Suggest Treatment For Hard Lump On The Arm

Posted on Thu, 7 Aug 2014

Question: I have a BB-sized, hard lump in the loose skin of the elbow right on top of the tip of the funny bone on the inside of the arm. It's been there for a month or so and is not painful. I can't tell if it's getting bigger or not. It's not attached to anything beneath the skin as it moves with the skin. I occasionally have a little bit of pins/needles feeling in my arm, but I am guessing that it's because of the placement of this little lump right on the funny bone. I'm very healthy, eat right, exercise regularly, weight appropriate, etc.. I did have a nerve sheath inflammation in my wrist on the same arm about 2 years ago that did not require any surgery (it improved through immobilization). I have a doctor appointment in a week but wanted to get an opinion here before then. I'm a bit prone to paranoia, so I worry that it could be cancer.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It can be ulnar nerve

Detailed Answer:
Hello sir,
I have read your question and I think most probably it is ulnar nerve. It is XXXXXXX at funny bone and causes tingling and numbness when touched. That is why this bone is called funny bone. In some people nerve is thickened and large.
Other possibilities are lipoma or a lymph node. All three conditions are non serious. On clinical examination your doctor will be able to differentiate it.
I hope this will help you. Let me know if you want to ask any other questions. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (15 minutes later)

There is no numbness when touching or squeezing it. It appears to be just below the surface of the loose elbow skin. The tingling is barely noticeable, infrequent, and not directly related to touching the lump. Could a lipoma appear in the thin skin on the elbow and be hard? What about a lymph node? Cyst? Calcium?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It can be any of these three

Detailed Answer:
It can be nerve hypertrophy. A lipoma typically occur below skin. So it can be lipoma also which is slow growing fat accumulation.
Lymph nodes are normal structure in body which can become enlarged due to infection. Its function is to drain blood like fluid called lymph. It is firm rubbery consistency and solid, so it is not cyst or calcium.
i hope this answers your query. Let me know if there is any followup query.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (1 hour later)

I guess I'm more interested in what this isn't than what this is. Is there anything here consistent with a cancerous tumor?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
This can not be a cancer

Detailed Answer:
Hello madam,
I can assure you that it is not a cancer. As a cancer is not freely XXXXXXX and adhere to underline tissue. Also this is not a common site of cancer.
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj