Q. I have a painless lump on the outer region of my right leg above the ankle. Please help.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. I understand you noticed this lump a few months ago. Is it of the same size when you saw it for the first time? Do you work out regularly? Have you noticed any such swelling anywhere else on your body? Let me know your answers. For me, it looks like a lipoma. It is a painless, harmless collection of fatty tissue which can occur anywhere on the body and is of no concern except for cosmetic reasons. However, I would like to know your answers to suggest better. Take care.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Thank you for letting me know. Few conditions come to my mind with the information provided.

1. Lipoma - High possibility, as it is very common and occurs anywhere on the body. Totally painless, harmless, and very slow-growing.

2. Ganglion - Can be a possibility. It usually occurs at the site where muscle's end (we call them tendons) attach to the bone. They are again painless and harmless and require no intervention usually.

3. An abscess - It is a collection of pus. Usually, you will have pain, redness of overlying skin, fever, etc., which are not present, so abscess is not possible.

4. Skin conditions like bites of certain fleas can cause such things, but they usually cause little pain and fever. Again not a possibility.

5. Some tumors of the skin or bone - Least likely. Tumors of the skin or bone usually cause many other symptoms like nighttime pain, fever, weight loss, fractures (not in early stages), etc. And the site you mentioned is not a typical site for a tumor. This is highly unlikely.

As you have no pain or other symptoms related to it, I suggest you keep observing any change in its size, appearance, etc., in the next three to four weeks. Suppose it increases or changes in appearance; it is time to visit your doctor for evaluation. It is good that you do not rely on internet information which usually diverts you to rare things and usually not routinely seen in practice. I still believe it is either lipoma or a ganglion. Just keep watching it for few weeks. Otherwise, it is not of major concern. I hope this helps. Take care.

Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Nagaraj

Experience: 16 + Yrs

Diabetology

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