Thigh Lump - Causes - Better Medicine

What causes a thigh lump?

A thigh lump may be a result of an infection, an injury, or, rarely, a benign or malignant tumor.

Infectious causes of a thigh lump

A thigh lump may be caused by infectious processes including:

Abscesses
Boils
Cellulitis (infection of the skin and associated tissues)
Papillomavirus infections (warts)

Traumatic causes of a thigh lump

Trauma or injury to the thigh may produce a lump. Traumatic causes of thigh lump include:

Contusions (bruises)
Bite and sting injuries
Fractures of bone
Hematoma (collection of blood in body tissues)
Sprains and strains

Tumors that cause causes of a thigh lump

A thigh lump can rarely be caused by benign or malignant tumors including:

Fibroma (benign tumor composed of fibrous or connective tissue)
Lipoma (benign fatty growth)
Melanoma (cancer arising in the melanocytes, or pigment-producing cells, in the skin or other parts of the body)
Nevi (moles of the skin)
Nonmelanoma skin cancers
Osteosarcoma (type of bone cancer)

Serious or life-threatening causes of a thigh lump

In some cases, a thigh lump may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

Malignant tumors of bone or soft tissue
Osteomyelitis (bone infection)

Questions for diagnosing the cause of a thigh lump

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your thigh lump including:

How long have you felt your thigh lump?
Is the lump getting bigger?
Is the lump painful?
Is the lump the result of an injury?
Do you have any other symptoms?

What are the potential complications of a thigh lump?

Lumps caused by cancers may have life-threatening consequences that depend on the type and stage (extent) of the cancer. Left untreated, lumps due to abscesses or serious infections may lead to widespread infection in the body. Thigh lumps and associated symptoms can be due to serious diseases, so failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage.

Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

Decreased athletic performance
Disability
Permanent or chronic pain
Spread of cancer
Spread of infection

References:

Broken bone. Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000001.htm. Accessed May 11, 2011.

Leg problems. FamilyDoctor.org. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/541.html. Accessed May 11, 2011.

INTRODUCTION

What is a thigh lump?

A thigh lump is a bulge, bump, nodule, contusion, tumor, or swollen area on your thigh. Lumps can be caused by any number of conditions, including infections, inflammation, tumors and trauma. Depending on the cause, lumps may be single or multiple, soft or firm, painful or painless. They may grow rapidly or may not change in size. You may also have other symptoms, depending upon the cause ... Read more about thigh lump introduction

SYMPTOMS

What other symptoms might occur with a thigh lump?

A thigh lump may occur on its own or may accompany other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition that caused the lump.... Read more about thigh lump symptoms