Diagnosing lumps at the base of skull 

What would be the normal reaction of a person when he/she casually rakes their hair and feel a slight bump on the base of skull? Ninety-nine percent the first reaction of every typical human being is fear. What is the cause of this lump? Why is it in that specific location? Is it going to harm the area and its related organs? And the biggest of all fear would be is it cancerous?

Lumps or nodes or cysts as these are normally called; their appropriate medical term is external occipital protuberance. The causes vary widely and it is safe to think that not every lump is worth all the worry after it. In very rare cases these bumps at the back of your neck are diagnosed to be tumors or cancerous on nature. Lumps at the base of skull have various types depending on their composition and the cause of white discharge their occurrence.

The term cyst is a wide classification and the types of cysts that occur in the neck region are normally sebaceous cysts. They are grape like in their softness and tender to touch. They are basically fluid filled sacs and result from blocked oil glands (sebaceous glands) in the skin. They may cause sensations like soreness and itching as well. These kinds of cysts are harmless most of the times but can become a nuisance if they get infected or very large. Another category of bumps at the base of skull is occurrence of lipomas in the neck region. These are adipose tissue tumors that can get developed in the subcutaneous tissues of the neck, shoulder, head or back. These are benign and very slow growing and virtually harmless. They feel like a squishy ball of tissue that is easy to move. Usually occur in old age and are somehow related to another disease old or new that is already present in the body. Lipomas are known to run in families as well.

Another common type of lump at the base of skull can be categorized as the swelling of lymph nodes in that particular area. The swollen lymph nodes are soft, rubbery and movable to touch and may sometimes become painful. Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system which is the root of immune system in the body. The swelling of lymph nodes is a clear indication of an infection in the body. Lymph nodes are present in a number of regions throughout the body and they may swell in other region as well, along with the neck area. In diagnosing or treating swollen lymph nodes the symptoms of the underlying disease or infection are more important to be figured out rather than just concentrating on the lumps only. Once the basic disease is rectified the nodes will come to their normal size and shape automatically. On the other hand, treatment for the previously mentioned types of lumps and cysts would usually involve surgeries and incisions. Sometimes antibiotics are also employed and work well. Laser techniques have also been experimented to produce gratifying results.