Thing on my arm (Olecranon bursitis vs sebaceous cyst vs?)

[Freakshow]

I have a large lump near my elbow that looks like one of these cysts. Someone once told me what it was (I don't remember what they said, though), and that even if removed it could possibly come back, so I never did anything about it.

It tends to freak people out, though.

[Dr Steve]

Can one form near the elbow as well? I have a large lump near my elbow that looks like one of these cysts. Someone once told me what it was (I don't remember what they said, though), and that even if removed it could possibly come back, so I never did anything about it.

It tends to freak people out, though.


A LARGE lump near your elbow may be an "olecranon bursitis".

The olecranon bursa is a lubricating sac that helps the skin flow nicely over the elbow joint without catching.

http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/elbow/elbow_bursitis/elbow_bursitis_anatomy01.jpg

Normally it's totally flat, like a ziplok with the air sucked out of it (and a little KY Jelly smeared on both inside surfaces). If you lean on it a lot, or traumatize it in other ways, it can fill up with fluid and become a problem.

http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/elbow/elbow_bursitis/elbow_bursitis_intro01.jpg

If it gets infected, it can be a REAL problem.

If it bothers you, I'd see an orthopedist (bone and joint surgeon) and see if it needs help.


Good luck!


steve

[Freakshow]

You said sac.


Perhaps it's not as 'near' the elbow as I though. I took a grusome picture (it's really hard to take a picture of your arm, by the way). It's not really bothering me, but I sorta want to know what it is so I can at least tell people.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/2653915942_791e4f4479.jpg

Not the greatest picture.

[Dr Steve]

You said sac.


Perhaps it's not as 'near' the elbow as I though. I took a grusome picture (it's really hard to take a picture of your arm, by the way). It's not really bothering me, but I sorta want to know what it is so I can at least tell people.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/2653915942_791e4f4479.jpg

Not the greatest picture.

yeah, that's not a ganglion or an olecranon bursa. Try to "transilluminate" it by putting a penlight behind it and see if it's filled with clear fluid (that's encouraging). It could be a lot of things, including a sebaceous cyst (like Rich Vos had behind his ear) or a lipoma (a benign, non-cancerous "tumor" of fat cells).

Here's a good rule of thumb: if something is growing on your body in a place where it shouldn't be, get it checked out. It'll take 2 seconds for a health care provider to determine whether it's something to worry about (and 95% of them are nothing to worry about; it's the 5% or less that make it worth seeing someone.)

Get it checked out and let me know what they say, ok? thanks for sending in the picture, that helped a lot to know what route to take.

[Dr Steve]

oh wait, you said someone had already seen it, right? I'd love to know what they said it was.


A lipoma is usually an oblate spheroid (egg shaped) soft, slightly rubbery mass that you can move around. It's filled with fat cells.


A sebaceous cyst is actually skin that is growing under the skin...it can't slough off so all the dead cells go to the center. There's a fibrous outer membrane, and it's filled with the most stinky cottage cheese stuff you can imagine. If they get infected, they grow up to 10x their normal size. If there's a little hole in the middle of the lump at the top, it's almost always a sebaceous cyst.

There are some dangerous things that can present as a lump on the arm, which is why I was harping on you getting this thing checked out.

steve

[Freakshow]

It wasn't a doctor, it was someone who had a similar lump (and had it drained, and it came back). I have had it for quite a few years and it hasn't really changed or grown in size. I will go ahead and set something up to go see a doctor. I just turned 30, I suppose I should get a complete physical anyway, since it's been a while.

Thanks for the kick in the butt, Dr. Steve. :thumbup:

[Dr Steve]

It wasn't a doctor, it was someone who had a similar lump (and had it drained, and it came back). I have had it for quite a few years and it hasn't really changed or grown in size. I will go ahead and set something up to go see a doctor. I just turned 30, I suppose I should get a complete physical anyway, since it's been a while.

Thanks for the kick in the butt, Dr. Steve. :thumbup:

sure, it's probably nothing, but what the hell, when you're in there getting your physical, point it out. can't hurt!


your pal,


steve

[istro]

Hi, does anyone else on the forum have additional specs about a sebaceous cyst or similar condition? How does it generally appear or does it vary?

[OGC]

Is this the kind of thing you are talking about ?

WARNING. VERY GROSS VIDEO AHEAD

<object alt="Two Girls One Cyst Observe and Report" height="376" width="464">

<embed src="http://embed.break.com/832298" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" height="376" width="464"></object>
Two Girls One Cyst (http://www.break.com/index/two-girls-one-cyst.html) - Watch more Observe and Report (http://www.break.com/observe-and-report/observe-and-report.html)