About a week ago, I discovered a small hard bump under the skin, on the right side of my chin, at the base of my jawline. It is not visible, but to the touch, feels almost like there is a BB stuck in there. I originally shrugged it off as an exteremly ingrown facial hair, and tried to remove the hair, but no hair was to be found. It got infected for a few days due to my poking around at it, but had since completely healed. Last night, I was feeling the area again and the “BB” felt as if has gotten slightly bigger and firmer. Whatever it is, is evidently below the major layers of surface skin, but shallow enough to be detected by touch. If it is removable, it would probably require a small insiscion and maybe a stitch or two when done.
Should I be worried about this? What could it be? I haven’t the money to see a doctor.
could be a lymph node that has swelled up. But more likely it sounds like a benign fiberous tumor. If it is gtting bigger, I would definitly go have it removed, because it could be malignant. And at least you would have the peice of mind.
signed,
Doctor Tubagirl:D
Probably nothing at all – a bug bite, as handy says or a really, really ingrown hair. Just the same, unexplained growths have to be looked at. Most cities have free clinics; I went to them for a dozen uninsured and poverty-stricken years myself and, if you can be patient, it’s not that bad. Hie thee to a physician!
Actually, handy, that would not be an odd place for a tumor. I don’t want to freak MSK out, because most likely this is a no big deal type of thing.
However, oral cancer does manifest itself in strange ways and it is possible that this is a tumor. We had a patient who had a lump on her cheek, just above the jawbone.
My boss found it while doing the routine check he does for “lumps and bumps” during dental exams. He directed her to see her physician, and it turned out to be a malignant tumor. It had not spread, was excised and didn’t even leave much of a scar. She is alive and healthy today because my wonderful boss is anal about being thorough.
Lumps and bumps usually turn out to be sebaceous cysts or the like, but it never pays to be cavalier about them. How much is your life worth, that you should ignore something that is not “normal” to your anatomy?
I think it sounds like Inflammation of the Lymphenal glands…
Lymph Nodes are very touchy things, that can swell up and harden and at other times they can be very limp and flaccid. the scary part is that Malignant and Benign tumors are often found basing themselves in the Lymph Nodes, and other “checkpoints” of the Endocrine Glandular System. so if the swelling hasn’t gone down for a very short WHILE (which it sounds like it hasn’t) get it checked out, and very fast.
that is all
and Dr. Tubagirl, I dunno what we would do w/o you as the Community Doc, hang around, we could use you in the future to diagnose someone ELSE’s psysiological, psychological, and Psychosomatic complexes… (I say ELSE’s because I don’t think Homer would like his name mentioned)
oops…
Lovely, I just found another one the OTHER side of my face under my chin. I think I also have another forming next to the original one, making a total of three.
No they aren’t bug bites. There is NO itching, no redness, no swelling, no pain etc. These things are detectable only by touch.
Even if I went to a “free clinic” or whatever it is, and I would require testing/surgery, god theres no way I could get it done. I have no insurance at all. I have no savings either.
Even though MSK is no longer here, I think I can relate to this one.
I was quite alarmed by a similar issue about 10 years ago. This bump I have is about 2 inches from my ear right on my jaw line.
After a doctor examination it turns out to be that one of my salivary glands is blocked. It’s not a problem at all for me and hasn’t become larger or is it painful.
I have pretty much forgotten about it over the years and since it’s been 10 years I am sure it’s not a cancerous problem…otherwise I think it would have changed in size and possibly given me pain.
BUT, this is always something to check in with a doctor about.
Have the “bump” and all others looked at! Probably nothing to worry about. Ya’ can’t be to careful. Chances are, it could be a flea bite, or small spider bite! They find a place, in your bed they like, and they go back !!
If you are concerned and short of funds, go to the public health center and set up an appointment with the doctor. They will bill you minimal fees if you don’t have ready cash.
Chances are very high that all you have is, basically, an infected pimple. I get them from time to time, especially if I don’t shave regularly. BB size? Roundish, fixed in place but easy to manipulate with your finger tip or to grip, say like to squeeze it? Sometimes men get ‘irregular’ sized beard hairs, where the hair is the diameter to two normal ones. (Most noticeable after not shaving for two days when they are visually obvious and different to the touch.) They tend to get infected in the growth gland. (These hairs, when infected, pull out easily and a simple squeeze drains the ‘pocket.’)
If it gets infected again, it should develop a whitehead and can be drained, which should produce a ‘hardened’ core, and later go away, perhaps leaving just a tiny nodule of internal scar tissue.
If it changes in size, like gets bigger, you probably will want to have it checked. BTW ‘black salve’ or – pardon the SP - Icthemo -(ick- thee- moe) is a drawing salve found at any drug store and is good for drawing out topical, mild infections, sandspur points and even some splinters.
Cross that bridge when and IF you ever come to it. There is no reason you should ignore yourself medically just because “you have no insurance” and couldn’t afford to pay for surgery. Something that may be easy and cheap to fix now may not be so later!
Go seek medical advice! I’d rather know and deal with whatever than worry myself silly over something that is probably nothing for the next ten years of my life.
I beg to differ. Doctors can and will refuse to treat you if you cannot pay. I have a couple of disabled friends who have learned that hard truth, however, if you go through an emergency room, they will treat you and refer you to a doctor, who will be assigned to your case. He will treat and bill you. How much you pay per month is at your discretion.
Public health is a good place because they are used to dealing with folks who have tight income. I do, however, suggest that you do not panic, because you just might have a solidified pimple there, which is very common.
Two of the tree bumps, seem to be slowly healing, and shrinking, though they still feel hard. One of them, however, does not seem to be improving at all. It’s seems to be getting larger/firmer day to day. I don’t know what these are, but I know what they are not: not warts, not blackheads, not pimples, not bug bites.
The one that is not improving, doesn’t hurt and is not infected. It feels really weird to the touch though.
I am very very tempted to sterilze my Exacto knife, and slice that sucker wide open, and extract whatever is in there. I have a bad feeling about that idea though. I’d probably end up severing a nerve or something.
You could always go to the ER…you may have to wait awhile, but you could say that you just noticed them and they worried the crap out of you. But please, for the love of god, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Your health isn’t worth waiting.
