Home Care:

Consult your health care provider to have the cause of the neck lump treated.

Call your health care provider if:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have an abnormal neck swelling, or lumps in your neck.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The health care provider will take your medical history and do a physical examination.

Medical history questions may include:

• Is it a hard lump?
• Is it a relatively soft, pliable, bag-like (cystic) mass?
• Is it a painless bag-like (cystic) mass?
• Is the entire neck swollen?
• Where is the lump located?
• Has it been growing bigger? Over how many months?
• What other symptoms are present?
• Is there a rash?
• Do you have difficulty breathing?

If you are diagnosed with a thyroid goiter, you may need medication or surgery to remove it. If the health care provider suspects a thyroid nodule, the following may help in diagnosis and treatment:

• CT scan of the head or neck
• Radioactive thyroid scan
• Thyroid biopsy

If the lump is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be necessary. If the cause is a noncancerous mass or cyst, you may need surgery to remove it.