Painful spot near collarbone (cyst, pain, thyroid gland, cold)

[robertpasa]

I have a small painful area above my right collarbone, about an inch from the knob (the part of the collarbone near my adam's apple, not near the shoulder). If I touch it a little, it hurts. It also slightly hurts when I swallow.

If I do nothing, I feel nothing there. It looks normal. It's been there a day. I am 50, male.

Any idea what it might be?

Is there an organ or gland right there?

[robertpasa]

I thought at first it could be my thyroid gland but I was looking at anatomy diagrams and I think the pain area is farther down. Hence I have no idea what it could be.

[Parnassia]

Just one day? Might be a lymph node. There are many in your shoulder/neck area. Maybe you are starting to fight off a cold virus.

[robertpasa]

I was looking at diagrams and I think there is indeed a lymph node there. I was hoping for a diagram showing the nodes in relation to my collarbone exactly.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

I was looking at diagrams and I think there is indeed a lymph node there. I was hoping for a diagram showing the nodes in relation to my collarbone exactly.

Not possible for a diagram to exist at the individual node level. Their exact locations are unique to the person. The best a diagram could do is show where they tend to cluster. Some individual imaging could show a swollen one, but not always. Besides, it isn't something to worry about unless it persists a lot longer. Lymph nodes swell and diminish in response to invaders.

https://www.medicinenet.com/swollen_...es/article.htm

[guidoLaMoto]

Sudden onset and more rapid growth/worsening suggests infection of some sort- like lymph node or infected pharyngeal cyst (not rare). Some acute thyroiditis cases are painful. Of course tumors are always a possibility. Problems with the ear often show "referred pain" down the neck/throat area.


If it doesn't go away quickly, or if it goes but comes back soon, or if it's getting worse, have it checked out.


(Are you sure your collar isn't just too tight?

[robertpasa]

The pain has almost totally faded away. I'll never know what it was.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

The pain has almost totally faded away. I'll never know what it was.

Sounds as if the lymph node was doing its job....helping fight off an infection. When they do, the swelling/pain goes away.

[jaminhealth]

OP: Could have been a pulled muscle. Glad it's gone. That area is about the only place I don't have pain going on.

[TFW46]

I had a ganglioma in almost the same place. At times it was painful to touch and at other times not at all. And at times it was invisible while at other times it was very visible.

It was an unusual place for a ganglioma so the surgeon sent it off for biopsy and that's what it is.