I had to undergo surgery to remove a cyst in my neck after it swelled up – now I’m warning others to always get their lumps checked
- Holly Radford, from the UK, said that the lump suddenly swelled up within days
- READ MORE: Doctor reveals what your TONGUE says about your health
A young woman has gone viral online after she shared a video of herself with a massive cyst on the side of her neck, urging others to get their lumps checked.
Holly Radford, who lives in the UK, said that the lump suddenly swelled up within two to three days.
She soon found out that she had a benign branchial cleft cyst, which Holly believes has been there her whole life, albeit much smaller.
These types of cysts are present at birth and tend to be non-cancerous – healthcare professionals may recommend surgery to remove it, as was the case for Holly.
She made a TikTok video – which has since been viewed by more than seven million people – showcasing her neck before and after the operation to remove the lump.
Holly Radford, who lives in the UK, made a TikTok video – which was viewed by more than seven million people – showcasing her lump
Holly captioned it ‘major slay (get your lumps checked,’ and hash tagged the word surgery.
The graduate, who is in her twenties, donned a white top and a full face of makeup as she lip synched to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John.
She had her head slightly to one side as the cyst was seemingly so large she could not face her head straight forward.
Holly then included a clip in the TikTok of her in a hospital bed straight after the surgery.
Dressed in a patient gown, she shows her followers the large scar where her lump was removed. Holly then sticks her tongue out and puts her thumbs up.
Users took to the comments to discuss Holly’s lump, with some even drawing upon their own experiences.
One person wrote: ‘Omg I hope you’re OK! Is it benign? I had thyroid cancer in October. The neck is the last place people check!’
major slay (get ur lumps checked) #fyp #surgery
Holly also included a clip in the TikTok of her in a hospital bed straight after the removal surgery
Holly then responded and said: ‘Yes it was a benign cyst!! Hope you’re well girl xxx’
Another said: ‘I have so many questions, did it appear out of nowhere and are you okay?’
Holly also responded to this comment and said: ‘It’s a cyst that’s been there probably my whole life but only just got big this year!!’
A third penned: ‘I went through the exact surgery to get a mass removed. It only goes up from here!! Speedy recovery!’
In a second video – which racked up a whopping five million views – she shared several pictures of her with her cyst. She then added a bunch of photographs which show her healing process.
Users took to the comments to discuss Holly’s lump, with some even drawing upon their own experiences
What is a branchial cleft cyst?
A Branchial cleft cyst is a lump that usually develops in the neck or below the collarbone.
The Cleveland Clinic says they are present at birth. While they can appear at any age, children are more commonly diagnosed with them.
These types of cysts tend to be non-cancerous – healthcare professionals may recommend surgery to remove it.
Over time, the cyst may become more noticeable, but this tends to happen if it’s infected.
Symptoms
- A lump or swollen area on your neck which appears when you contract upper respiratory infections
- Painful lump or swelling – this could be a sign it’s infected
- Difficulty swallowing food
- Tight feeling in your chest when you take deep breaths
Source: Cleveland Clinic
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