There is a lump on my chest and it hurts a bit when I press it

The chest is the place closest to the heart. If there is pain in this area, it will be very obvious and will make the patient very worried. There is a lump in the chest which is a bit painful when pressed. The preliminary conclusion drawn from these two symptoms is that you may have a tumor or subcutaneous nodules, rheumatic nodules, erythema nodosum, etc. Further examination is needed to clarify the specific situation so as to better solve it.

Tumor or subcutaneous nodule

Tumor disease, but more commonly subcutaneous nodules. This lump is much harder than ordinary nodules and can be round or oval. This subcutaneous nodule is painless and ranges in size from 0.2 cm to 10 cm. Subcutaneous nodules may be caused by inappropriate clothing in the chest area, which causes repeated friction and stimulation. Subcutaneous nodules are typically slow-growing and may occasionally rupture or become infected and may persist or disappear when the disease is in remission.

Rheumatic nodules

The appearance of chest lumps is closely related to high titer serum rheumatoid factor, severe joint destruction and active rheumatoid lesions. When examining a lump in the center of the chest, pay attention to its size, hardness, location, range of motion, and presence of tenderness. Located near the joints and at the epiphyses of long bones, the round, hard nodules are mostly rheumatic nodules, without tenderness.

Rheumatoid nodules are mainly caused by the accumulation of fibrinoid substances and tissue cells in the subcutaneous tissue and (or) dermis. Its characteristics are that it is hard like rubber, usually non-tender, of varying sizes, and may or may not adhere to the skin.

Erythema nodosum

This type of lump is distributed in pairs and is about 1 to 5 cm in size. This type of lump can cause pain and can occur alone or in multiples. The skin at the affected area will feel tense, and there may be slight edema around the affected area. The skin of the affected area appears purple or light red, and this nodule or lump can disappear on its own within a few days.

There is a lump in the middle of my chest. What should I do?

If conditions permit, it is best to go to the hospital for a check-up, such as chest X-ray, abdominal radiography, and other related examinations, to provide the necessary basis for effective treatment. If necessary, temporary hospitalization for observation is required to facilitate systematic diagnosis and treatment.

If the hard object is near the ribs or sternum, you can go to an orthopedic department. If not, you can go to an oncologist or hematologist.

Daily observation of a hard lump in the middle of the chest

Generally, bones will have xiphoid processes, or they may be deformed, with a little more or less bone. If there is no special pain, you should observe more carefully on a daily basis, such as whether the diet is abnormal, whether the diet causes pain in the affected area, and whether there are changes in the affected area before and after exercise, and whether there is increased pain.

In addition, because the stomach is closer to the center of the chest, you should observe changes in symptoms before and after your daily meals. If you are really worried, go to the hospital for a check-up. There is no need to worry unnecessarily.