# Ever heard of this medical phenomenon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314 "2014-04-17T03:51:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/1 "2014-04-17T03:51:04Z")
I already have a doctor appointment, but it’s not for another couple of weeks. My partner wants me to go to the ER, but I’m trying not to panic. This is something I didn’t notice until recently, when I saw my reflection in profile. Other people have noticed it too, but explained it as aging (I’m 68) or osteoporosis or bad posture. There’s a mass on the back of my neck, from the mid-neck to the line of my shoulders. It’s about 4-5 inches in diameter. It’s not as soft as fat, about the feel of a muscle that’s not flexed. There’s no pain, but it’s somewhat pinkish compared to the rest of me. For the most part I’m unaware of it, except when I try to raise my head. From poking around online it seems to be a [lipoma](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoma), except for its size. Strangely, one of my cats had something similar in the same location. I had it removed, several times, until a new vet convinced me to leave it alone. It reached a certain size and stopped growing. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/2 "2014-04-17T04:03:15Z")
Possibly a fatty lipoma, from the description of the density. I had one on my left shoulder for several years, which I probably got from holding my phone handset between my ear and shoulder during most of my working hours, and when I stopped doing that it went away after awhile. However, that location seems unlikely to me, and also I am not a doctor. Fatty lipomas are benign, by the way. eta: [here](http://www.healthline.com/health/skin/lumps#Overview) is a link to an article that says they are, in fact, often on the back. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/3 "2014-04-17T04:07:59Z")
Yes, my mom (67 yo) has one on the nape of her neck. It’s not really noticeable unless her hair is up and she’s turned a certain way. It doesn’t bother her. Her doctor recommends no action at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/4 "2014-04-17T07:50:12Z")
The lipoma which got removed from my brother’s back “since anyway we’re putting you under” for other surgery was further down, but it did fit the general description. It was almost as big as the palm of my hand. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/5 "2014-04-17T14:32:22Z")
[This Caustic Soda](http://www.causticsodapodcast.com/2014/04/14/benign-tumors/) on benign tumors may or may not be reassuring. But the gist is stuff sometimes grows in us and it’s almost always totally fine. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/6 "2014-04-18T06:20:46Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > [This Caustic Soda](http://www.causticsodapodcast.com/2014/04/14/benign-tumors/) on benign tumors may or may not be reassuring. But the gist is stuff sometimes grows in us and it’s almost always totally fine. What the hell body part is that? I wasn’t scared before, but that thing scares the bejesus outta me. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-this-medical-phenomenon/686314/7 "2014-04-18T07:15:44Z")
See: > **[200-Pound Tumor Removed From Vietnamese Man](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/200-pound-leg-tumor-nguyen-duy-hai_n_1186688)** > > 200-Pound Tumor Removed From Vietnamese Man 200 pound tumor removed, patient died a year later. Scroll down for not-so-cropped image: > **[Bóc thành công khối u chân voi 90 kg](https://nld.com.vn/suc-khoe/boc-thanh-cong-khoi-u-chan-voi-90-kg-20120104091353557.htm)** > > (NLĐO) - Sau hơn 11 giờ tiến hành, ca phẫu thuật bóc tách khối u nặng hơn 90 kg đã kết thúc. Tuy nhiên, vẫn chưa thể biết được kết quả cuối cùng vì bệnh nhân Hải cần được chăm sóc đặc biệt trong 1 tuần \* Mời xem clip về ca phẫu thuật.