Our bodies usually give us signs when something needs attention. The trouble is that we are very good at ignoring them.
A red, swollen bump on the shoulder or upper arm is one of those signs. At first it may look like a large pimple, but it does not go away.
Often there is a tiny dark dot in the centre. This is the opening of a cyst, a small sac under the skin that has slowly filled with keratin.
When the cyst becomes irritated by sleeves, straps or simply by being touched, it can turn red, warm and painful within a few days.
Ignoring it at this stage rarely helps. An inflamed cyst usually keeps growing until it either bursts on its own or is treated.
