The appearance of swelling in the face is not only a cosmetic defect, but also a symptom of a malfunction in the body. A bump on the chin occurs due to various causes and provoking factors. Often, patients panic, believing that this is a cancerous tumor. Such a possibility exists, but the neoplasm also appears due to another etiology that is not associated with cancerous processes in the body. Consider why swelling appears on the skin and what it could be?
Lump under chin
The inner bump on the chin under the skin appears as a neoplasm that can appear suddenly. In the evening, a person falls asleep without problems with the skin, and in the morning he discovers a cosmetic defect.
Most often, the location of the pathological element is under the lower jaw or in the occipital region. It is there that the lymph nodes are located, which, with existing inflammatory processes, tend to increase.
With viral, infectious and bacterial pathologies, activation of these nodes is observed, as a result of which they become larger. The lymphatic system in the human body appears as a kind of filter that does not allow inflammation to spread throughout the body.
Tip: When a lump in the chin area feels hard, immobile and extremely painful, it is recommended to seek medical advice immediately. These signs indicate a developing tumor, unfortunately, not always of a benign nature.
Note that if the bump appeared within a few days or even a couple of hours, then you should not panic, this is definitely not cancer. Oncological seals develop gradually and relatively slowly, other negative signs are always observed.
Why did a bump appear on the neck under the chin?
In the human body there are many lymph nodes located, including under the lower jaw. They support the functioning of the immune system. In pathological processes in the body, they try to neutralize them.
From a medical point of view, in order to identify the cause of an abnormal swelling of the node, you need to look for the disease. Usually the cause of the occurrence lies in the pathologies of the upper respiratory tract, sometimes in dental problems.
Often the cause is severe tonsillitis, tonsillitis or pharyngitis. The inflammatory process tends to intensify against the background of the lack of adequate treatment, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
Compaction under the skin can level out on its own if the immune system effectively fights pathogenic agents. When the immune system is weakened, the alarming symptoms will intensify.
If a lump appears under the chin, then conventionally the causes are divided into two groups:
- Nonspecific etiology due to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses and bacteria, which led to an inflammatory process in the lymph node. These can be pathologies of the oral cavity, gingivitis, stomatitis, etc. In children - rubella, measles, mumps;
- Specific pathogenesis based on pathogens - syphilis, tuberculosis, brucellosis. If in the first case the bump does not hurt, then in this case there is a noticeable soreness. Causes - lymphoma (tumor neoplasm of the lymphatic system), oncology of the oral cavity, cancer of the pharynx, etc.
It is worth knowing: at an advanced stage of development, any oncological process in the body can become a provoking factor that leads to an increase in peripheral organs in the lymphatic system.
The first signs of cancer and benign tumors
When a bump appears on the chin, you need to visit a doctor. You can't deal with the problem on your own. Ignoring a clear symptom and other characteristic signs can cost the patient's life.
Signs of a benign neoplasm: the bump at the bottom of the chin is soft, mobile to the touch, mild discomfort or severe pain may be felt on palpation. In the latter case, the symptom indicates severe inflammation.
The symptoms of compaction of a malignant nature include a solid neoplasm to the touch, it is not mobile, as if it grows “inside” the face, there is severe pain against the background of the absence of contact with the pathological element.
Lipoma
A large pimple on the chin may be a lipoma. Lipoma is benign education, which was formed from the growing adipose tissue. In 98% of clinical pictures, subjective sensations, in addition to appearance, are missing.
If the neoplasm grows rapidly, then pain is observed due to compression of the surrounding tissues. The bump is soft and elastic to the touch, the size varies from 1 to 5 centimeters, most often it forms on the neck.
Folliculitis
It is a skin disease. In medical practice, the disease is referred to as a form of superficial pyoderma. The disease is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the upper sections of the hair follicles. Has an infectious nature.
There are several types of folliculitis, which are caused by a specific pathogen. There are staphylococcal, candidal, herpetic, acne, and other varieties.
malignant tumor
A tumor that has malignant cells is a cancerous disease. It is difficult to describe the initial symptoms of cancer, since there are many types of them. External manifestations include swelling, compaction under the skin. They usually develop in advanced stages.
Additional symptoms: soreness of the lymph nodes, an increase in the size of the liver, neurological phenomena (dizziness, persistent headaches), joint pain, unproductive cough (sometimes mixed with blood).
The main methods of therapy include surgery, chemotherapy, radio emission, taking hormonal pills, the use of powerful medications aimed at strengthening the immune status. The prognosis is determined by the type of disease, the timeliness of diagnosis.
Skin cyst
A closed cavity neoplasm of the skin and mucous membranes, which is lined with epithelial tissue or epidermis, having contents of various consistency - a skin cyst of true nature. The pseudocyst lacks an epithelial lining.
A seal in the form of a cyst tends to grow rapidly, which leads to a subsequent rupture of the walls of the neoplasm, the contents enter the dermis, which provokes the development of a strong inflammatory process. Pain syndrome is noted.
Atheroma
Seal of a benign nature, there is sebum inside, does not pose a threat to human life and health. With active growth, it can squeeze neighboring tissues, which leads to inflammation.
For information, visually, atheroma appears as a painful seal, which has clear boundaries, rises above the surface of the skin. Inside the element is the secret of the sebaceous glands, epithelial cells, hairs - they look like a curdled substance, they are placed in a capsule. It is the capsule that does not allow the contents of the atheroma to “come out”.
The "ball" under the skin increases relatively slowly. However, in the absence of proper therapy, it can reach up to 5 centimeters or more.
Who to contact if a bump has formed under the chin?
When a bump popped up in the face area, while the neoplasm did not go away on its own, but on the contrary, alarming symptoms joined - soreness, fever, headache, general malaise, etc., a consultation with a medical specialist is required.
First of all, you need to visit a therapist, tell him about your problem. The doctor, after conducting a visual examination, will prescribe diagnostics, laboratory tests, or immediately give a referral to another narrow-profile doctor if there is a suspicion of some kind of pathology in his specialty.
If a malignant neoplasm is suspected, an oncologist is needed. If it is an atheroma, then a surgeon's consultation is required. In a situation where the cause lies in a dental disease, visit the dentist. Depending on the etiology, hematologist, endocrinologist and other doctors can deal with treatment.
A seal on the skin under the chin, accompanied by soreness, should be shown to the doctor. As practice shows, an element can be harmless, for example, atheroma, or seriously threatening not only health, but also life - a malignant tumor.
Wherever swelling appears, it makes a person very nervous. The first thing they think about when a bump appears under the chin is oncology. But it is not always the case. Moreover, in many cases, a neoplasm appears for completely harmless reasons and does not pose a particular danger.
Why did a bump appear on the neck under the chin?
For starters, oncology develops for a long time and gradually. Until the neoplasm becomes visible and tangible, it may take several years. A bump can form within a few hours for no particular reason. So there is no need to panic right away.
There are a very large number of lymph nodes in the neck area. And the bumps under the chin in the middle or on the side are mainly a consequence of a violation of their normal operation. In the lymph nodes, lymphocytes are produced, which, if necessary, will very quickly reach the focus of inflammation. As soon as infection of the upper respiratory tract occurs, it is precisely those glands that are located under the lower jaw that are activated.
A bump on the throat under the chin appears if pathogenic microorganisms make their way into the lymph node, and inflammation begins in it. Scientifically, this phenomenon is called lymphadenitis. Swelling with an ailment is quite dense to the touch.
Usually the bumps under the chin in the middle do not hurt. But if lymphadenitis is not given enough attention, soreness and redness appear, the temperature rises, weakness is felt. If the symptoms do not go away for two or three days, then the disease has passed into a purulent form.
Other causes of bumpsInflammation of the lymph node is not the only cause of swelling. Sometimes diseases of the oral cavity, such as herpes, stomatitis or caries, manifest themselves in this way. Medicine often has to deal with cases when a bump on the chin indicates diseases such as:
In addition, the formation of a subcutaneous ball may be preceded by various mechanical damage. The boundaries of the tumor are clearly defined, and the neoplasm itself is very hard.
Speaking of oncology, it is important to note that malignant bumps on the chin under the skin almost never hurt. Moreover, neoplasms appear very rarely on the lower jaw. And if they appear, it is mainly in men whose age has exceeded the mark of forty or fifty years.
Don't lie - Don't ask
The lump under the chin is a lymph node. In diseases of the upper respiratory tract, it is these nodes that are located immediately under the lower jaw that are activated.
Here, first of all, we should remember the large number of lymph nodes located in this area, which are designed to support the functioning of the immune system.
What to do if a lump appears under the chin
Immune cells can quickly reach the foci of infection from the lymph nodes when the need arises.
However, in the case of a powerful infectious attack, when microbes enter the lymph node, it can become inflamed, which will manifest itself in the form of a bump and this process is called lymphadenitis.
In most cases, however, the bump under the chin often disappears on its own, although in some cases surgery may be prescribed.
There are a large number of lymph nodes in the neck. These formations support the functioning of the immune system. In this case, there are no external changes on the neck. But if the infection is severe, and the microbes have entered the lymph node, then it can become inflamed, resulting in a lump. This process is called lymphadenitis.
Causes of the inner bump under the chin
I talked about the causes of rashes and their diversity earlier. Now I will give a few mild remedies that will help relieve redness, inflammation and rashes on the chin.
This disease often manifests itself on the lips, but herpes on the chin can also occur. To summarize, a lump under the chin often goes away on its own, but sometimes surgery is required to remove the bump (more on what some people remove from the lower jaw, read here).
The appearance of bumps under the chin may indicate the presence of infectious diseases, inflammatory processes in the lymph nodes, or the development of a tumor.
If the infection is severe and its causative agent penetrates the lymph node, it becomes inflamed and swollen, resulting in an internal bump. So the body warns of a decrease in immune defenses.
Very often, their increase is provoked by diseases such as pharyngitis or tonsillitis, which, moreover, can be complicated by smoking.
At the same time, the inner bump is not soldered to the surrounding tissues, it is dense, hot and painful to the touch. Another thing is if a motionless lump, closely soldered to the surrounding tissues, is found under the chin, and at the same time, numbness and weakness are felt, and hoarseness appears in the voice.
In this case, the internal bump, as a rule, is painful, and in the last stages it can become purulent.
Lump on chin
Lymphadenitis, or inflammation of the lymph nodes, is the most common cause of a bump on the neck. Localization of the pathological process can be very diverse.
Who to contact if a bump has formed under the chin
The most common diseases in which a bump forms under the skin on the neck are skin cysts, folliculitis, lipomas and atheromas.
Such bumps under the skin may disappear on their own. In very rare cases, you can try to crush or pierce them to extract the contents. You should also protect the bumps from various mechanical damage and friction on clothing, so as not to aggravate the inflammation process.
Wen are removed surgically, under local anesthesia, only if they cause cosmetic or physical discomfort. They are a compaction of a solid nature under the skin, having clear rounded boundaries and without pain.
It happens that at the neck, under the chin there is a seal - a lump. Do not rush to torment yourself with oncological passions.
