A couple of days ago I noticed a small lump under the skin of my inside right forearm. I’m pretty sure it was not there a week ago. It is about the size of a pee, but not really as sherical as that; imagine if you had a pee-sized lump of clay, and squished it down a little flat and slipped it under your skin – that’s what it’s like.
The lump is firm, not at all like a sac of liquid. It does not shift around under the skin when I apply a little pressure; my skin rides over the lump when I rub it, so the lump seems more attached to the muscle (or whatever is under the skin), rather than the skin itself. There is no discoloration, pain, tenderness, throbbing, itchiness, or irritation. It does not appear to have gotten any larger in the past couple of days.
Does this sound like a problem worthy of a doctor visit? An emergercy room visit? Could I wait it out a bit to see if it goes away on its own? (I am uninsured and money is tight, so I’m not exactly eager to start running a tab at the hospital right now.)
Disclaimer: I know that no responder is my doctor, and I will hold no one on this board liable for any insights they provide me.
Thanks all, in advance.
PS – I’m 99% sure it’s not a sebacious cyst. I’ve had one of those – a giant pimple, essentially – and you can feel it itch and tingle.
I don’t know if its serious or not. However, I have had one of those for years on the top back of my right arm near the shoulder. A doctor felt it once and said “Huh” and that was the end of it. It is basically like you described and I don’t know the name.
Your post reminded me of another point I forgot to mention. My lump is nowhere near my wrist or elbow or another joint. I know that harmless ganglion (sp?) lumps appear near joints; this is not one of those.
Personally, I would go to the doc just to play it safe. It could be just a cyst. But be aware that men can get breast cancer - you just don’t hear about it as much. I don’t want to scare you, but that sort of lump in that location is not something to play around with. Best get it checked to be sure.
my ex-husband had a soft tissue sarcoma - basically a fat-tumor is what the doctor called it. It was harmless but it could get bigger so we had it removed.
Anyway, if it was me, I’d a wait a week or two and then go see the doc about it if it was still there. It’s probably harmless but I’d obsess about it.
I got what you discribed on my belly once (it’s still there too). I went to the doctor completely convinced that I had cancer.
He called it a “fatty lump”. (Actually, there’s a more scientific name for it but I can’t remember what that is.) Basically, what happens is, fatty tissue gets stuck together and forms a lump. (or something to that effect)
FTR, I’m of above average health for a man my age. Also, I’m am not at all overweight. So apparently getting “fatty lumps” doesn’t have anything to do with being obese.
stuyguy. Nothing personal. I’ve closed the thread. You know the drill.
Hey! I could tell you about the probable cyst that I’ve had in my upper leg since 1979. That’s when I first noticed it. And I’ve picked up a few more since then. And every time I find a new one, I’m sure I have cancer. And I don’t always do anything about rushing to the Doctor. I’m only human.
But, you see that this thread is gonna get you and us nowhere. You’re gonna get advice to see a Doctor(always good). I know money is an issue. I also know that most of these things are just cysts/etc. and amount to nothing, except for the ones that kill you… :eek:
You’re also gonna get advice that you have a cyst. Nothing to worry about, because mine wasn’t malignant. Yours probably isn’t either.
That’s the rub. You get well-meaning advice, and none of it tells you what you have.
You can take your chances, or you can get a doc to pinch it and tell you to go away. I don’t know if your town has a health clinic…perhaps you qualify to go see someone there.
Anyway, I’m sure you understand why I’ve closed this. Good luck.
