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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Lump On Chest, Pain On Touching, Purple Discolouration, Headaches, Breathing Difficulty. Treatment?

I have a lump on my chest about the size of a dime right in the center about three inches below where my chest starts. It is painful to touch and sleep on my stomach . It is the color of skin, maybe a pupleish color and get bigger after I shower. It has been there for about a month and doesn t seem to be changing. I have also had horrible headaches that won t go away with Advil . I also have been abnormally tired. And I have shortness of breath and it hurts to breath for the last couple of days.
Sat, 3 Nov 2012
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello. I'm sorry you don't feel well. Although it isn't possible to say for sure without an examination, the lump in the center of your chest is probably an infected epidermoid cyst. These are benign (non-cancerous) cysts that form when epidermal cells get trapped beneath the skin surface and begin growing. Most epidermoid cysts have a small pore that communicates with the surface, which permits bacteria to get into the cyst. Applying a warm pack to this lump is all you should do until you can see your doctor, who can confirm your diagnosis and begin treatment, if necessary. (That might include antibiotics or, possibly, removal of the cyst, which is a relatively simple procedure.)
It's unlikely your other symptoms -- headaches, shortness of breath and fatigue -- are caused by the lump on your chest. These issues are a bit more worrisome (they could be symptoms of an underlying medical problem, such as anemia) and should be worked up as soon as possible. Your doctor can also help you with this.
I hope you feel better soon.
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Lump On Chest, Pain On Touching, Purple Discolouration, Headaches, Breathing Difficulty. Treatment?

Hello. I m sorry you don t feel well. Although it isn t possible to say for sure without an examination, the lump in the center of your chest is probably an infected epidermoid cyst. These are benign (non-cancerous) cysts that form when epidermal cells get trapped beneath the skin surface and begin growing. Most epidermoid cysts have a small pore that communicates with the surface, which permits bacteria to get into the cyst. Applying a warm pack to this lump is all you should do until you can see your doctor, who can confirm your diagnosis and begin treatment, if necessary. (That might include antibiotics or, possibly, removal of the cyst, which is a relatively simple procedure.) It s unlikely your other symptoms -- headaches, shortness of breath and fatigue -- are caused by the lump on your chest. These issues are a bit more worrisome (they could be symptoms of an underlying medical problem, such as anemia) and should be worked up as soon as possible. Your doctor can also help you with this. I hope you feel better soon.