The short answer
Most neck lumps are swollen lymph glands from a throat, tooth or skin infection and go down within about two weeks. A neck lump should be checked by a doctor if it lasts more than two to three weeks, is hard or fixed, keeps growing, or comes with weight loss, night sweats, a hoarse voice or difficulty swallowing. The usual tests are an ultrasound and a needle sample before anything is removed.
Book neck lump assessment and removal, from ₦300,000Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Common causes
- Swollen lymph glands from infection: sore throat, tonsillitis, a bad tooth, a scalp or skin infection. Usually tender and settle in a couple of weeks
- Thyroid swelling or a thyroid nodule: at the front of the neck, moves up when you swallow
- Lipoma: a soft, slow-growing fatty lump under the skin
- Sebaceous or epidermoid cyst: a smooth lump in the skin, sometimes with a small dark dot
- Cysts present since childhood, such as a thyroglossal or branchial cyst
- Salivary gland swelling under the jaw, sometimes from a stone
Causes that need proper testing
In Nigeria, tuberculosis of the lymph glands is an important cause of a neck lump that lasts for weeks, sometimes with fever, night sweats and weight loss. HIV can also cause swollen glands. Less commonly, a lump can be from lymphoma or from a cancer of the mouth, throat, voice box or thyroid. Smokers, drinkers and people over 40 with a lump that does not settle should be seen promptly.
See a doctor if the lump
- Has been there for more than two to three weeks
- Is hard, not tender, and does not move
- Is getting bigger
- Comes with weight loss, night sweats or fever that will not go
- Comes with a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, a mouth ulcer that will not heal, or ear pain on one side
Tests to expect
The doctor examines your neck, mouth and throat, and may arrange blood tests. An ultrasound shows what the lump is made of. A fine needle aspiration (FNA), where a thin needle takes some cells, usually gives the answer without an operation. Depending on the result you may need a camera check of the throat, a scan, or a TB test.
This order matters. Cutting out a lump before it is diagnosed can make treatment harder if it turns out to be a cancer gland or TB. A good surgeon will want the tests first, and will tell you if removal is the right next step.
When removal makes sense
Harmless lumps such as cysts and lipomas can be removed if they bother you, grow, or keep getting infected. Sometimes a whole gland is removed to make a diagnosis when needle tests are not enough. Your surgeon will explain why it is being removed and what the laboratory will look for.
What it costs on Mezo
Starting price. Cysts are priced below.
Common questions
Should I take antibiotics for a neck lump?
Only if a doctor finds an infection. Repeated courses of antibiotics from a chemist for a lump that will not go away can delay the right diagnosis, including TB.
Is a painful lump better than a painless one?
Tender, soft lumps are more often from infection. A painless, hard, growing lump is more worrying and should be checked. Either way, a lump lasting more than a few weeks needs examining.
My child has small lumps in the neck. Is that normal?
Small, soft, movable glands are very common in children, especially after colds. See a doctor if a gland is larger than a thumbnail, keeps growing, or the child has fever, weight loss or night sweats.
How much does neck lump removal cost on Mezo?
Neck lump removal is from ₦300,000. The surgeon assesses you first, and a written all-in quote follows.
The procedures
Related health guides
More patient guides
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Swollen glands. NHS. Patient information.
- Lumps. NHS. Patient information.
- Suspected cancer: recognition and referral. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 22 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.