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Throat, neck & sleep
Neck lump
Neck masses are common in adults, but often the underlying cause is not easily identifiable.
Clinical content by the surgeons of Sydney ENT Clinic · Updated October 2026
While infections cause most of the neck masses in children, when an adult has a neck lump that lasts more than one month, cancer needs to be ruled out.
If I have a neck mass, what common symptoms would make it more likely that something nasty is going on?
- The mass has been present for more than a month
- Voice change
- Trouble or pain on swallowing
- Trouble hearing or ear pain on the same side as the neck mass
- Sore throat
- Unexplained weight loss
What next?
An ENT Surgeon would need to examine you as a first step. Part of this examination will involve putting a little telescope in through the nose to then look at the voice box and back of the tongue. The likely next step would be imaging most commonly with an ultrasound or a CT. Sometimes this will be combined with a biopsy.
Tested at Kogarah on the day
Nasendoscopy is performed in the rooms, speech pathology with Trudy Lynch is available in Suite 5, and ultrasound, CT or MRI of the neck can be arranged at Lumus or Castlereagh Imaging within a few hundred metres of the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Should I be worried about a lump in my neck?
Answer being prepared by our surgeons.
What tests are done for a neck lump?
Answer being prepared by our surgeons.
Can a neck lump be a swollen gland from infection?
Answer being prepared by our surgeons.
How quickly should a neck lump be seen?
Answer being prepared by our surgeons.
What is a thyroid nodule and does it need removing?
Answer being prepared by our surgeons.
Who treats this at Kogarah
Head and neck cancer and robotic surgery are also provided at our Darlinghurst clinic.
For GPs
Send the referral directly to the specialist’s rooms. If the right surgeon isn’t obvious, send it to any of us and we will place it.
Referral information