Resolved question:
I have lumps on the left side of my neck.
(Assume that every muscle or everywhere I talk about is the left side of my neck)
I am now really worried because I feel so much pain nowadays. Please be concerned when you answer this.
First I used my both thumbs and slide down through my neck, and I found little pea sized lumps on the Thyrohyoid muscle (or, at External carotid artery because I am not sure). It moves when I press it. I grew a bit since when I first found.
Secondly, with a severe neck pain on the left side, I found a bigger lump on Levator scapulate muscle, which is right behind of the middle of Sternocleidomastoid muscle. It doesn't move when I press. It did hurt when I pressed it (when it was first found) and now it does not hurt when I press it. Since then, the left side of my Sternocleidomastoid muscle is somewhat swollen. And, either the External carotid artery or Thyrohyoid muscle is somewhat swollen as well and it sometimes hurts (stings).
Thirdly, I've been feeling headaches, dizziness, and weariness for about a month. I've been having much longer sleep time because I've been feeling so tired and dizzy (it is abnormal tiredness. It is not just tired. I feel worried all the time, headaches and dizziness), but I still don't feel any freshness after those long sleep. I can't focus well and my eyes gets tired easily and they are always blood shot.
Fourthly, with a severe pain on my right shoulder, the upper side of my stomach has been hurting (now the pain on my right shoulder has been gone). I feel nausea and dizziness when my stomach is empty and after I eat. I've lost my appetite and I don't want to eat much. I feel full even if I don't eat as much as before and I feel nausea (I don't puke though). In addition, I've been having melena and diarrhea.
Please help.
Additional Details
I am 21 years old. I've been smoking for 5 years. The first year, I smoked like a half pack a day; the second through fourth year, I smoked a pack a day; and the last one year, I smoked almost 1 and half, or 2 packs a day. Now I don't smoke much.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
ENT Specialist
Consult reply with additional inputs from Dr.Deepu Sebin Sebastian
Hello,
Thank you for asking your query at DoctorSpring.
Let me list down my opinions for clarity.
1. The swelling in the neck are probably lymph nodes. And as you might be aware lymph nodes are normal glands in the body which can get enlarged when there is inflammation or infection. Sometime lymph nodes are palpable normally also. In your case the LN enlargement could be due to the local inflammation in the muscles. You can give it a week and see whether the nodes are resolving by itself. If not, you will require a course of antibiotic with or without FNAC – Fine needle aspiration biopsy to find out why the nodes are enlarged (Antibiotics will treat any possible bacterial infection causing the node enlargement).
2. The location of the nodes does not matter much in your case. The neck pain is not very specific (to make a diagnosis) It is probably related to strain or an unusal posture. Take an OTC pain medicine like Ibuprofen 400 mg twice daily for 3 days and it should be ok
3. Headaches, dizziness, and weariness for about a month – Need a basic evaluation including physical examination. All the symptoms could be due to your troubled sleep itself
4. Melena is worrying indeed. Do you really have loose dark stools ? If so how many times per day ? The upper stomach discomfort could be due to peptic ulcer. You should take an anti ulcer drug like Prilosec once a day for 7 days (atleast 1 hour before food). Please note I am NOT saying this is ulcer, but there is a possibility. If the symptom persists, you will need further evaluation by a Gastroenterologist including endoscopy.
5. I recommend visiting your GP to see whether your Lymph Nodes are ‘significant’ and for a general evaluation. The symptom patter you have described is not pointing towards a single diagnosis. You need not worry as there are no obvious alarming symptoms. But the GI complains, if persisting need attention.
Hope this helps
Please feel free to ask followup questions.