Woman Goes Viral After TikTok Users Notice a Lump on Her Neck. She Was Shocked by What Happened Next (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Esha Adikeshava

Esha Adikeshava

For 22-year-oldEsha Adikeshava, making TikToks is a creative outlet outside of her regular work. When she isn’t working, Adikeshava has built a following for talking about beauty, fashion and her experiences as a young South Asian-American woman living in Texas.

So when she posted a simpleTikToktalking about the racial stereotypes around hair oiling after a workout on Dec. 26, she saw an unusual comment on the video pointing out her neck’s appearance. “Within two hours, the top comment [of the video] had said ‘Oh you should probably get your thyroid checked,’ ” Adikeshava tells PEOPLE exclusively. “At the time, it was the only comment and I was trying to figure out what this person was talking about.”

“They were pretty surprised and shocked to find out that I was there because I made a video,” she says, noting that they were also “impressed there was such a community” that encouraged her to get checked out.

Esha Adikeshava.Esha Adikeshava

“I went to the doctor and all my labs from my bloodwork came back normal, but my ultrasound ended up showing I have three little masses on my thyroid,” she revealed in the video at the time.

Adikeshava tells PEOPLE that it was “super nerve-wracking and shocking” to see the results, adding that “I was ready to come back onto TikTok and tell everyone that they were wrong.” But instead, she thanked everyone for “saving my life” and “looking out for me.”

So Adikeshava got her nodules biopsied and confirmed with PEOPLE that they turned out to be benign. As the initial TikTok posted back in December now has over 11 million views online, she says she’s “grateful people took the time” to comment and DM her about the lump and encouraged her to get checked.

She also notes that she believes that the video wouldn’t have gotten the same traction or reaction if she posted it on another platform.

“I post every little thought that comes to my head [on TikTok] like so many other creators,” she continues. “So when [people interact with me], it feels like you’re following up with friends, and that’s why people reached out to me and said ‘Hey, bestie, like, you should probably get your thyroid checked out.’ I think the sense of community on TikTok is really different than like any other social media platform, and I think that’s why people fight so hard to make it stay.”

source: people.com