglia cyst treatments include:
- Anti-inflammatory medication may minimize swelling, easing mild levels of discomfort.
- Splints or braces offer support and stop you from moving the affected area, reducing swelling and pain.
- Aspiration is a procedure where your provider uses a needle to remove fluid from the cyst. Providers usually do aspiration in their office. You may feel better right away. Because this treatment only removes the fluid and not the entire cyst, your symptoms may return.
When does a ganglion cyst need surgery?
Your provider may consider surgery if other treatments don’t provide relief or your cyst comes back. Surgeons treat ganglia by removing the entire cyst. A cyst often includes a stalklike structure (root) attached to the cyst.
Your surgeon may use open (traditional) techniques or arthroscopy (tiny incisions). In some cases, surgeons may take some tissue from the nearby joint to fully repair the problem.
Surgery to remove a ganglion cyst is called ganglionectomy. It is usually an outpatient procedure. That means you should get to go home the day of surgery. Full recovery takes two to six weeks. [SD1] Orthopedic surgeons receive specialized training to perform intricate procedures on the body’s joints and other soft tissues.
Surgery may effectively resolve your symptoms. Having a ganglion cyst surgically removed greatly reduces the risk of a cyst coming back. Still, ganglia come back after surgery in an estimated 5% to 15% of cases.
Prevention
Can ganglion cysts be prevented?
You can’t prevent a ganglion cyst. Medical experts don’t know what causes them to develop.
What Causes A Lump On Your Collarbone
Outlook / Prognosis
Are ganglion cysts dangerous?
Ganglion cysts are not dangerous. They are benign masses, which means they will not spread to other areas. Ganglion cysts are not cancer.
What is the prognosis (outlook) for people with ganglion cysts?
Soft Painless Lump On Collarbone Bone
While some ganglion cysts may be painful, they pose no serious threat to your health.
Living With
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?
If you have a ganglion cyst, you may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- Do I need treatment right now?
- Which treatment options do you recommend I try first, and why?
- What are the chances a cyst will come back after treatment?
- When would you consider surgery to treat ganglion cysts?
- What are the risks and benefits of ganglionectomy surgery?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
If you have a ganglion cyst, you may not need treatment right away. If the lump doesn’t bother you, your provider may follow you over time to check for any concerning changes. Ganglion cysts are benign, which means these lumps aren’t cancer. They pose no long-term threat to your health. Many ganglion cysts go away on their own. If a ganglion cyst affects your quality of life in any way, ask your provider about treatment options. Splints, over-the-counter pain medication or surgery may provide relief.
Finding a lump under your skin can be a worrying discovery — but lumps under the skin are more often relatively harmless than cancerous.
To help you better understand when to be concerned about a lump under the skin, we talked to Vinod Nambudiri, MD, of Dana-Farber’s Center for Cutaneous Oncology.
What are some of the most common causes of skin lumps?
Lumps under the skin can have many different causes resulting from a variety of different processes. The processes that can form lumps can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Benign lumps include:
- Cysts, which can form when an oil-producing gland in the skin becomes clogged.
- Lipomas, a collection of harmless fatty cells.
- Swollen lymph nodes, which can accompany some types of infections.
Soft Painless Lump On Collarbone Symptoms
While potentially uncomfortable, these types of lumps are harmless and are not cancerous.
More rarely, a lump under the skin can indicate cancer. Cancerous lumps under the skin can be harmful and should be attended to by a doctor.
If you are concerned about a lump under your skin, don’t hesitate to get it checked out — especially since cancer cannot be diagnosed without a doctor.
Is there a way to determine if a lump is just a cyst?
Some individuals are more susceptible to cysts than others. Cysts can form when normal cellular turnover in the skin is disrupted. There are other rarer causes that can be related to genetics and family history as well.
Cysts have certain characteristics that can distinguish it as a cyst. One in particular is a small opening, known as a pore or punctum, in the center of the lump. This pore can be potentially hard to find, however. Some cysts also have a certain way that they feel and move under the skin. For example, a cyst may have a smooth surface, or may roll under the surface of the skin when pressure is gently applied.
A self-exam at home may provide some insight into whether or not a lump is a cyst, but you will need the help of a doctor to get a definitive diagnosis.
When should I be worried about a lump under the skin?
If you are at all concerned about a lump under the skin, don’t be afraid to seek medical attention. Certain attributes can lend to a lump being more concerning than others.
A lump that grows and then goes away on its own can usually be attributed to an inflamed cyst, which is normally harmless. A “doughy” lump is usually associated with a benign lipoma. Likewise, lumps that are harmless can often be accompanied by tenderness, pain, or drainage.
Signs that suggest a lump might be concerning include:
- if it suddenly becomes very hard or feels like a rock under the skin.
- if the lump starts bleeding or becomes a wound.
- if the lump begins growing rapidly.
If a lump is showing any of these symptoms, it should be looked at by a doctor. Likewise, any lumps that are new, growing, or symptomatic should be checked out by a physician.
Should I be concerned about a lump under the skin after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Side effects of COVID-19 vaccines can include enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit or neck on the side where the person got vaccinated, which is very much a normal response to the vaccine and should go away within a week or two. If lump swelling persists beyond two weeks, talking to a medical professional is likely advised, says Harold Burstein, MD, PhD, a physician in the Breast Oncology program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center.
The vaccine should not cause any swelling in the breast itself; if you notice changes in the breast, let your doctor know.
Burstein also notes that Dana-Farber is advising breast cancer patients to get vaccinated in the arm on the opposite side of the breast in which they developed cancer to reduce any chance of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors.
Remember: Dana-Farber recommends that both cancer survivors, and active patients on therapy, should receive the COVID-19 when it is made available to them.
How do you treat a lump?
If the lump is benign, it may not require any treatment at all. Your doctor may decide to simply monitor it overtime and keep track of any changes.
If the lump is a cyst and has become inflamed or infected, the doctor may drain it or preform a procedure called an intralesional injection. In the case of an intralesional injection, a doctor will inject medicine directly into the lump in order to treat it. A lump can also be removed from under the skin if necessary.
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If a doctor is concerned about the lump, doctors may perform a biopsy to look more closely at the cells inside the lump. If the lump is cancer, doctors will devise an appropriate treatment plan.
Lymph Nodes On Collarbone
What are some signs of skin cancer?
The most common types of skin cancer are usually caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. Because of this, areas of the body that are often exposed to sunlight — like the face, ears, neck, scalp, and hands — can be at a higher risk of developing skin cancer. If skin lesions develop in those areas (or other areas of the skin) and have the following characteristics, they should be evaluated by a doctor:
- Tender
- Painful
- Bleeding
- Accompanied by new symptoms
- Has changed in color
- Large