Camilla Jessen
After years of doctors dismissing her pain, one specialist finally uncovered the hidden cause that had disrupted Tiffanie Drayton’s life.
For six long years, Tiffanie Drayton lived with a sharp, unexplained pain in her forearm, the kind of pain that could be triggered by something as simple as a breeze or the brush of fabric. Each touch felt like being pierced by needles.
Time after time, doctors dismissed her concerns.
One physician chalked it up to a lingering bruise: “It’s probably just a bump or a bruise that will take a while to heal,” he told her.
But as the years passed, Tiffanie knew this was far more than just a minor injury.
She tried everything: braces, rest, exercises, and even self-diagnosis, suspecting conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. Yet nothing brought relief.
A Specialist Finally Listened
After seeing four different doctors with no answers, Tiffanie booked an appointment with a dermatologist.
This time, the doctor took her symptoms seriously. During the examination, the specialist felt something unusual beneath the skin.
Without delay, a small incision was made. What emerged was a small pink lump, quickly placed into a glass vial for analysis.
For the first time in years, Tiffanie experienced immediate relief.
The diagnosis arrived shortly after: glomus tumor.
Rare and often elusive, glomus tumors are usually benign but can cause intense, localized pain, particularly when triggered by touch or exposure to cold.
Though tiny, the tumor’s specific location near sensitive nerves in Tiffanie’s arm had turned everyday life into a torment. Because glomus tumors are so rare and often invisible on standard scans, many patients endure years — sometimes decades — before receiving a correct diagnosis.
In fact, according to The Guardian, some cases have taken as long as 40 years to properly diagnose.