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 Lumps on the back are actually not as uncommon as people would think. Bumps on the back are the least noticeable of all lumps and therefore have time to grow before they are even noticed.

In this article, we deal with the different reasons why lumps can form on the back and what can be done about them.

Causes of lump on back

• Cysts: Cysts are pockets of tissue that are filled with pus or any other kind of fluid. They are usually smooth to the touch and are not a serious problem unless they get infected, when the infection can spread. Many times cysts go away by themselves, although some of them keep growing slowly throughout life.

• Angiomas: Angiomas are cherry red growths on the trunk of the body and can appear anywhere. Nobody knows exactly why they occur, although it is known that angiomas usually affect people aged over 40. Angiomas are benign and usually do not cause any health problems, although they may be cosmetically unappealing.

• Dermatofibromas: Dermatofibromas are small, dark brown outgrowths on the skin, and usually appear on the arms or legs. They are usually made up of collagen fibers and are very similar to scar tissue. There is no known cause of dermatofibroma, and they too are benign, although cosmetically they are unappealing to look at.

All three of these are benign and are usually no cause for concern, although for cosmetic reasons people may want to have them removed.
Painful lumps on the spine are, however, a completely different thing.

There can be a number of reasons for lumps on the spine starting from benign tumors and cancerous tumors directly on the spinal cord to birth defects. Sometimes the actual growth may be benign, albeit there may be a lot of pain associated with it. For example, any cyst on the back that has a lot of pus inside it may radiate pain along the spine, but may not actually be a very serious proposition. In other cases, the lump may grow directly on the spinal column itself, causing interference in the transmission of messages to and from the brain. This can result in a number of voluntary and involuntary actions being affected.

Spinal tumors can be inside the spine, in the membranes covering the spine, or between the membrane and the bones of the spine. Most tumors of the spine grow between the spine and the membranes and are benign. As they grow, however, they can put pressure on the spinal column, blood vessels, nerve roots etc., causing subsidiary problems.

Remedies for lumps with pus on back
The kind of remedy that we choose depends a lot on the problem.

• With a cyst, there is really no reason for interference. Sometimes though, they can get infected and need to be removed. This entails a very simple, outpatient surgery where the doctor will dig out the cyst and ensure that none of the infected tissue remains. The only side effect will be scarring.

• This is the same treatment that is followed for dermatofibrosis and angioma. In most cases, the doctor will recommend that it be left alone or may prescribe corticosteroid injections that will shrink the size of the outgrowth. Surgery is usually the last option.

• With lumps that grow directly on the spine also the approach is the same. Unless the lump is causing problems directly, most doctors follow a hands-off approach. Surgery to remove the lump is recommended only when it is considered dangerous to health.

Since most of the lumps that grow on the spine are epidural (ones that grow between the spine and the membranes that cover the spinal column) they are usually not dangerous unless they start to put pressure on the spine.

References
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001403.htm

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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