Hi! I write because a few weeks ago I discovered a small pea size lump inside my tongue (right side)...It is not visible, I can only feel it when touching my tongue with my fingers (I don't even know how I saw it at first!). I also have mild pain under my ear, but I thought it was related to teeth issues, but I am now reading about lymph nodes, etc. and I am really scared! I am 26 years old, no cancer history, social smoker, I have a dentist's appointment in 2 weeks...But should I go to s specialist? Wait? I am worried...Thanx!

Question:
Lump in tongue, pain under ear?

Choices:
Should I go to specialist?
Wait?

 

Hi Ana

1. Stop smoking--socially or otherwise. (I'll stop nagging)
2.Stop doing online research; all you'll get is worst case scenarios.

Not everything turns out to be cancer, but better safe than sorry. Your ear pain is what caught my attention. That was one of my symptoms--do not wait. Is it possible to move your dental appointment? Tell your dentist what symptoms you're having. Dentists are actually able to check for early stage cancers, but you still should go to an ENT or oral surgeon if your dentist isn't able or willing to help you.

You'll find that a lot of the people on this site don't fit the profile for oral cancers, but TA-DAAAH! here we are. I was 40 years old, not a tobacco user and hardly ever drank; even my doctor said I shouldn't have developed tongue cancer. A little over 4 years ago, I had surgery to remove and rebuild half of my tongue. So far I'm cancer free.

I'm hoping for the best for you. Please let us know things turn out for you.

Julia (and Flappy)

Hello!

Your poll has too many variables for the choices offered; in other words, it's an example of a bad polling technique.

If you read through some of the posts on this board you'll see that this isn't simply an old folks' disease. Check out Haag, Chelle, MomOfThree (or is it Mom Of Two?), Mum's son, Suedebottom, PurpleKitten, etc. This disease is nondiscriminatory and often affects those under forty or thirty.

As Julia said in the post above, the ear pain is what catches the attention of some. Sometimes it's only 'referred pain,' at other times it's a true indicator of a serious problem. It was with me, a tonsil cancer survivor.

If you have insurance and/or can afford to see a specialist or find an earlier appointment, why not go for it? Do everything you can to be proactive about your health matters. If you push too hard and it turns out that you were wrong and are perfectly healthy, you're the winner and the docs just go on to their next problem patients. It's all part of their job description.

So yes, you obviously should go to a specialist but I couldn't vote because it would dignify a very poor poll.

Sorry.

I wish you well! I hope to see you posting in a week or so saying that after extensive testing it was nothing and that you're perfectly fine and hope to never have to post here again.

Take care,

Mimi

Thank you very much for your response! I am now going to make an appointment with a dentist...I have pain now in both cheeks (under ear), I hope it is tooth pain...I'll let you know hopefully soon...