Have Chest Infection And Sinusitis. Noticed Hard Lump On Roof Of Mouth. Should I Consult ENT Doctor?

Posted on Wed, 23 Jan 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 Answered on

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Starting this morning I noticed a hard lump in the roof of my mouth. I've been having chest infections/sinusitis chronically for several months due to autoimmune disorders that I have. I have been having ear pain and an irritated throat, but when I went to the ENT a couple of weeks ago, he said all was clear. He even did a scope down the nostrils. This lump in my mouth, and as the day has progressed, it's becoming increasingly harder to swallow and talk. The left side of my face, tongue and mouth feel swollen. The lump is extremely painful, and I've poked it a couple of times thinking it was a blood blister that I could pop and relieve the pain. While the pain is not new, the lump showed up all of a sudden this morning. Should I get to an ENT doctor? What do you think is the problem?

Answered by Dr. Shailja Puri (11 minutes later)

Hello and welcome to Health Care Magic

Hard lump of the roof of the mouth causing symptoms of swelling in the surrounding areas and pain definitely needs further investigation.
Consult your doctor (can be an ENT doctor). A CT scan needs to be done to know whether the swelling is arising from any underlying structure.
A fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the lesion is also needed.
FNAC is a office procedure in which the cells from the swelling are sampled.
These cells are examined under the microscope to know the character of the cells.
This investigation will aid in knowing the type of lesion and planning further management.

If you have more queries, I will be glad to answer.
Dr Shailja P Wahal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shailja Puri (14 minutes later)

Is it an emergency or can it wait until normal business hours? Any idea what it is? I'm living in Oman, and I will need specifics to tell the doctors if there is some lab test (other than FNAC) that is required. A CT scan takes months to schedule and obtain here. Also, when I raise my tongue, it protrudes farther (gets bigger). It's slight moveable, but hard and painful.

Answered by Dr. Shailja Puri (39 minutes later)

Hello and welcome back

Yes you can wait for normal business hours.
The examining doctor will decide the required investigations.
CT scan will be required. You will need to discuss it with your doctor.

Thanks
Dr Shailja P Wahal

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar