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"   When you find a new unexplained swelling it&amp;#039;s easy to let your imagination run riot. So use our reassuring guide to help put your mind at rest.   You&amp;#039;re in the shower and you suddenly discover a lump you&amp;#039;ve never noticed before. When that happens it&amp;#039;s natural to panic and leap to the worst case scenario.  However, the good news is that most new lumps are harmless and the underlying problem is usually easily remedied, although lumps should be seen by a doctor.  &amp;#039;I always say to patients who present with lumps \u2013 the vast majority of which are benign \u2013 never be embarrassed to ask. It takes seconds to check but a lifetime to regret!&amp;#039; says Dr Graham Archard of the Royal College of General Practitioners. So how can you tell whether a lump is likely to be dangerous?  Firstly, getting to know how your body normally looks and feels is vital so anything unusual can quickly be spotted and checked. With the help of Dr Archard, we&amp;#039;ve compiled five basic rules every woman should know.   Painful lumps are less likely to be dangerous than painless ones. Soft lumps are less likely to be dangerous than hard ones. Lumps that move freely are less likely to be dangerous than ones that don&amp;#039;t. Smooth lumps are less likely to be dangerous than rough ones. Lumps that grow very fast over a few days or weeks are unlikely to be dangerous.  Of course, remember: these are general guidelines that are true in most, but not all, cases. The message should be: if you&amp;#039;re worried see your doctor.   Abdomen or the thigh/groin area What&amp;#039;s the problem? Small, soft swelling that may be pushed back in when you lie down. Appears by the tummy button or top of thigh/groin.  How does it look and feel? Often only uncomfortable when you cough, strain or lift something heavy. There may be an aching or dragging feeling, especially after activity.  Likely cause? Abdominal hernia caused by the abdominal contents bulging through a weak area in the muscle wall.  How is it treated? Although a hernia isn&amp;#039;t serious, it needs medical attention. Hernias can occasionally become &amp;#039;strangulated&amp;#039;, cutting off the blood supply, which can be extremely dangerous. See your doctor, who can refer you for a surgical repair.   Groin, neck, armpit What&amp;#039;s the problem? Small, soft, mobile swellings.  How does it look and feel? May feel tender when pressed.  Likely cause? Enlarged lymph glands, usually caused by infection. If the swelling persists and/ or gets worse, it could be a symptom of something more serious, such as a lymphoma. There may also be other symptoms, such as night sweats, fever, weight loss, breathlessness and itching.  How is it treated? See your doctor if there is no obvious underlying infection or the swelling doesn&amp;#039;t disappear within two weeks.   Anywhere, but in particular, face, neck, scalp, chest, upper back What&amp;#039;s the problem? Small, smooth lump beneath the skin.  How does it look and feel? Usually painless, but may become red, hot and tender if infected.  Likely cause? Epidermal or pilar cysts \u2013 fluid-filled sacs that develop under the skin.  How is it treated? These are common and not dangerous. Put a warm, moist cloth over the area to draw out fluid. See your GP if a cyst becomes painful or unsightly. These are easily removed under local anaesthetic   Anywhere, but most often the shoulders, chest and back What&amp;#039;s the problem? Round, moveable, flattened lump.  How does it look and feel? Usually painless and may feel soft, doughy or rubbery.  Likely cause? Lipoma \u2013 a benign fatty lump that forms under the skin and is most common among people aged 40-60.  How is it treated? Lipomas are extremely common and don&amp;#039;t usually need treatment, although they can look unsightly. Always check any new lumps with your GP.   Anywhere on the body What&amp;#039;s the problem? Raised red lump.  How does it look and feel? Feels hot and painful and may have a yellowish tip.  Likely cause? An abscess \u2013 often an infected hair root, which forms an abscess that becomes filled with pus.  How is it treated? Small abscesses will normally heal without treatment but, if it&amp;#039;s large or painful, see your doctor who may drain it and prescribe antibiotics.   Wrist or foot What&amp;#039;s the problem? Firm, fixed lump, varying from the size of a pea to a plum, which normally appears on top of your wrist or foot.  How does it look and feel? Usually painless, but can ache or become painful if it&amp;#039;s pressing on a nerve, tendon or joint. The lump may be there all the time or may come and go.  Likely cause? Ganglion \u2013 a cyst that develops near the sheath of a tendon that contains thick, sticky fluid.  How is it treated? See your doctor if it&amp;#039;s causing problems, but it may disappear on its own. It&amp;#039;s possible to aspirate the fluid but the ganglion often recurs. If it&amp;#039;s large or painful, it can be surgically removed but even then may recur.   Neck What&amp;#039;s the problem? A smooth swelling in the front of the neck that moves when you swallow.  How does it look and feel? It may occasionally be painful. Other symptoms can include weight loss, sweating, breathlessness, palpitations, tremor, itchy skin.  Likely cause? Could be an enlarged thyroid gland, which may be a symptom of an overactive thyroid gland.  How is it treated? See your GP for further investigations.   Changes to check:  Unusual signs that must be shown to a doctor include the following.  A sore that doesn&amp;#039;t heal after several weeks. A change in the size, shape or colour of a mole. Ask your partner or a friend to check any areas you can&amp;#039;t see yourself. A mouth ulcer that lasts longer that three weeks. A cough or hoarse, croaky voice that persists for longer than three weeks. Difficulty swallowing that lasts for longer than a few weeks, or indigestion that appears suddenly, persists, or becomes particularly painful. Problems passing urine. For women this may be caused by infection, but for men difficulty passing urine, having to go more often or having pain may be caused by an enlarged prostate gland or, less commonly, by prostate cancer.  Blood in your urine or bowel motions, bleeding after menopause or between periods. A change to more frequent bowel motions that lasts longer than four to six weeks. Unexplained weight loss. Night sweats \u2013 if there&amp;#039;s no clear reason (such as infection or menopause). An unexplained pain or ache that comes on suddenly and lasts longer than four weeks.    This article originally appeared on Allaboutyou.com   Other people also read: Your guide to breast lumps: use our reassuring guide to help put your mind at rest. Breast cancer prevention diet: you could reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Are you at risk of skin cancer?: keep your skin safe in the sun. Last updated 09.10.2011 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/a10583/your-guide-to-lumps-and-bumps/>