What Could a Swollen Bump on My Lip Be If It's Not a Cold Sore?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

A swollen bump on your lip that isn’t a cold sore might be an abscess (an infected, pus-filled bump) or a salivary duct cyst (a tiny bubble from blocked saliva). It could also be an allergic reaction.

Explanation

There are several possible explanations other than a cold sore for a swollen bump on the lip. Here are some of the main causes to consider:

Lip abscess - A painful, pus-filled bump caused by bacterial infection that may develop after injury or irritation to the lip
Salivary duct cyst (mucocele) - A fluid-filled sac that forms when a salivary gland duct becomes blocked or injured
Allergic reaction - Sudden swelling that can appear as a bump, often accompanied by itching or tenderness
Fibroma - A benign growth made up of fibrous or connective tissue
Trauma-related swelling - Bump that develops after injury or repeated irritation to the lip

If you have swelling that is painful or progressing rapidly, it is best to consult with a healthcare provider for a more complete evaluation.

(References)

Mahmoud A, Bathobakae L, Giannetti R, Naaman G, Affortunato J. Acute Lower Lip Swelling: A Mere Anaphylactic Reaction or a Rare Abscess Location? Cureus. 2023 Nov 17;15(11):e48971. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48971. PMID: 38106723; PMCID: PMC10725739.
Tandon A, Sircar K, Chowdhry A, Bablani D. Salivary duct cyst on lower lip: A rare entity and literature review. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2014 Sep;18(Suppl 1):S151-6. doi: 10.4103/0973-029X.141375. PMID: 25364168; PMCID: PMC4211227.
Tekcan Şanlı DE, Boyacı Z. Immunocompetent Young Patient Presenting with Unilateral Lip Abscess Due to Peeling Exfoliated Lip Skin. Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Sep;59(3):239-241. doi: 10.4274/tao.2021.2021-4-9. Epub 2021 Oct 15. PMID: 34713011; PMCID: PMC8527541.

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