red, raised nodule/lump on side. insect bite or other? - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

wonderingtoo · 08-07-2007, 11:49 AM

I woke in the middle of the night Saturday and had an itch on my right side/lower back area. I felt it and it was swollen, so I looked in the mirror. I had/have a raised, dark pink to red area that is about an inch long and 1/4 inch wide. It itches occasionally. Today is the third day and it still looks the same, starting to freak me out a little. I guess it could be a bug bite of some sort, so my husband and I searched our room for any signs of a bug. Couldn't find anything though.

I'm going to throw in this info because it's really the main reason I'm concerned. For over 1 1/2 years I've had pain/pressure in my right lower back, flank, pelvis and occasionally abdomen with some right sided rib soreness too. Have had several tests including a CTscan almost a year ago, and everything was normal so it's still undiagnosed. I'm wondering if the swelling could be from something internal on that side.

BlueAtlas · 08-07-2007, 02:39 PM

I wouldn't rule out a bug bite, though they're usually rounder in shape. If you got a spider bite in the middle of the night, the spider is probably long gone and you wouldn't find it.

The description sounds more like a parasite of some sort. I would ask a doctor to take a look at it. Your other symptoms are puzzling, but I doubt that they're to blame for the type of raised area you described.

I hope you can get some answers and some relief.

wonderingtoo · 08-07-2007, 04:47 PM

What do you mean by a parasite?

BlueAtlas · 08-08-2007, 07:07 AM

I'm thinking about a tiny organism (bug?) that actually burrows under your skin. I had a friend a few years ago who had one and it looked just like what you described. Normally, they're gotten when traveling outside the US. I don't know why, if those organisms just don't live in our climate or what. But I'm not sure that there aren't any here.

If it gets longer or worse in any way, it would be worth having a doctor see it.

On the other hand, maybe you just got a bad scratch or something and it's particularly irritated.

wonderingtoo · 08-08-2007, 01:44 PM

A friend of mine whose daughter had shingles last year suggested it looks like shingles. But it's not at all painful, and it's only the small area. It just itches a little.