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Lump in the neck
Consult your health care provider to have the cause of the neck lump treated.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have an abnormal neck swelling, or lumps in your neck.
The health care provider will take your medical history and do a physical examination.
Medical history questions may include:
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:
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.
Pfaff JA, Moore GP. Otolaryngology. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 70.
Chen A, Otto KJ. Differential diagnosis of neck masses. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:chap 116.
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