Why are we all scared of lymph nodes!

[MartMart22]

Hey guys,

I post quite alot on here and lately ive been noticing that about 70percent of the post are about lymph nodes so I think we should use this thread to help and reasure each other.

Ill start by saying I was looking into lymphatic massage and I decided to give it a go an now im freaking out after googling after it says this can help things spread so im worrying that ive done something stupid and now spread whatever is in my neck around my body :(

[amber2k13a]

Because we are hypersensitive. Remember there are many natural and safe lumps and bumps under your skin, glands, nodes, fatty tissue, scars, veins, arteries etc... We just concentrate on them and assume each lump or bump is a tumour, whereas people without anxiety never bother to feel all over purposefully looking for something, like we do.

[Fj2014]

Because we are hypersensitive. Remember there are many natural and safe lumps and bumps under your skin, glands, nodes, fatty tissue, scars, veins, arteries etc... We just concentrate on them and assume each lump or bump is a tumour, whereas people without anxiety never bother to feel all over purposefully looking for something, like we do.

Great answer! I'm stressing over one right now that I wouldn't have noticed had I not gone poking around!!!

[Fishmanpa]

My theory is that it all comes in cycles and there is a certain amount of mass hysteria, for lack of a better description, that goes on. When there are posts about melanoma, heart fears, ALS or other hot button topics, it seems there are many similar posts that follow. Like when that young woman died not too long ago (turned out to be a drug overdose), there were several posts about sudden death syndrome. But you're right, nodes are a big one for sure.

At least that's been my observation...

Positive thoughts

[jab1982]

Because, let's face it, unfamiliar bumps are scary. We don't know exactly what they are, and if they are lymphnodes why are large enough to feel?! If we can feel them then we must be sick!!!

So many issues are related to "swollent glands" and "inflammed lymphnodes". Some not so serious and others quite serious. But let's think about this rationally.....

There are so many more NOT-SO-SERIOUS reasons that cause lymphnode inflammation. So, with that in mind we can try and relax! :)

[Dolphin8808]

I think its because whenever you hear "lump or bump" our minds go to cancer. Those are lumps and bumps that we can feel so we freak. I have one on each side of my neck, super hard like pebbles, same size, same place... I still freak out about them though they have probably been there for YEARS.

[Sunflower2]

Before I joined this site I had no idea what a lymph node was.. Still not entirely sure, and I also do not want to know. Maybe I'm wrong in thinking this but when someone is properly sick, they would have more symptoms than something swollen? Just putting that there that maybe knowledge about something is more harm than good. Saying that I have obsessed over things in the past too so can understand why people worry.

[Fishmanpa]

We have literally hundreds (400-700) nodes in our bodies. They're our body's sewer system and let's face it, we throw a lot of crap into ourselves. Between that and the minor infections and for many here, constant poking and prodding, it's no wonder the nodes get a little angry.

What many here also don't realize is what a true swollen node, one that would be considered "sinister" looks like. I posted a pic of two cancerous nodes taken out of my neck. From the outside, it looked like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck. When taken out, they were the size of small tangerines!

Many talk about a node the size of a pebble or a piece of rice. A "normal" node can be 2+CM and still be normal or reactive. People are not made of smooth marble. We're flesh, bone and full of lumps, bumps and squishy things. Depending on your body makeup, you can feel quite a few. Most aren't really trained to even know where to look and many times what feels hard and immobile are bones (there have been several posts to that fact).

So... why so many node posts? In my opinion, as I said here and in another thread, I believe it's just time for a node cycle of posts. One node post comes up and bam!... node posts galore. It's akin to a mass hysteria thing. Before that it was melanoma and before that bowel cancer. It's just one of the many hot buttons that feed the fears of HA sufferers.

Positive thoughts

[nomorepanic]

It was moles before and now lymph nodes - fishmanpa needs a funny looking picture of one of those now :winks:

[Fishmanpa]

It was moles before and now lymph nodes - fishmanpa needs a funny looking picture of one of those now :winks:

I could always post the pics from my neck dissection again :ohmy:

Positive thoughts

[nomorepanic]

I bet they are nice !

[3tikes]

I'm not entirely sure what they are, where they are or what/how they should or should not feel like. Ignorance is bliss for me on this one, otherwise it'll give me something else to fret over so I'm not going to start poking around looking for something that I know I won't like x

[Serenity1990]

I'm not scared of lymph nodes. They're there to do a job and they do it well. Sometimes they're raised, sometimes for quite a long time, and sometimes they're flat. No big deal.