What does it mean if one of the lymph nodes in my neck is swollen

What does it mean if one of the lymph nodes in my neck is swollen?

http://www.chacha.com/question/what-does-it-mean-if-one-of-the-lymph-nodes-in-my-neck-is-swollen

They may represent an infection around that area, such as a tooth infection or abscess, throat infection, viral illness, or a cold

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

What could it mean if I’ve had swollen lymph nodes for over 3 years?

Q: I am a 26 year old female. I have had a swollen node in my armpit for over 3 years, one in my groin that has been swollen for over 5 years, and nodes in my neck that have been swollen for about 3 years. In 2006, I was diagnosed with mono. Months after it had supposedly gone away, the node in the right side of my neck was over 3cm long & still growing, so I saw a surgeon & he was concerned about cancer and removed it immediately…it was examined by pathology and was benign. 4 months later, I was still not entirely healthy and had my tonsils removed.Over the last few years, I am still tired quite a bit, sweat a lot and still have the swollen nodes. The one in my groin hurts even when I do not touch it, and the one in my armpit is very tender to the touch, but the ones in my neck to do not bother me. I’ve had spleen & liver scans that came back fine, blood tests that came back fine, but this is still concerning me. Over the last couple years I still have days where I run a low grade fever for about a day. My doctor always puts me on antibiotics (which don’t ever take down the size of the nodes or cure the other symptoms). He has also done a chest xray to check for sarcoidosis and that came back clean. My aunt has lupus & a host of other auto-immune diseases and my great grandmother died very young of rheumatoid arthritis. I have been to a ridiculous number of doctors who keep telling me that there is absolutely 100% nothing wrong with me. I’ve also noticed an increasing number of tiny red pin-point spots on my chest, stomach & thighs. I’ve always had one on my chest for years, but the others are new.I need a real answer, I need help. I am so tired of making doctor appointments that lead me nowhere.I have had the one in my groin and armpit checked, my gyno said the one in my armpit could be due to the hormones in my birth control, so I stopped taking it and the size and tenderness of the node never changed. The one in my groin has been checked by my primary care and a surgeon. The surgeon said nothing to worry about, it’s not a hernia or something else, just a permanently swollen node. My concern is that over the last couple months it is becoming increasingly painful…Also, I am 5’6″. My normal weight is around 118-120…over the last couple months I have dropped to about 113 without trying. I don’t know if I should be concerned about that as well or not. I have not had any appetite loss and eat full meals regularly…?

A: Please ; get your thyroid gland check ;; I know a man who is just 35 and like you had swollen lymph for years and like you he was diagnostic for mono and like you saw a myriad of doctors ; for finally in last oct to be said ; that his thyroid gland was full of cancer [ Doctors never check this gland ; especially when you are young ] so you have to ask ; OH maybe its not your thyroid ; but at least you will know for sure about the thyroid ; its just a simple blood test

If I feel sicker does that mean the antibiotics aren’t working. It’s been 5 days. I’m worried about Strep.?

Q: I went to the doctor because one day as I was talking to someone and a lymph node suddenly swelled up on the side of my face. (it was very sudden, very weird, very big, and very painful.) By the time I saw the doctor that lymph node wasn’t as swollen, but others were. It was painful, but I didn’t feel overly sick. No pain in my sinuses, no sore throat or runny nose. I felt worn out and a little achy. That night I felt incredibly sore. Lymph nodes were swelling up all over my neck and head. It was horrible.Anyway, the doctor prescribed me augmentin assuming there was some sort of infection in my lymph nodes. I have been taking it for five days. Within those 5 days I had a new swollen lymph node each morning I woke up.The lymph nodes are not swelling as big or painful as the first few days so I guess the antibiotics are effecting them, but now I feel so so so sick. I have a horrible sore throat and feel worn down. The sore throat started as somewhat annoying yesterday to incredibly painful today. My nose is stuffed up. I have no appetite. I feel exactly like I did last year when I had strep throat for the first time in my life. I’m 30, female and now very afraid of strep throat.I am not one to run to the doctor for antibiotics so I honestly don’t know what is supposed to happen and how fast.Does it make sense that as my lymph nodes get less swollen I would get sicker, or should I be feeling better after 5 days.Could Strep have been what made my lymph nodes swell and if so, why aren’t the antibiotics getting rid of it?

A: If it were strep, it would have likely cleared up with the augmentin. Antibiotics tend to start improving your condition within 24 hours. If your condition does not resolve or worsens either the medicine you were prescribed is ineffective against the bacteria causing the infection or the infection is not bacterial in nature. Plenty of viruses will cause swollen lymph nodes as well. Get yourself to the doctor ASAP. I would go to the ER if I were you.

Question about lymphoma and swollen lymph nodes along with brief history?

Q: Alright so I’m 15 and 6’2 159. I sort of worry about things and I’ve thought i’ve had Scoliosis, testicular cancer and now lymphoma. I’m probably just over worrying again but here it goes.Well it started when my friends dad got lymphoma and since i always worry about things when i hear the name of a new disease i go home and do research. I check for any enlarged lymph nodes and i find one on each side not really enlarged but i could feel them when i pressed down around my neck with a finger they were relatively soft like a little bit squishier than a rubber ball and i guess i could move them but i dont really know what moving it really means but when i pushed on it it rolled away from my finger.So i kept feeling around my neck that night for more and then went to bed not too concerned because they weren’t what people really described as a cancerous lymph node. The next morning i woke up and i had more on my right side like 3 or four more and the ones i was feeling the day before were a little bigger. than i started to worry and went searching the internet and that was really the only symptom i had of lymphoma so i decided to leave them alone for the day to see if they went down. I also woke up with a very minimal soar throat that went away later. I went to a fireworks show by some woods that night also. Now today i wake up feeling good and they have all shrunk down until i feel the ones in my groin and something that may be a lymph node in my left superclavicular area but it feels more like a cord and i think is longer than a node. I also feel a new smaller sort of harder lymph node behing my right ear that feels like a rubber ball and has went from small to very small when i stopped touching it. I have allergies but i havent felt anything about them for a few weeks and my lymph nodes are also only feelable if i press down on them besides the one behind my ear that sticks out a little bit more. Another thing is i haven’t really had much weight loss but in the morning im usually around 157 and used to be around 160 in the morning but i think that is because i played a real lot of basketball lately and dropped a little fat poundsSorry that this is so long but im kind of concerned. I have no other symptoms but i have heard stories online of people with no other symptoms. Ya i posted something like this before but this is real in depth i also think it showed more of how much i worry. Should i go to the doctor or wait and see if they go down to not feelable or if i get other symptoms?Oh and i have a few itchy red bumps ( 2 on back one on arm 2 on leg and 1 on neck) but i think these are mosquito bites which is why i said i went to a fireworks show by woodslol tbh thats what i needed to hearone of the nodes does stick out and i can feel it by brushing my fingers over it and it is behind the ear but still feels pretty small

A: Having lymph nodes is NORMAL, we all have them.If you have allergies, infections, or anything else that your body interprets as a risk (including insect bites) it is NORMAL for them to swell slightly. This shows they are working.If you press firmly it is NORMAL to be able to feel them. It is also NORMAL for them to swell and for others to react if you press to firmly.Leave your poor lymph nodes alone and stop being a hypochondriac.