Neck/Shoulder Tightness, small lump(s) in neck.

[JSS]

Hey there,

I'm a bit worried about my neck at the moment. For the past month or so it's been feeling really tight (mostly on the left side), and quite often it transfers to my shoulders and one of my arms. I also get shooting pains from my jaw down the left side of my neck sometimes.

I also have a very small lump on the left side. It's at the bottom of my neck, about level with my ear. You can't see it through the skin or anything but I can definitely feel it. Also, further up that side of my neck, the muscles feel very tight, and there may be another tiny lump, but I don't know if it's just swelling or something. The lump has been there for at least a year. There's another really tiny lump further up my neck, but I can't tell if it's swelling or something else.

I'm posting this here because I'm having appointments with a mental health nurse at the moment and she has come to the conclusion that I have an anxiety problem. My health is one thing I worry about and get very anxious about so I don't know if all this has something to do with that? Naturally I'm assuming that I have some kind of cancer or something.

I can't really go to see the doctor, the health service where I live (Lanarkshire in Scotland) is terrible for some reason, and it takes at least 4 weeks just go get an appointment with my doctor.

Anyone have any advice? Or any idea what it could be? I'm hoping it's just muscle tension but that small lump is making me think otherwise.

Thanks.

[coops025]

You should try Acupunture for you neck it will work a treat and its good for anxiety, worked wonders for me :)

Most lumps found around the neck area are due to an infection of some kind which may explain your neck pains, but as always with lumps you must see your Doctor. Keep a close on it your lump getting bigger and make sure you tell your doctor if it has changed in size, remeber if you play with it then it may become more swollen.

[njc38]

I have the same thing and like you worried that i had cancer etc, but i have had it checked several times by a doctor who says its normal and i also have spoke to my psychiatrist/mentor about this and she said it is normal to have this with anxiety. It is to do with your neck muscles tightening up from the tension,this will cause jaw pain and shoulder pain etc because of the way the nerves lie. The lumps will nt be as bad as you think they are, anxiety magnifies everything. Obviously if you aree worried, then go to docs etc, even if it takes 4wks, better than worrying for 5 wks if you get me.

[lea2009]

When you say youve had this for like a year, thats like a years worth of worry and can lead to alot of stress and anxiety. If it was something to worry about like cancer, trust me you would know by now. Dont worry about it, it will be nothing but a muscle tension and anxiety making it worse because your focusing on it too much. I bet every morning you wake up and think shit i got this lump thing and i think its not normal and your mind races and races thinking the worse. Just snap out of it and get on with it. Theres peeps out there a whole lot worse.
I found joining the gym and getting fit and eating healthy made life a whole lot better. I recomend you do the same if your not already.

Hope this helps

[JSS]

Just snap out of it and get on with it.

Man, you think I haven't tried that? The whole point about these things is as much as I want to, I can't stop worrying about them.

I have an appointment with the doctor in about 90 minutes or so (who'd have thought I'd get one so soon?), so hopefully he can help me out with the general muscle tension/tightness.