A lump on the back of the head? This can alarm a lot of people in many different ways. Lumps or bumps at the back of the head can present themselves in a variety of ways. They can be a sudden discovery or may have already been there for a long time, now making its presence felt by getting bigger. It may be painful to touch or sometimes painless. It may also vary in consistency: soft, firm or bony hard. The colour, shape, and size are some other points of differentiation.

7 Possible Causes of a Lump on Back of Head?

Thus you may wonder, what causes a bump on the back of the head? The following are 7 possible causes you can consider.

1. Head injury

Head injury is one of the most common factors responsible for creating a bump on back of head. You might have fallen or a blunt object hit the back of your head. The lump formed due to a collection of blood which has oozed out of torn capillaries inside the skin layers.

2. Ingrown hair

Ingrown hair can cause a nuisance anywhere on the body, including the head. These lumps can be painful, leading to fluid accumulation and infection which often forms a painful bump.

3. Lipoma

Although the name seems scary, it's just a harmless or benign tumor of the fatty tissue, which almost never becomes cancerous. It's firm to touch and the size can vary from that of a peanut to almost the length of the index finger. It's painless until it gets infected.

4. Gout

Gout is a disease in which uric acid accumulates in the body The crystals can get precipitated within various body tissues leading to the formation of local swells. These are often very painful and need urgent medical intervention.

5. Pilar cyst

This type of swelling or cyst arises from the hair follicle. The cyst mainly consists of proteins which have built up over time. They may or may not be painful. Pilar cysts show some degree of inheritance: if the parent has the cyst, the child may also get it in his lifetime.

6. Sebaceous cyst

The sebaceous glands produce oils. When the duct or the passage of oil in these glands gets blocked due to the accumulation of debris or dead skin cells, the oil secretions cannot find their way out. The secretions get collected within the gland. Sebaceous cyst is painless but can sometimes result in excruciating pain if it gets infected by bacteria. They develop over the course of a few days.

7. Folliculitis

It is the infection of the hair follicle by bacteria. You can typically see a red, painful swelling from the center of which arises a strand of hair. It can be small in normal individuals. Some hair follicles can get infected at the same time, clump together, and present as a big swelling, which is usually seen in people with low immunity like HIV, patients on steroids, elderly, diabetics, etc.

Treatment for a Lump on Back of Head

You may ask: "Is there any treatment available for lump on the back of my head?" The answer is yes!

• Minor head injuries heal themselves

If the bump is caused due to a minor head injury, it will resolve on its own as the collected blood is broken down and slowly reabsorbed.

• Surgery for Lipoma

For lumps caused due to lipoma and ingrown hair, surgical removal is required if it's creating trouble or has a very low aesthetic appeal.

• Antibiotics:

Medications, like antibiotics, will help in cases where the swelling is primarily due to an infection and inflammation (folliculitis, gout, infected sebaceous cyst, etc).

• Phototherapy

Light therapy or phototherapy can particularly be used when the lump arises even after repeated treatments, which can reduce and alleviate the bump effectively.

When do you need to see a doctor?

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, consult your healthcare provider is imperative.

A lump appears without any reason: If you can feel a lump on the back of your head without any injuries, you should immediately seek the advice of a doctor. A delay in seeking medical attention can have dire consequences.

Such complications occur: A heavy head injury, which presents as blurring of vision, nausea, severe headache and loss of consciousness, is a medical emergency. It's advisable for the person to rush to the emergency room as soon as possible. rain matter as well as important skull tissue is involved in the injury and it's not just limited to a lump.

Bleeding: It's usually very alarming and demands immediate attention as it may be an indication of a serious underlying pathology.

The growth of the lump: If the lump has been there for quite some time now, but it has suddenly started to grow in size, the chances are that it could have undergone malignant transformation. It might have turned into cancerous tissue or infection.

More painful: If the lump is more painful than usual, the cause may again be cancer or infection, which has to be examined and treated accordingly by the doctor.

Take Home Message

Lump on the back of the head can be caused by many factors. Some of these causes are easily treatable and not very dangerous, while the others can be life-threatening if appropriate steps aren't taken at the right time. Various types of effective treatment options are available for all the above-mentioned causes. Lumps can be effectively treated both medically and surgically. For more information, please visit: