Symptoms
In most cases lipomas do not show any particular symptoms. They are only palpable as lumps under the skin and are usually soft and movable. They do not normally cause pain.
Only in certain situations, such as direct pressure or certain movements in which the lipoma is stretched or pressed, may pain occur. If the lipoma is localized in the neck area, it can cause certain symptoms under certain circumstances and depending on its size. For example, if it is large in diameter, it can put pressure on vessels and/or nerves and thus lead to complaints such as pain, discomfort, tingling or even cramps.
It can also restrict the range of movement of the neck muscles. Very large or rapidly growing lipomas can sometimes cause a feeling of tension in those affected, which can potentially be accompanied by headaches or even outright headache attacks. However, it is also possible that larger lipomas in the neck are often exposed to increased mechanical irritation in the collar area of clothing and become inflamed. In such cases, however, the mechanical impairment is already so great that removal of the lipoma should be recommended.
Diagnosis
The size of lipomas can vary greatly, the longest diameter can be between one and more than ten centimeters. In most cases, however, lipomas are less than five centimeters in size when they are discovered and grow very slowly. Depending on the size, the respective palpation findings are then also revealed.
When a lump under the skin is felt for the first time, a doctor should always be consulted as soon as possible to clarify the situation and, if necessary, to rule out a malignant tumor.The physician then assesses the tumor based on certain criteria such as its mobility, consistency or ability to be separated from the surrounding tissue and may order further imaging. This can be done by means of ultrasound, an X-ray or even by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer tomography (CT). Ultrasound can be used in particular to visualize lipomas in the subcutaneous fatty tissue that are not very deep.
If this is the case, the doctor can use this method to distinguish a lipoma from other cyst-like tumors. If the findings cannot be clearly diagnosed by imaging either, a tissue sample can be taken to enable a precise assessment under the microscope. This is the method that allows the malignancy of the tumor to be assessed with final certainty.
