Two bumps on the side of the neck

Neck lymph nodes can enlarge while the body responds to a throat, ear, dental or skin infection. They may be tender and change as the illness settles. Other possibilities include a cyst, a thyroid-related lump or a salivary-gland problem. A neck lump can also be associated with lymphoma or head and neck cancer, but the presence of bumps does not identify the cause.

A clinician will check the exact position, size, mobility, firmness and skin changes, and examine the mouth, throat, ears and thyroid area. Tests may include an ultrasound, blood tests, a camera examination or a needle sample, depending on the findings.

Arrange an appointment if the bumps are growing, firm, fixed, painless, recurring or still present after an infection has settled. Note when they appeared, whether one changes faster than the other, and any fever, night sweats, weight change, swallowing difficulty or voice change. Do not repeatedly squeeze or massage them.

If the source remains unclear, the clinician may refer you for imaging or specialist assessment. A neck lump with no obvious primary source is investigated systematically; it is not diagnosed from its appearance alone.

Seek urgent care for difficulty breathing, inability to swallow saliva, rapidly increasing swelling, severe infection symptoms or bleeding. Arrange prompt medical review for persistent hoarseness, coughing blood, unexplained weight loss, drenching night sweats or a lump above the collarbone.

Ask what structures the bumps may involve, whether an ultrasound or needle sample is appropriate, which symptoms should change the urgency, and when you should expect the next review.