Ear, Nose & Throat Diagnosis How to Tell a Lump From a Lymph Node By Kristin Hayes, RN facebook twitter Kristin Hayes, RN, is a registered nurse specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders for both adults and children. Learn about our editorial process Kristin Hayes, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Chris Vincent, MD on November 12, 2019 linkedin Chris Vincent, MD, is board-certified in family medicine. He is a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and practices at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Learn about our Medical Review Board Chris Vincent, MD Updated on April 30, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Lymph Nodes Lumps and Tumors Diagnostic Tests Lymph nodes are tiny organs that appear throughout the body and function as part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is an extension of the immune system. Lymph nodes filter a fluid called lymph, trapping bacteria and other harmful substances. Because of their function, they often become swollen during an infection. Illustration by Jessica Olah, Verywell Identifying Lymph Nodes Lymph nodes are found in the neck, armpits, chest, abdomen, and groin. Medical professionals know where these nodes are located, which helps a lot when it comes to diagnosing lumps. Swollen lymph nodes are often accompanied by other symptoms of infection. When you have enlarged lymph nodes, people, or even doctors, might refer to them as swollen glands. This can be confusing because a true gland is an organ that secretes something—hormones, saliva, oil, etc. If you have an active infection, you might be able to feel lumps in your neck, especially under the jaw and chin—these are lymph nodes. They should return to their normal size when the infection clears up. Some of the more common illnesses that can cause swollen lymph nodes include: Common coldCytomegalovirusDental infectionsFluHIVMononucleosisStrep throatTonsillitis Infection is by far the most common cause of enlarged lymph nodes. However, enlarged lymph nodes can also be caused by cancer, especially Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Enlarged lymph nodes can also be caused by immune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. How to Examine Your Lymph Nodes If your lymph nodes are swollen, you can often feel them by pressing lightly and circling your three middle fingers:Behind the ears and under the jawlineOn both sides of the back of your neckFrom the middle of your armpit to the side of your breastAlong the crease where the thigh meets the pelvis DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Identifying Lumps and Tumors Abnormal lumps and tumors are often mistaken for lymph nodes due to their location. They can often be differentiated by the hardness, texture, regularity, and whether they are free-floating or attached to other tissues. While most will be benign (non-cancerous), some may be malignant (cancerous). Nodules A nodule is actually a generic term. It can refer to all kinds of lumps both cancerous and not. Usually, physicians will refer to a lump as a nodule until they can discover exactly what the lump is. Cysts can sometimes be called nodules. Nodules can form on any part of the body including the thyroid and vocal cords. A nodule can be a solid lump of non-cancerous tissue. Whether a nodule should be treated depends on whether or not it is causing symptoms, if or how quickly it is growing, and where it is on the body. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Cysts Cysts are fluid-filled sacs of tissue that appear as lumps. They are not solid. Cysts can occur in almost every area of the body. Depending on their size and location they may have to be surgically drained. Many cysts go away on their own. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Lipomas A lipoma is a benign lump filled with fat. They are not cancerous but sometimes have to be surgically removed depending on their size and location. People who have had one lipoma or a family history of lipomas have a tendency to get them again. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Lipoma: Overview and More Goiters or Colloid Nodular Goiters Goiters are lumps on the thyroid gland. They appear in the front of the neck but can be deviated to one side. Because your thyroid moves up and down when you swallow, goiters and lumps on the thyroid will do this also. Goiters often indicate abnormal thyroid function but can occur with normal thyroid function as well. Some goiters are caused by iodine deficiency. This was once common in the United States but the prevalence has decreased dramatically since table salt has become iodine fortified. Goiters may be treated with medication, such as Synthroid (levothyroxine) if they are caused by thyroid hormone deficiency, or by radioactive iodine if they are related to too much thyroid hormone. In some cases, they may have to be surgically removed. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Goiter: Overview and More Boils Boils are skin infections that can appear as lumps. Most of the time they are close to the surface of the skin and pus may come out of them. However, this is not always the case. Boils can be deep and appear or be palpated as a fairly large hard lump. They can occur at any place on the body. Boils are treated with drainage. Occasionally, antibiotics are also necessary—either topical or taken by mouth in pill form, or in extreme cases intravenously. Sometimes they may have to be drained by a surgeon, known as an I&D (incision and drainage). This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Skin Boils: Overview and More Malignant Tumors Malignant or cancerous lumps are called tumors. While some sources say that the definition of a tumor is an abnormal growth of any tissue, the term is not usually used to define a benign growth. Cancer cells are mutated cells that grow and enlarge at an abnormal rate and can be very difficult to stop. There are thousands of ways to classify tumor types. While there are many symptoms of cancer, a visible lump is often the first thing a patient will notice and seek treatment for. This is why, despite the overwhelming odds that a lump will be noncancerous, it is so terrifying to notice any lump on your body and why it is so important to monitor the lump and get medical treatment. Cancers with palpable lumps are most commonly found in the breast, testicle, or lymph nodes. According to the American Cancer Society, lumps that are fluid-filled and easily rolled in the fingers are less likely to be cancerous than those that are hard, irregular, rooted, and painless. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo DermNet / CC BY-NC-ND Diagnostic Tools In the case of swollen glands, your doctor will often notice other signs of an infection. If the infection is bacterial, such as strep throat, you will need antibiotics. If the infection is viral, such as in mono, it will take time for your immune system to fight the infection and the glands to decrease in size. For other lumps, several tests may have to be done. An ultrasound, X-ray, CT scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful in telling whether or not the lump is solid or fluid-filled. It can also measure the lumps and sometimes tell how the lump is affecting surrounding structures in the body. However, ultimately a biopsy will be needed (if the lump is not caused by infection or filled with fluid). A biopsy involves taking a small amount of tissue from the lump and having it analyzed in a laboratory. This will determine exactly what the lump is. Sometimes the tissue can be retrieved using a needle. Other times the sample will have to be taken surgically. Your doctor will determine if and when you need to have a biopsy and the best way to retrieve the tissue. Diagnosing Benign and Malignant Tumors Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cueni LN, Detmar M. The lymphatic system in health and disease. Lymphat Res Biol. 2008;6(3-4):109-22. doi:10.1089/lrb.2008.1008 Mohseni S, Shojaiefard A, Khorgami Z, Alinejad S, Ghorbani A, Ghafouri A. Peripheral lymphadenopathy: approach and diagnostic tools. Iran J Med Sci. 2014;39(2 Suppl):158-70. Urquhart A, Berg R. Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck. Laryngoscope. 2001;111(9):1565-9. doi:10.1097/00005537-200109000-00013 Bomeli SR, Lebeau SO, Ferris RL. Evaluation of a thyroid nodule. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2010;43(2):229-38, vii. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2010.01.002 Telischak NA, Wu JS, Eisenberg RL. 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Aust Prescr. 2016;39(5):159-163. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.058 Zhang J, Li Y, Zhao Y, Qiao J. CT and MRI of superficial solid tumors. Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2018;8(2):232-251. doi:10.21037/qims.2018.03.03 Rougraff BT, Aboulafia A, Biermann JS, Healey J. Biopsy of soft tissue masses: evidence-based medicine for the musculoskeletal tumor society. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009;467(11):2783-91. doi:10.1007/s11999-009-0965-9 Additional Reading American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms. Atlanta, Georgia; updated September 27, 2017. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Goiter - Simple. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001178.htm Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Swollen Lymph Nodes. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/003097.htm