A nodule is a growth or lump that develops on or within the body.
When a health condition presents with nodules, it is considered nodularity.
Nodules are incredibly common and can becancerous (malignant) or benign (non-cancerous).
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This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and types of nodules a person can develop throughout their lifetime.
Other than the lump, a person may experience no symptoms at all.
Other signs of a nodule will depend on where it is located.
For example:
Determining if there is a nodule within the body without other symptoms is sometimes difficult.
They often appear during routine physical exams or screening tests.
They will conduct the appropriate tests to determine if a nodule is present and whether it is causing symptoms.
Because many causes are associated with nodules, not all of them will be serious.
Types of Nodules
Various types of nodules can develop within the body or underneath the skin.
When they are helping the body fight off an illness, they temporarily grow.
They appear as nodules under the armpit, groin, and around the neck when enlarged.
Lymph nodules can also form in the intestines and tonsils.They can be both cancerous and non-cancerous.
Vocal Cord Nodules
Vocal cord nodulesform when a person strains their voice from overuse.
People with thyroid nodules may experience pain or discomfort while swallowing or feel pressure on their thyroid area.
Abdominal Nodules
An abdominal nodule can form within the digestive tract or in areas outside the intestines.
There are many reasons a nodule would develop in this area of the body, includinggastritis.
They develop for many reasons, including infection, inflammatory skin disorders, and cancer.
To determine if the nodule is cancerous, they must remove it and send it in for laboratory testing.
The punch in of nodule will determine the extent of testing needed.
One that’s found in the lungs is often harder to get to and requires minimally invasive surgery.
The Wait-and-See Method
Sometimes, a discovered nodule may be left alone.
This is called the wait-and-see method.
Healthcare providers will book routine tests to see if the nodule grows over time or develops new features.
This can be a good indicator of whether it is cancerous or needs further testing.
Treatment
Treating nodules isnt always straightforward.
That is because they do not always develop into cancer or pose a health threat.
If a nodule is cancerous or harmful, surgery can remove it.
The bang out of surgery will depend on where it is in the body.
Most often,laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive surgery that makes small incisions, will remove the nodules.
This technique can also remove endometrial nodules, which develop within theendometrial tissuein the uterus.
Other possible treatment options for cancerous nodules includechemotherapyand radiation.
Knowing the bang out will make all the difference in figuring out the appropriate therapy technique.
Summary
Nodules are growths of tissue that can be both cancerous and non-cancerous.
They can develop anywhere in the body and do not always come with symptoms.
In many cases, a nodule is entirely harmless and requires no treatment.
Sometimes, chemotherapy or radiation may prove necessary if a nodule is cancerous.
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