Hard mass above belly button

Dear Ask The Doctor: Iam a male 39 and I have a hard ball just above my bellybutton its been 3 weeks now and its one inch around??? please Help!!!

Dear James: It is difficult for me to say what this is without having had a chance to look and examine it. It could be a lymph node or another mass which needs further investigations . Please consult your family physician for a indepth physical examination and further testing like an ultrasound of the region. All the best.