Almost every individual has noticed a swelling in their neck at some point in their life. While some of these may be an indication of very ordinary diseases, some may be a symptom of a very important disorder that needs to be focused on immediately. In other words, there are differences in the proportional distribution of diseases that cause masses.
Neck swelling is very common in childhood. These swellings may be one or more in the midline or on the sides of the neck, just under the lower jawbone, in front of or behind the ear. The most common cause of swelling seen in childhood is inflammation, that is, various diseases related to the immune system or the upper respiratory and digestive system, especially upper respiratory tract infections.
In childhood, diseases that occur as a result of the arrest or improper development of some tissues at a certain stage of development in the womb can also manifest themselves with swelling or a mass in the neck. Although such developmental problems are not only seen in childhood, the age group in which they are most commonly seen is childhood. Developmental pathologies can range in size from a millimetric mass to a size large enough to cover almost the entire neck. The most common developmental pathologies include thyroglossal duct cyst associated with the development of the thyroid gland, branchial abnormalities associated with the development of head, neck and chest area structures, associated with the immune system and fluid structures. There are many different examples such as >lymphangiomas.
Neck masses, which are the most common in young adults, are caused by the growth of structures called lymph nodes, which are a part of the immune system due to infections, just like in childhood (this condition is It is caused by lymphadenopathy. Lymphadenopathy is a neck swelling that the individual or a relative notices in the mirror, or pain when swallowing, or when touched by hand. It may cause complaints such as pain, redness and heat in the area where it is located, discharge to the skin above the lymph node, or general increase in body temperature and fatigue. Lymph node enlargement may be secondary to a viral infection that is common in daily life, or it may be one of the first symptoms of a more serious, specific infection that affects other parts of the body, such as tuberculosis.
In older adults, benign swellings can also turn into malignant ones. It is much more common than other age groups, but neck swelling due to malignant causes is proportionally higher than other age groups. Pathologies of the salivary glands located around the mouth (such as stones, enlargement of the salivary gland, benign or malignant tumoral diseases originating from the salivary gland tissue) may also occur with swelling in the head and neck area.
When should you consult a doctor? How is the diagnosis made?
An individual of any age who notices swelling in the head and neck area should first consult an Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases - Head and Neck Surgery Specialist. The Ear Nose and Throat Specialist will provide the necessary information after a comprehensive ear, nose, throat and complete head and neck examination (this examination usually includes endoscopic examination of the nasal passage, pharynx, larynx and esophagus entrance, in line with the patient's needs). will give it to the patient. It may be sufficient to start drug treatment and follow-up in patients who are thought to have an infectious or inflammatory disease. In some patients, different radiological examinations (ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging<) are used for reasons such as making a differential diagnosis before starting any treatment and revealing the pathology better objectively. /strong> ) may be necessary. For some patients, nuclear medicine methods (such as scintigraphy) or taking a sample for pathological examination of the tissue (fine needle aspiration biopsy or taking a piece directly from the tissue) may be required.
What is the role of surgery in the treatment of neck masses? When is surgery needed?
As I stated above, the vast majority of head and neck masses occur secondary to infections or other inflammatory conditions. The treatment of such masses using medical, that is, drugs, is generally very successful. . It is a necessity to use the right medications for the appropriate duration and dose. However, surgical treatment is an option that can be applied very successfully in cases where the primary treatment is surgery, such as infectious – inflammatory diseases that do not benefit from drug treatment and good or bad tumoral diseases of the structures in the head and neck region. Samples removed thanks to surgical treatment. It can also be examined pathologically and other treatment methods (such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy) that the patient may need can be planned.
IN BRIEF…
- Swellings in the head and neck area can be seen in all age groups.
- It would be appropriate for patients to be evaluated in detail by an Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases specialist.
- Treatment methods generally include medication, Surgical treatments are used in patients where necessary.
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