Hard lump just above elbow crease

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andrearose
andrearose Member Posts: 20
edited July 2015 in Lymphedema

Hello all --

I don't have lymphedema, but I've had cording in my arm since my lumpectomy last October. I've been going to a physical therapist and suddenly, one morning I noticed a hard lump in the center of my elbow about a cm above the crease. I thought it was part of the cord and showed it to the PT. She said it wasn't part of the cord but didn't seem worried and said it could be a swollen lymph vessel.


It's still there weeks later and I am starting to FREAK OUT. Afraid it's a tumor/recurrence in a lymph node. I'm going in next week when I get back on vacation and the nurse said we could always biopsy it. Great. Which made me freak out even more.


Has anyone had a hard, pebble like lump due to cording? And does anyone know if we even have lymph nodes in the center of elbow crease? Everything I see says lymph nodes are on the medial/inner side of the elbow.


Thanks. Trying to breathe.

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Comments

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited July 2015

    Hi Andrea. It sounds like a ganglion cyst to me. I get them often on my wrist, as do many, and the elbow is very common as well....really anywhere you have tendons near joints. Without seeing, I couldn't say for sure, but thought I'd try to put your mind at ease as it's a totally benign condition. Perhaps you can Google the images and see if yours looks similar. 

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited July 2015

    I have one about a cm round about an inch above my left elbow crease. I have another higher up on the back of my arm. I've have both for over twenty five years. They have not changed a bit. My old PCP said it was cysts and said he too had them in his arm. I don't give it a second thought

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2015

    Hi Andrea, you didn't happen to have any BP taken recently? I have to this day a lump a little up from my inner elbow, which was the result of BP cuff.

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  • andrearose
    andrearose Member Posts: 20
    edited July 2015

    Thank you all for responding! It really does help to hear from people. I don't feel so alone.

    Musical: I haven't had my BP taken on that side.

    Leggy and farmer lucky: my husband felt it and thinks it's a cyst so that's what I'm hoping for!

    It is really tiny, like size of a grain of rice. I am really crossing my fingers that I'm just crazy.

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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited July 2015

    Andrea, I tried replying to your PM but it wouldn't let me. The PCP I saw told me BC isn't likely to skip the axillary nodes and go to the nodes near the elbow area (cubital or epitrochlear nodes). Whatever it is I feel isn't hard really. It's kind of in/below the crease. He thinks what I feel is a tendon and muscle tissue. I'm still nervous about it to be honest. I saw a few YouTube videos of lymph node exams on people and the doctors felt above the elbow but more on the underneath side of the arm. With yours being small like rice I highly doubt it's a lymph node. Keep us posted.

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  • treelilac
    treelilac Member Posts: 245
    edited July 2015

    My daughter has one ganglion cyst on her wrist (probably more accessible than elbow). Her doctor shined bright light through it to see if it contained liquid. The doc's reasoning was that the light would tell whether it was entirely solid or not. She didn't even need to use ultrasound. This may be a quick way to test before any formal diagnosis.

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  • andrearose
    andrearose Member Posts: 20
    edited July 2015

    I am so happy to report that the lump is gone. It was so hard so one day I let warm water run over it in the shower...The next day I just woke up and it felt a bit softer. And the next day - GONE. Thanks for the responses.

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