A couple weeks ago, I started having a burning/stabbing sensation on one spot on my upper right back. It wasn't constant but a fleeting pain that never lasted long. Last night while I was in the bath, we have huge mirrors around the tub, I noticed a HUGE lump on my back in the spot where the burning/stabbing pain happens. I had my bf look at it last night. He says it is about the size of a grapefruit and it moves around. Now on to my question (s)...

I do not know anyone in NY but my bf. He is umm not rich, I have no job and no insurance so I need to know what can I do to be able to see a doctor. Everyone's situation is different so I am asking for no mean or sarcastic comments. When I lived in Tennessee, I could go to the local Health Department for 5 bucks to see a doctor but I have been unable to find a place here where I can do that and I have googled until my googler broke, heh. So if anyone has some information to share with me, please do so.

I'd call the local hospital and tell them the situation and see what they say. Lots of times there are low cost/free clinics. Sometimes a hospital or clinic will put you on a payment plan.

Check out medicaid. http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/

It sounds like it might be a cyst.

if you're still at wit's end after exploring those avenues, PM me and I'll try to come up with more ideas.

Thanks so much

Hmmm, you could look for a local urgent care clinic. They will generally be much cheaper than a hospital and more appropriate for non-emergencies. Or you could check with your city/county social services department for suggestions on finding low-cost health care.

And I'm not a medical professional, but I'd guess cyst too...

Thanks CC, I will check into it too

I know there is a free clinic in NYC - maybe you could contact them and see if they can refer you to something in your area?

I'm not sure the link will work http://www.med.nyu.edu/nycfreeclinic/ but if not, just google New York Free Clinic

The other thing I found when googling that I think is your area is Albany Memorial Hospital/Northeast Health. They do a lot of public health outreach and I'm not sure if they provide free/low cost services, but they could be a good resource to help you track down somewhere in your area that does.

Thanks so much

If it is a cyst, there are 2 stages, one where you can't do anything (although a doctor could do a simple surgical operation) and it is under the skin and then where it is red/closer to the surface of the skin. I had one that went red and it bothered me a lot so I told my husband to look at it and we poked it with a needle and pushed the inside out, like a huge pimple. I did go to the doctor after just to have them check it and she basically said "why are you here? it looks fine". HA.

It is not red and it is under the skin. When I googled about it, I came across lipoma but I won't be sure and unworried until I get it checked out x.x. Thanks nelie

I had a lipoma removed from my shoulder a few years back, just because it was in the way of my bra strap, but the surgeon said that if it was elsewhere it wouldn't have needed to come out. However, there were a lot of other scary potential diagnoses bandied about before they finally settled on the real one. You should definitely get it checked. Good luck.

A lipoma shouldn't hurt, but an infected cyst would...

It only hurts when it gets "moved" about even in normal activities. It may be a cyst, it may be lipoma, it may be a number of other things. I am not freaking out, yet, but I am worried.

I did have some pain with mine, I imagine because of its location more than anything (right on the top of my shoulder, not far from my neck.)

thistoo -


Did yours have some fleeting burning/stabbing sensations?

For what it's worth, my fiance just had a large (a little smaller than the size of a tennis ball) lipoma/cyst - they referred to it as both - removed from his back 2 weeks ago. He never had any pain with it, but that was a frequent question the docs asked... so I'm thinking pain is not uncommon.

I don't live in NY, but if you call your local Department of Social Services and ask for a medicaid worker, they should be able to direct you to any low cost clinics that might be in the area. You can also call an urgent care and ask how much it is to be seen without insurance and ask if they have payment plans available. I don't have insurance at the moment, and am VERY grateful I have had a wonderful doc that works with me on fees and prescriptions. (Although I've been with him many years and have only been without insurance for 11 months.)

I hope you're able to get it checked out soon. It sound very uncomfortable.