When something unexpected shows up, stay grounded. Slow down, look at it clearly and get the right advice before you let it worry you.
This photo shows a woman seen from behind, with a large red swelling over her shoulder blade, while a doctor presses a piece of gauze next to it.
A lump over the shoulder blade is most often an inflamed epidermoid cyst. The skin is tight and shiny, with redness spreading unevenly around it.
The upper back is a common place for cysts, because the skin there is oily, hard to reach when washing and often rubbed by straps and clothing.
The sac fills slowly over months and may go unnoticed until it becomes inflamed. Then it grows quickly, feels hot and makes leaning back painful.
