Congenital neck masses are encountered in childhood. Neck masses due to any infection can be a symptom of much more serious diseases in some children. Therefore, they should be evaluated by an experienced physician.
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Are Masses Innate?
Another reason for the appearance of neck masses in childhood is congenital masses. These masses can sometimes manifest symptoms in adulthood. The most common symptoms are gill fissure cysts, thyroid gland cysts and fistulas, hemangiomas, arteriovenous malformations, and dermoid cysts. When they are noticed, they should be examined and processed. The treatment of such masses is usually performed using surgical methods.
Is Lymphadenopathy Caused by Infection?
Pea-sized lymphadenopathies, which are usually seen in children, can cause concern in families. However, most of these masses in children arise from infections in the head and neck. This type of lymphadenopathy, treated for infection, results from swelling of the lymph nodes, which are members of the system that makes the cells necessary for the body's defense mechanisms. In this case, it is best for families to contact a specialist without giving place to worry.
Why Do Nodules Occur?
The most common causes of nodules are infections and tumors in the head and neck. This is due to the swelling of these lymph nodes, which prevents the spread of infection and tumors and makes the cells essential for the body's defense mechanisms. Diseases associated with the skin of the head and neck, mouth, tongue, tonsils, throat, nose, nose, ears, larynx, lungs, and sometimes even stomach, cause swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. In addition to swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, diseases of the thyroid gland (goiter), diseases of the salivary glands, congenital diseases and then enlarged cysts are also present in the form of masses in the neck.
When Should You Seek Medical Advice?
Lymph nodes are found throughout the body, but the vast majority are located in the neck. Those with frequent upper respiratory tract infections, especially children, may have tangible lumps on their necks. Thin neck in children is another reason for the prominent presence of lymph nodes. The swelling of the lymph nodes due to previous infection is a major factor in the treatment of the disease. In cases of rash, purple color on skin or painful edema, and whether infection develops or not despite treatment, an ENT physician must be consulted for edemas.
What Should Be Done for Diagnosis?
First a full ENT examination should be conducted, then necessary examinations and scans should be requested to specify the cause. Sometimes your physician can make a diagnosis just by examining tests and asking questions if the patient does not respond to treatment. Blood tests are usually ordered when there is an infection or when diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma are considered. Sometimes an X-Ray evaluation (neck ultrasound or computed tomography) may be necessary after infection or when evaluating a mass that has turned into an abscess with a tumor and cystic masses. A biopsy may be performed when cancer is suspected or if the infection is due to another cause. Usually, a biopsy is performed with a kit needle. It is rarely necessary to dissect a lymph node.
How Are Congenital Neck Masses Treated?
Treatment for edema in the neck varies. The determining factor in the treatment is the early visit of the patients to the doctor and the type of mass. A preliminary diagnosis is made with a detailed test and, if necessary, blood test and x-ray examination (ultrasound, tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, angiography, etc.). Sometimes, a thin needle, called an aspiration biopsy, can be used to take a sample from the mass for pathological examination. Sometimes it may even be necessary to remove the mass for diagnosis.
In some diseases of the lymph nodes, the diagnosis is made only through pathological examination of the lymph node. Not all these examinations are necessary in all patients. The physician can perform the necessary examinations, treatment and follow-up. For example, antibiotic therapy can be organized and continued after a certain examination in masses considered to be the result of infection. However, subsequent follow-up may require further radiological or pathological examination. For these reasons, painful or painless masses in the neck should be examined and examined by a physician.
The part between the chin and the clavicle is called the neck. Regardless of the cause of edema in this area, it is called a mass. Neck masses, which are the most common reasons for doctor visits in childhood, can be seen from the side of the body, or sometimes physically felt by hand during examination.
