Swelling or lump
Introduction
Most lumps and swellings under the skin are harmless and can be left alone. However, see your GP ifyou develop anew lump or swelling so that the cause can be identified.
A painful lump or swelling that appears suddenly over a day or two may be caused by an injury or infection. It's likely to be an infection if the skin around the lumpis red and warm. Your GP can advise you about how to care for this.
Below are some of the most common reasons for an unexplained lump or swelling under the skin inthe following areas of the body:
- face
- neck or throat
- breast
- groin area
- testicle
- anus (bottom)
- hand, wrist or finger
- shoulders, back, chest or arm
- armpit
This informationshould give you an idea about what your lump or swelling might be. However, don't use it to diagnose yourself with a condition. Always leave that to your doctor.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 5 Jan 2017
Introduction
Most lumps and swellings are harmless but they should still be checked by a GP. Find out more about different types of lumps and swellings and why they occur.
Facial swelling or lump
A lump or swelling on the face that wasn't caused by an injury is most likely to be one of the following: Mumps a viral infection that usually affects children and causes swelling of the glands on
Lump in the neck or throat
A lump in the neck or throat is most likely to be one of the following: swollen glands usually a sign of infection, such as a cold or glandular fever ; the glands tend to go down when you rec
Lump in the breast
Breast lumps are common and have several different causes. While most breast lumps aren't breast cancer , any unusual changes to the breasts should be checked by a GP as soon as possible. Common caus
Lump on the shoulder, back, chest or arm
A lump on the shoulder, back, chest or arm is most likely to be a lipoma or a cyst. A lipoma is a soft, fatty lump that grows under the skin. It's fairly common, harmless and can usually be left alo
Lump in the armpit
A lump in the armpit is likely to be a swollen lymph gland , particularly if you also feel unwell and have other signs of an infection. The glands in the armpit can swell to more than a few centimetre
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