Swelling or lump
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 causes of breast lumps include:
- mastitis painful, swollen breast tissue that is sometimes caused by an infection
- enlarged milk ducts
- anon-cancerous growth (fibroadenoma)
- acyst a harmless fluid-filled lump
- a lipoma a harmless fatty lump
- a skin tag a harmless, wart-like growth often found underneath the breast
Less than4 in 100 (4%) of testicular lumps turn out to be testicular cancer .
A lump or swelling in the testicle is most likely to be one of the following:
- swollen and enlarged veins inside the scrotum(varicoceles)
- swellings caused by abuild-up of fluid around the testicle (hydrocele)
- acyst in the epididymis (the long, coiled tube behind the testicles)
This is a type of cyst that forms around the joints or tendons.
A ganglion cyst usually appears on the back of the wrist.It's made up of a thick jelly-like fluid and feels like a smooth, soft lump under the skin.
It's not clear why ganglions form, but they can be related to ageing or to injury to the joint or tendon.
If the ganglion doesn't cause any pain or discomfort, it can be left and may disappear without treatment. Otherwise, you may need to have it removed.
Sometimes, small rough lumps called warts develop on the hands. Warts arecaused by an infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are very contagious. However, they're usually harmless and clear up without treatment.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
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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