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Neck pain associated with nodules?

On Health & Drugs & Medications » Ear & Nose,Throat

7,585 words with 7 Comments; publish: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:00:00 GMT; (900101.56, « »)

I am awaiting a biopsy this week for 2 solid nodules (one in each lobe) that were discovered last fall. They were not found in a physical exam in July even though the thyroid was palpated, found incidentally in an MRI of the back in August (not sure what size) and an ultrasound in late November showed one at 3.5 cm and the other at 2.5. My level of discomfort has increased significantly since then, so I imagine they have grown, although I cannot confirm this yet.

I have been experiencing sharp neck pains when I move my head, and generally feel my neck swollen and a bit stiff. I also have pain that radiates from the sides all the way to the back, mostly back of the head just behind the ears. Could this be related to the nodules?

I am not too concerned about malignancy, as I understand the cure rate to be quite good, but my surgeon stated in January he would not remove nodules of this size if they were benign, as he felt they didn't cause a problem.

My day to day life is certainly altered by this pain, and I don't know what else it would be. Stretching and general home care has not made any difference since December. If this is not the nodules I am at a loss for what is causing this pain.

Any advise / experience from the group?

Michel

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  • 7 Comments
    • I found my 2.5cm nodules because of neck pain right in the thyroid nodule area...but mine came on suddenly, (even though the nodule was growing for years).

      If your nodules are giving you discomfort, and yours are definitely on the larger size you should definitely have them removed even if they are benign. BTW, a needle biopsy for thyroid nodules is never really definitive, the only real way to know for 100% sure is a surgical biopsy--removal of the nodules--you can say this to the doctor if you want removal.

      My FNA unfortuately came back positive for thyroid cancer, but that was 2 years ago--I had my thyroid removed, was treated, and thank god, feel great......you can live well without a thyroid.....

      I think after your results, you should confer with another opinion if it's at all possible, I know some pp. can't depending where they live...BTW, advil helped me with the neck pain a lot. Hope you feel better!

      #1; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:29:00 GMT
    • Hey Michel,

      I had pain radiating from my nodules (both sides, but one side in particular) too. It radiated up by my ears, to my shoulders and chest. Mine were solid and turned out to be benign (precancerous + hashimoto's).

      My main reason for my TT was all the stuff caused by the nodules (pain, pressure, shortness of breath, etc.). My symptoms increased as the nodule size/numbers increased. My surgeon thought that was enough of a reason to remove it. It wasn't so much the size but the location, I think, that warranted it.

      I haven't missed it at all - and haven't had any symptoms since it's gone...

      Lisa

      #2; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:30:00 GMT
    • hey i have this tooo the scan showed a 3mmm mass he dint know what it was but i often have astiff neck an d sharp pains also as im in the uk you can only imagine how hard it was for me to get the dam scan in the first placre like i had to grovel for an hour and no follow up scan nothing despite him finding this and a swollen gland on the same side?? wich has been swollen along time so where do we go from here to be honhest im not happy having to take parecetomal daily and maybe i might pay for a scan in about a years time just to keep a check ???? and i relate to al of yopu it hurts rigt round to the back of the neck it feels stiff and it hurts right up to the ears and im sure it causes our glands to swell as there is something wrong in our bodys this is such a good post thanks and what do we do when we are in no mans land??? they say its to small to worry about love to you all lets keep in touch over this a s it scares me alot love from pursiexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:wave: :angel: :wave:
      #3; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:31:00 GMT
    • Thank you for the responses. It's nice to know I am not going crazy.

      I went to both my GP and surgeon, and both stated they didn't think nodules the size reported would cause me any discomfort. My GP went as far as saying it was stress tension from awaiting tests / results and that I should just try to relax.

      This pain is certainly not imagined and this has slowed down all my activities. I am otherwise fairly healthy, but living with a stiff and sore neck for the last 2-3 months is taking it's toll. I'm at a point where I almost hope it IS malignant so I can get treatment and get this over with.

      I'm having the biopsy for one side tomorrow, and the other side the day after. Since it is under ultrasound, I should know then whether they have grown, as I suspect.

      Thanks again for the support.

      Michel

      #4; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:32:00 GMT
    • Hit your doc with a frying pan - then insert a marble or twso in strategic spots in his neck and see how comfy he is...

      My first endo was of the same mindset. I switched. It wasn't because the new one told me what I wanted to hear, it's because he understood that I knew myself well enough to be right. Turned out, I was!

      #5; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:33:00 GMT
    • Here's a quick update... it seems I am back to where I was in January. The results from the FNA biopsy done under ultrasound just got returned yesterday as non-diagnostic, due to lack of cells in the sample (hypocellular). They only did one pass per nodule, so the surgeon is not surprised they didn't get anything.You'd hope these guys were trained to get results, but it doesn't seem to be the case. So after waiting 3 months with this neck pain getting worse, I am no further ahead and have to wait another 2-3 months before the next one. Both GP and surgeon are telling me they don't think it is related, but they have no idea what else it would be. At least the surgeon is now listening more closely and got me an appointment with another specialist (ear, nose and throat) late April to get a second opinion on this pain, as well as evaluate my vocal chords in prep for a possible TT. The pain is almost exclusively on the SCM muscle on the left side, and the largest nodule (3.5 cm) is also located there, very low and close to where that muscle attaches. My thinking is, what else would cause this? I haven't injured it in any other way! I have some compression discomfort as well while swallowing, but that is way more manageable...constant pressure like a chokehold that gets worse when my head is down, but not painful... just annoying. I have been very diligent in home care (stretching, making sure to not sleep with too many pillows etc) but no amount of being careful has helped. . The waiting around is just the worse part. The medical system up here in Canada is just ridiculous...all I get is insurance coverage, but no treatment to go with it. It doesn't make me feel any better to know that I'm covered, when I wait indefinitely and can get no answers or relief. Sorry to be ranting and raving, but I am starting to be pretty fed up.

      Michel

      #6; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:34:00 GMT
    • hi m thye are not even going to do any more scans on me let alonbe biopsys ?? and despite a s tiff neck and i can feel it catching under the skin some times ?? love from kat:wave: ;) :wave:
      #7; Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:35:00 GMT