What Does A Lump On Forearm Indicate?

Posted on Thu, 4 Dec 2014

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

Thu, 4 Dec 2014 Answered on

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hey! I'm 21 years old and very healthy. In the first week of october I played 1 rounds of golf on back to back days. I really hacked at the ball and my forearms were sore afterwards. About a week later I noticed a decent sized bump on the anterior part of my left forearm. It's located right on the tendon and moves slightly when pushed. It's slowly gone down over the past two months and it is still there. I also work at a pizza place and use my forearms an awful lot cutting pizzas and lifting weight up to 100 pounds. I haven't seen a doctor yet but considering going to one in the next week. Any ideas to what it could be? It's round, it's slightly moveable and soft/doughy. Which I'm thinking is a lipoma or some sort of scar tissue from the tendon? Any thoughts?

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Tenosynovitis/Ganglion could be the cause

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for posting
I have gone through your query and understand your concern. Going by your description it could well be a Ganglion (Tenosynovitis) formation at wrist. To help you better please send the picture of swelling in the follow up query.
My suggestion would be-Rest to wrist, Ice fomentation, avoid weight lifting/Golf, Ibuprofen as pain killer along with prescription only drug Trypsin/chymotrysin to reduce pain and swelling.
Your local pharmacist might know about them and I hope will help.
Looking forward to your reply.
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Mukesh Chugh (17 minutes later)

It is very very small but there is some tightness to the tendon. It's directly in the middle of my forearm.

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is difficult to see, may mark with pen and send

Detailed Answer:
Hello

It's good to see you

I have gone through your reply and it is very difficult to locate it in the picture. Does the swelling move with movement of fingers or wrist? Please share.

Mostly these are benign(non serious) lesion and will heal with time. You may have the treatment as discussed earlier.

Get well soon.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari