Neck Cysts

A lump noticed in the neck is often a cause for worry. In children, the great majority of cystic lumps in the neck are benign, and many are cysts formed from tissue remnants left behind during development in the womb; in adults, a neck lump that does not go away needs to be examined, because most such lumps in adults are tumours. Thyroglossal duct cysts and branchial cleft cysts are the most common types in this group; dermoid cysts also belong to it. Although present from birth, most are noticed in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood, when they enlarge and become obvious after an upper respiratory tract infection.^1,2

The pages in this section explain in plain language how congenital neck cysts form, in which part of the neck they sit and how they are told apart from one another. Separate pages cover how the diagnosis is made by examination, ultrasound and, when needed, further imaging; why the cyst must be removed together with the duct or tract it arises from; and what recovery after surgery involves and what to watch for.^1,3

Eagle syndrome, which causes throat and neck pain and difficulty swallowing and has a different cause, is also included in this section. If you are thinking of seeing a doctor about a lump or unexplained pain in the neck, these pages show which diagnostic and treatment steps to expect.

References

1. Fanous A, Morcrette G, Fabre M, Couloigner V, Galmiche-Rolland L. Diagnostic approach to congenital cystic masses of the neck from a clinical and pathological perspective. Dermatopathology (Basel). 2021;8(3):342-358. doi:10.3390/dermatopathology8030039 ↩

2. Pynnonen MA, Gillespie MB, Roman B, Rosenfeld RM, Tunkel DE, Bontempo L, et al. Clinical practice guideline: evaluation of the neck mass in adults. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017;157(2 Suppl):S1-S30. doi:10.1177/0194599817722550 ↩

3. ENT UK. Thyroglossal duct cyst [Internet]. London: ENT UK; 2024 Jun 3 [cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: entuk.org ↩