10 Common Lumps – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor

10 Common Lumps – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor

1. Lipoma (fatty lump)

What it is: Soft, rubbery, painless lump under the skin
Usually OK if:

• Grows very slowly
• Moves easily when pressed

Worry / see a doctor if:

• It becomes painful, hard, or rapidly enlarges
• Skin over it changes colour

2. Swollen lymph node (‘gland’)

What it is: Small, tender lump in neck, armpit, or groin
Usually OK if:

• Appears during an infection
• Shrinks within 2–4 weeks

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Hard, fixed, painless
• Lasts >4 weeks or keeps growing
• Accompanied by weight loss or night sweats

3. Cyst (sebaceous or epidermoid)

What it is: Smooth lump filled with fluid or keratin
Usually OK if:

• Slow-growing and painless

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Red, hot, painful, or leaking pus
• Rapid size increase

4. Breast lump

• Rule Number 1: No woman should have a lump in the breast
• Rule Number 2: If in doubt, see a doctor. If you are concerned, see another (specialist breast) doctor.

What it is: Can be cystic, fibrous, or solid

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Any new lump → rapid medical evaluation (especially if over 40, or high-risk)
• Hard, irregular, fixed
• Skin dimpling, nipple discharge, or new asymmetry
• You are worried

5. Hernia

What it is: Soft bulge in groin or abdomen, worse when coughing
Usually OK if:

• Reducible (goes back in when lying down)
  

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Sudden severe pain
• Red, firm, or cannot be pushed back (emergency)

6. Ganglion cyst (wrist/hand)

What it is: Firm, round lump near joints or tendons
Usually OK if:

• Painless and stable in size

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Pain, weakness, or nerve symptoms
• Rapid growth

7. Thyroid nodule

What it is: Lump in the front of the neck

• All need to be assessed by a doctor

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Hoarseness
• Rapid growth or family history of thyroid cancer

8. Testicular lump

What it is: Lump or swelling in a testicle

• All need to be assessed by a doctor

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Hard, painless lump on the testicle itself
• Any new lump → rapid medical evaluation

9. Possible skin cancer lump

What it is: Firm or scaly bump on the skin

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Any new lump → evaluation within 2 weeks
• Growing, bleeding, crusting
• Irregular borders or colour changes

10. Abscess (infection)

What it is: Painful, warm, red lump filled with pus
Usually OK if:

• Small and improving with care

Worry / see a doctor if:

• Fever, spreading redness
• Severe pain or no improvement in 48–72 hours

General Red flags for Lumps — see a doctor if a lump is:

• Hard, fixed, or rapidly growing
• Painless and persistent
• Associated with fever, weight loss, or night sweats
• Changing the skin or causing neurological symptoms.