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Don't Panic! - This may help most of you recall why you have this annoying "Puss Filled Bump"
Mucous cyst: A mucous cyst is a painless, thin sac on the inner surface of the lips. It contains clear fluid.
CAUSES:
Where does a mucocele come from? It centers on a small salivary gland, which makes saliva in your mouth
Mucous cysts are harmless. Left untreated, they can form a permanent bump on the inner surface of the lip.
Your saliva moves from a salivary gland through tiny tubes (ducts) into your mouth. One of these ducts can become damaged or blocked. This most often happens if you repeatedly bite or suck on your lower lip or cheek.
Getting hit in the face could also disrupt the duct. Remember that "head-on collision" in your pick-up game of basketball last month? Maybe that was the original culprit.
What happens once the duct damage is done? Mucus seeps out, pools, becomes walled off, and causes a cyst-like swelling. A similar buildup happens when the duct has become blocked.
Symptoms
Mucoceles often show up on the inside of your lower lips, your gums, the roof of your mouth, or under your tongue. Those on the floor of the mouth are called ranulas. These are rare, but because they are larger, they can cause more problems with speech, chewing, and swallowing.
Mucoceles may have these characteristics:
Moveable and painless
Soft, round, dome-shaped
Pearly or semi-clear surface or bluish in color
2 to 10 millimeters in diameter
Exams and Tests
Your health care provider can usually diagnose a mucous cyst simply by looking at it.
Treatment
A mucous cyst often can be left alone. It usually will rupture on its own. Opening the top of the sac with a sterile needle will help it go away. If the cyst returns, it may need to be removed.
To prevent infection and damage to the tissue, you should not try to open the sac yourself. This should be done by your health care provider. Oral surgeons and some dentists can easily remove the sac.
Possible Complications
There are usually no complications.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
If it becomes uncomfortable, have the cyst examined by your health care provider during a routine examination.
Prevention
There is no known prevention. Avoid intentionally sucking the cheeks or lips between the teeth.
Alternative Names
Mucocele; Mucous retention cyst; Ranula; Epulis
References
Daniels TE. Diseases of the mouth and salivary glands. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 433.
Morelli JG. Disorders of the mucous membranes. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 656.
Update Date 8/17/2014
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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