Growths on the Head, Neck & Throat

Our experts can diagnose and treat growths in areas of your nose, mouth and throat

In many cases, growths on your head, neck and throat are benign (noncancerous) and fully treatable.

They can take many forms, including various lumps and swellings, warts, polyps (small, fleshy growths in moist tissue) and stones (hard blockages of ducts).

IU Health physicians have particular expertise in diagnosis and treatment of growths including those that originate in the moist linings and internal areas of your nose, mouth and throat.

These include growths in the:

  • Salivary glands. Tumors may enlarge the salivary glands, and stones may develop in the ducts that carry saliva into your mouth. Many of these benign growths do not cause pain.
  • Larynx (voice box). Improper use of the voice may cause polyps or nodules to grow on your vocal cords. Polyps are soft growths and nodules are harder lumps that develop over time. These benign abnormalities can cause hoarseness and other symptoms.
  • Lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in the neck sometimes grow abnormally, leading to lumps or masses that can cause you pain and disfigurement. Growths in your lymph nodes often cause swelling in your neck.
  • Thyroid. Abnormal growths often occur in the thyroid. Multiple tumors can develop and require individual detection and removal to ensure effective treatment.

What are Risk Factors for Growths on Head, Neck & Throat?

A range of factors can result in growths affecting the head, neck and throat including:

  • Tobacco use (a major risk factor for tumors of the mouth and throat)
  • Alcohol use
  • Sun exposure
  • Exposure to physical and chemical irritants
  • Viruses (for example, Epstein-Barr virus may cause tumors in the nose and back of the throat)

How We Can Help

Finding a growth on your head or neck can cause concern, but in many cases, specialists at IU Health can completely remove this abnormality. It requires careful diagnosis because even benign (noncancerous) tumors and other growths may return if surgeons do not fully remove them.

Physicians’ broad experience enables them to detect even those you may not have noticed yourself.

People come to IU Health from around the state because of our physicians’ expertise in diagnosing and treating masses, tumors, swellings and other abnormalities in the head, neck and throat.

IU Health physicians’ success depends on the commitment to comprehensive, patient- and family-centered care. At IU Health, your physicians will consider you part of the treatment team, helping to develop a plan based on your particular condition, needs and preferences.

Your multidisciplinary team may include specialists in a variety of disciplines. The IU Health tumor review board includes physicians who will meet to discuss their patients’ cases. The board focuses the attention of a number of specialists on your particular case. This provides a variety of expert viewpoints that may add insight and treatment suggestions.

Understanding Growths on Head, Neck & Throat

IU Health physicians have particular expertise in diagnosis and treatment of growths including those that originate in the moist linings and internal areas of your nose, mouth and throat.

These include growths in the:

  • Salivary glands. Tumors may enlarge the salivary glands, and stones may develop in the ducts that carry saliva into your mouth. Many of these benign growths do not cause pain.
  • Larynx (voice box). Improper use of the voice may cause polyps or nodules to grow on your vocal cords. Polyps are soft growths and nodules are harder lumps that develop over time. These benign abnormalities can cause hoarseness and other symptoms.
  • Lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in the neck sometimes grow abnormally, leading to lumps or masses that can cause you pain and disfigurement. Growths in your lymph nodes often cause swelling in your neck.
  • Thyroid. Abnormal growths often occur in the thyroid. Multiple tumors can develop and require individual detection and removal to ensure effective treatment.

What are Risk Factors for Growths on Head, Neck & Throat?

A range of factors can result in growths affecting the head, neck and throat including:

  • Tobacco use (a major risk factor for tumors of the mouth and throat)
  • Alcohol use
  • Sun exposure
  • Exposure to physical and chemical irritants
  • Viruses (for example, Epstein-Barr virus may cause tumors in the nose and back of the throat)

How We Can Help

Finding a growth on your head or neck can cause concern, but in many cases, specialists at IU Health can completely remove this abnormality. It requires careful diagnosis because even benign (noncancerous) tumors and other growths may return if surgeons do not fully remove them.

Physicians’ broad experience enables them to detect even those you may not have noticed yourself.

People come to IU Health from around the state because of our physicians’ expertise in diagnosing and treating masses, tumors, swellings and other abnormalities in the head, neck and throat.

IU Health physicians’ success depends on the commitment to comprehensive, patient- and family-centered care. At IU Health, your physicians will consider you part of the treatment team, helping to develop a plan based on your particular condition, needs and preferences.

Your multidisciplinary team may include specialists in a variety of disciplines. The IU Health tumor review board includes physicians who will meet to discuss their patients’ cases. The board focuses the attention of a number of specialists on your particular case. This provides a variety of expert viewpoints that may add insight and treatment suggestions.

IU Health surgeons will often remove benign tumors and other growths surgically to restore normal function and appearance. These abnormalities may involve the face and other sensitive areas. In many cases, surgeons can remove a growth completely with little chance it will recur.

Your physicians may also use medicines to treat some abnormalities:

  • Thyroid tumors. Physicians will work with endocrinologists to administer certain hormones that suppress tumor development.
  • Sinus growths. Sometimes your physicians will use steroids to reduce sinus problems brought on by growths.
  • Vocal cord polyps. Reflux (acid from the stomach coming up the esophagus) may irritate the vocal cords and cause polyps to develop. Drugs to control reflux will also help reduce the problem of polyps.

Surgery to remove benign growths does not usually require extensive follow-up treatment. When your surgeons have removed the benign growth, you will not need chemotherapy or radiation.

You may need therapy to help recover functions such as speech or swallowing after surgery. Recovery after surgery to remove polyps or nodules on the vocal cords may require speech therapy to help you learn to use your voice differently. Improper use of your voice often causes them. Learning to use your voice normally helps prevent polyps or nodules from returning.

How are Growths on Head, Neck & Throat Treated?

IU Health surgeons will often remove benign tumors and other growths surgically to restore normal function and appearance. These abnormalities may involve the face and other sensitive areas. In many cases, surgeons can remove a growth completely with little chance it will recur.

Your physicians may also use medicines to treat some abnormalities:

  • Thyroid tumors. Physicians will work with endocrinologists to administer certain hormones that suppress tumor development.
  • Sinus growths. Sometimes your physicians will use steroids to reduce sinus problems brought on by growths.
  • Vocal cord polyps. Reflux (acid from the stomach coming up the esophagus) may irritate the vocal cords and cause polyps to develop. Drugs to control reflux will also help reduce the problem of polyps.

Surgery to remove benign growths does not usually require extensive follow-up treatment. When your surgeons have removed the benign growth, you will not need chemotherapy or radiation.

You may need therapy to help recover functions such as speech or swallowing after surgery. Recovery after surgery to remove polyps or nodules on the vocal cords may require speech therapy to help you learn to use your voice differently. Improper use of your voice often causes them. Learning to use your voice normally helps prevent polyps or nodules from returning.

Patient Stories for Growths on the Head, Neck & Throat

MedlinePlus: Neck Lumps

This National Institutes of Health website provides information about various lumps and growths in the head and neck.

MedlinePlus: Nasal Polyps

This National Institutes of Health website includes education about nasal polyps, a common type of benign growth.

Resources

MedlinePlus: Neck Lumps

This National Institutes of Health website provides information about various lumps and growths in the head and neck.

MedlinePlus: Nasal Polyps

This National Institutes of Health website includes education about nasal polyps, a common type of benign growth.