Weird Symptom?

[jennyj]

Today I was sitting at work talking to a couple of friends rubbing the left side of my neck because it hurt. One of my friends asked me what was wrong and I said it was a little sore and she said I had a large lump?. or swelling. She pointed to where it was and is was very tender. I'm going to call my doc tomorrow but was wondering if anyone knew what it could be. My throat isn't sore just the neck

[tarnalberry]

goiter?

[jennyj]

whats a goiter

[Girl Ninja]

Swelling of the thyroid gland. It usually has to do with iodine deficiency in my neck of the woods. I found this:

A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It is not cancer.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

There are different kinds of goiters. A simple goiter usually occurs when the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body's needs. The thyroid gland makes up for this lack by enlarging, which usually overcomes mild deficiencies of thyroid hormone.

A simple goiter may be classified as either an endemic (colloid) goiter or a sporadic (nontoxic) goiter.

Endemic goiters occur within groups of people living in geographical areas with iodine-depleted soil, usually regions away from the sea coast. People in these communities might not get enough iodine in their diet (iodine is vital to the formation of thyroid hormone). The modern use of iodized table salt in the U.S. prevents this deficiency. However, inadequate iodine is still common in central Asia and central Africa.

In most cases of sporadic goiter the cause is unknown. Occasionally, certain medications such as lithium or aminoglutethimide can cause a nontoxic goiter.

Hereditary factors may cause goiters. Risk factors for the development of a goiter include female sex, age over 40 years, inadequate dietary intake of iodine, residence in an endemic area, and a family history of goiter.

[Guest BERNESES]

Could also be a lymph node. I woke up two weeks ago with a huge lump in my jaw and 2 smaller ones. The lump was an infected salivary gland and the smaller ones were lymph nodes. You have lymph nodes in a lot more places than i ever knew!

Let us know what happens.

[eKatherine]

Could also be a lymph node. I woke up two weeks ago with a huge lump in my jaw and 2 smaller ones. The lump was an infected salivary gland and the smaller ones were lymph nodes. You have lymph nodes in a lot more places than i ever knew!

Let us know what happens.

I used to get swollen lymph glands when I lived a more physically stressful life. One particularly painful one was treated with and responded to antibiotics.

[dionnek]

I am having the same pain (been having it for about a month since I've gone gluten-free but never before going gluten-free), however, you can't see or feel any lump in mine. It's just a pain that comes and goes in the left side of my neck, right above the collar bone, and it is definitley not a muscle or anything like that. I'm seeing a dr. today - will let you know what he says.

[jennyj]

I went to the doctor today and he took several pints ( ok vials but it felt like more)

of blood. He said it could be an infection of the gland, mono, or even mumps, but he really doesn't think it could be mumps. He should know something Wed. He put me on an antibiotic and said if I wasn't better Wed. He may want to do a biopsy.

[BRUMI1968]

I went to the doctor today and he took several pints ( ok vials but it felt like more)

of blood. He said it could be an infection of the gland, mono, or even mumps, but he really doesn't think it could be mumps. He should know something Wed. He put me on an antibiotic and said if I wasn't better Wed. He may want to do a biopsy.

Not to dis your doc, but what is up with docs giving antibiotics B4 they know what's wrong with people. That's so annoying, especially when folks have sensitive guts and those antibiotics are going to fry all your good bacteria. Arg.....

It is a bizarre way to conduct medicine - give the pills first, if they work, that's what it was. What if time cured it and the pills were just wasted.

Sorry. I shouldn't rant about this on your post. I hope that your pain/lump gets better. I know it's always disturbing to find lumps and bumps that don't belong.

[Guest BERNESES]

Jenny- Hope the antibiotic does the trick and you don't need a biopsy. Hopefully it's "just" an infected gland.

I am having the same pain (been having it for about a month since I've gone gluten-free but never before going gluten-free), however, you can't see or feel any lump in mine. It's just a pain that comes and goes in the left side of my neck, right above the collar bone, and it is definitley not a muscle or anything like that. I'm seeing a dr. today - will let you know what he says.

Dionne K- Do you have pain like that any place else? It almost sounds like one of the trigger points for pain in fibromyalgia. Either way, you should get it checked out.

[Guest nini]

lumps and bumps can be any number of things, usually benign. As a massage therapist, I'd be more inclined to think it was a knot in a muscle or a swollen lymph node (that just needs to be detoxed)... does rubbing it aggravate it or make it feel better? Have you tried putting cold or heat on it to see if that makes a difference? I also think it's peculiar for the Dr. to give antibiotics "just in case" it's something... "first do no harm" and by giving antibiotics if they are not needed is possibly doing harm...

[Guest BERNESES]

I know- my doctor is VERY hesitant to give antibiotics. Which is good considering I just did my first round since developing active Celiac symptoms and it did a number on me. maybe it's because it's 4th of July weekend and no one will be seen again until next Wed.??? just a thought.

[jennyj]

Being new to all this I didn't think about antibiotics having an effect on celiac. Thanks for the info. I haven't tried ice or heat on it yet. He did ask if I would be at the store Saturday or Monday but then said he would let me know Wed. I really appreciate this site because it gives me new ways to look at things and people who seem to care even though they do not know me. It's so nice to be able to say things and have others know where you are coming from. Thanks.

[jennyj]

Called the doc today. White blood count was normal, hemoglobin was 14.5 (YEAH it's never been that great, guess iron infusion was successful), the mumps test isn't back but they really doubt that is the problem. I am supposed to call back Wed. to see if the lump is better after 7 days on antibiotics(not yet) and he may want to do a biopsy.

[dionnek]

Jenny- Hope the antibiotic does the trick and you don't need a biopsy. Hopefully it's "just" an infected gland.

Dionne K- Do you have pain like that any place else? It almost sounds like one of the trigger points for pain in fibromyalgia. Either way, you should get it checked out.

this is the only place i have this pain (left side of neck only, right above collar bone. The dr. didn't know what it was when I went on Friday - said could possibly be a swollen lymph node and he could put me on antibiotics if I wanted (which I didn't), so he said to wait 2 more weeks and if it doesn't go away then we should do xray or MRI. I rub it, but it doesn't help the pain - probably makes it worse. I'll try a heating pad - that might work when it's hurting. He said my thyroid is higher up, so it shouldn't be that. Very wierd!

[scrunt]

Called the doc today. White blood count was normal, hemoglobin was 14.5 (YEAH it's never been that great, guess iron infusion was successful), the mumps test isn't back but they really doubt that is the problem. I am supposed to call back Wed. to see if the lump is better after 7 days on antibiotics(not yet) and he may want to do a biopsy.

I've had a bunch of problems with my neck/ throat area and it has been a combination of:

- swollen lymph nodes (either from infection, or body not flushing stuff out enough, so maybe a kidney infection as well)

- saliva duct stones (if you have horribly bad breath and feel like something is stuck in there)

- a goiter (which can be from too little or too much iodine)

- candida overgrowth (too much sugar does strange things)

At one point I had issues with swallowing, and sore neck, and swollen cheeks. It was a combination, we think of saliva duct stones and a too-much iodine goiter. Supposedly Celiac's metabolize iodine differently than others do, and need to go on iodine-free salt (ie kosher or pickling salt) in order to get that under control.

So, keep on it with your doctor. Good to hear he didn't give you antibiotics first off.

[dionnek]

What kind of dr did you go to for all this, and what kind of tests did they do? The dr. that i just went to was an allergist (I wanted to get other food allergies tested), so he didn't know very much about it. He said my endo probably wouldn't know since it seemed to low for my thyroid, but he didn't really say who I should see.....