# Found lump under jaw, big deal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702 "2004-03-05T15:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/1 "2004-03-05T15:04:20Z")
appeared about two days ago. It’s not painful, nor is it very big. I can also move it around a little bit, even to the other side of my jaw bone. Googled it and saw mentioned that this could come up after getting a sore throat or cold sore (had one recently). I don’t have insurance, so would it be a terrible idea to see if it goes away, or should I definitely go to doctor immediately? BTW, no cancer history on either side of the family… ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/2 "2004-03-05T15:35:28Z")
Is is directly below the angle of the jaw and slightly inside the jawbone? Do you have any kind of sore or infection in the same general area? (Sore throat, tooth infection/cavity, gingivitis, ear infection, etc.) If so, my guess is an [enlarged lymph node](http://imaginis.com/breasthealth/lymph_nodes.asp#Enlarged_Lymph_Nodes). If the lymph node is enlarged due to a local infection, it will abate when the infection is dealt with. If you have no localized infections, it could be a blocked lymph node. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/3 "2004-03-05T15:36:55Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > appeared about two days ago. It’s not painful, nor is it very big. I can also move it around a little bit, even to the other side of my jaw bone. Googled it and saw mentioned that this could come up after getting a sore throat or cold sore (had one recently). I don’t have insurance, so would it be a terrible idea to see if it goes away, or should I definitely go to doctor immediately? BTW, no cancer history on either side of the family… Swollen lymph node (IANAMD, though). Could be residual from your sore throat. Could be Hodgkins Disease (probably not). Waiting a week or two (IANAMD) probably isn’t deadly. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/4 "2004-03-05T15:39:15Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > Swollen lymph node (IANAMD, though). Could be residual from your sore throat. Could be Hodgkins Disease (probably not). Waiting a week or two (IANAMD) probably isn’t deadly. Get some health insurance if you can, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/5 "2004-03-05T15:57:15Z")
Actually, I do have some minor gingivitis just above the lump, and the cold sore I had was right around the same area. I guess (hope) my mouth was just beating the crap out of the lymph node. I’ll give it a week before I see a doctor. Thanks for taking a load off ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/6 "2004-03-05T18:30:21Z")
If it doesn’t go away or if other lumps appear, get to a doctor immediately. My ex-wife is presently undergoing chemo for non-Hodgkins lymphoma that started as a lump on her jaw. ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/7 "2004-03-05T18:46:00Z")
For what it’s worth, I had the same thing 10 or 15 years ago. It scared the (\*&^% out of me and I was afraid to go see a doctor. However, my folks finally made me go see a doctor and it turned out to be a swollen lymph node. Some antibiotics and the problem (to the extent there ever was one) was gone. But yeah, it’s probably worth having it checked out. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-lump-under-jaw-big-deal/232702/8 "2004-03-05T19:45:34Z")
I had a friend that had a lump and it turned out to be an abscess. Go get it checked out. (I don’t have insurance either, but brain abcesses are not cool). IANAD.