Causes Of Neck Cysts
Neck cysts or a lump or bump on the neck area can be caused by a number of different things. Bacterial or viral infections, cancer, thyroid problems or an area that has recently been injured, can cause not only swelling and redness in the neck but they can also produce cysts. If you are suffering with neck cysts, you may want to be seen by a doctor, so that he can rule out or help to stop any life threatening illnesses. If a child has an apparent neck bump, it is important that he be quickly examined. Usually, when neck cysts are seen in children, it indicates that there is an infection present.
Perhaps the most common reason for bumps on the neck area is enlarged lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are present in many areas of the body. They are located in the neck, under the armpits and around the groin area. They are actually an important part of the immune system and they can alert you to foreign substances, infections and certain types of germs. When any of these things occur within the body, the lymph nodes will become swollen and this results in a small single bump. If the medical condition that is causing the neck cysts can be cured quickly, the bump will also quickly disappear. But if the bump has formed for a more serious reason, it will not go away so quickly. Enlarged lymph nodes are mainly due to infections in the body, abscessed teeth, sexually transmitted diseases, colds and the flu or tuberculosis. Specific autoimmune diseases can also cause swollen glands or nodes and they include rheumatoid arthritis and HIV disease.
A sebaceous cyst might be painful and it may even drain a foul smelling gray to white substance. But out of all the things that cause neck cysts, it is probably considered the least dangerous condition. They occur from an injury to the neck area and this includes things like shaving. The hair follicle can become blocked off because of an injury and this stops the oils that naturally flow from out of the pores. These oils and natural pore secretions have no where to go, so they form a small sac under the skin. A sebaceous cyst is easy to recognize because it is obviously fluid filled and it freely moves under the skin. A doctor usually will not do anything with one of these types of cysts, unless it causes pain or continues to grow. If this is the case, he can easily remove the cyst.
The thyroid gland has a main function and that is to produce hormones within the body. This helps to control metabolism. When this gland produces too much or not enough hormones, the body sends a clear signal and the thyroid or surrounding tissues present a lump to indicate the problem. If there is cancer present in the gland, the lump is considered cancerous and the only way to diagnose a swollen thyroid gland is to have a biopsy.
A goiter can happen for no reason or it can be from an under production of hormone. This is another type of swelling of the thyroid gland. This condition is not considered dangerous but if the bump is enlarged or painful a doctor can decide to remove it. Goiters are usually hereditary and they are mainly seen in women who are over 40 years of age. But it is also seen in people who have an iodine deficiency. They can go away on their own and they are known to shrink or become larger. This all depends on the severity of the condition or the increase or decrease of the hormone produced.