Swollen / painful lymph nodes - anxiety?

[CoraB]

I need some help and reassurance badly here. I'm pretty sure I've got swollen lymph nodes in my neck and armpits. They're tender to press, particularly under my armpits but the only one I can definitely feel is in my neck.

I've read quite a bit about this being somethig people with anxiety report quite a lot. My health anxiety is the worst it's ever been at the moment there are few times I actually feel ok, normally I am feeling shaky, aches and pains, dizzy and really fatigued. I'm not at the drs for a week and struggling.

Anyway, I was just wondering how many of you guys have the tender/swollen lymph nodes too and do you think this is part of the body's defence against the panic?

[KeeKee]

I'm no expert but when your nodes are sore it usually indicates an infection. As I seldom Google these days (except over Christmas which destroyed my Christmas grrrr) so I'm not 100% but sure I once read swollen lymph nodes related to cancer aren't painful. I know loads of people at the moment who are coming down with the cold.

[CoraB]

Mine definitely hurt so I suppose that's kind of reassuring! I'm just terrified it's cancer spreading. Had to get back in bed this morning and just sleep I was so so tired and as soon as I wake up there's the anxiety shaking again. I know the anxiety is making everything a lot worse.

[Fishmanpa]

Certainly, high stress biology can incite a reaction in a lymph node but most of the time if they swell, it's due to some infection or virus or anything else that cause our body to fight back.

In your situation, I truly feel it's due to possibly some reaction and poking and prodding... And yes, nodes will react to that. A swollen node is pretty obvious and one doesn't have to dig around to find them I assure you.

Having had cancer that affected the nodes in my neck, there was no mistaking it. As was said, hard as rock, painless, growing and visible.

As was said, there's a lot of crud going around this time of year so perhaps you have a touch of something.

Positive thoughts

[CoraB]

I do have to really feel around to find them especially in my armpit. I'm going to make an concerted afford not to poke or prod them and see what happens and then ask the Dr to check them next week.

I'm still in bed now and I just feel like whatever this is whether it is something serious or just anxiety it's taking over my life I'm struggling even with being off work to do normal stuff like tidy and wash up.

It's affecting my marriage too as my husband is working but having to worry all the time about me and he can't understand why I can't pull myself together. I'm so worried all the time about how we will pay for the house and will he leave me over this.

[Haylee.a]

I went to the doctors yesterday! My lymph nodes in my neck are really swollen and one under my armpit! And they are painful! I've also got bronchitis and sinitus ATM..... I panicked and said please check me to make sure it isn't lukeamia lol!!! So he did! He said with that disease it's normally different to just normal lymph infection (which he said I have infection on my chest and lymphs and not to worry) these poor doctors having to deal with people like me lol!!! So yeh I was given antibiotics but he said lymphs normally decide to go down on their own and sometimes antibiotics don't even take them down!! So yep there's loads going around ATM and 2 hospitals where I live (Essex) are both on black alert because of how many people are getting ill ATM!!! I'm sure it's nothing xx

[jackdobs]

Just to clarify, can poking/prodding every day make them swollen/prominent? My particular "something" I'm worried about seems to come up and be so obvious when I'm trying to squeeze, prod, pull etc.

[Traceypo]

Cora, I had a particularly nasty abscess in September, this was the first time the nodes swelled in my groin and boy did I know about it. I first noticed when I was driving as the seater dug in. In true ha fashion, I ran to the Doctor (they were huge), my doctor was so matter of fact stating what did I expect, my body is responding to the infection. Believe me, I didn't have to look for these.
On the armpit thing, mine swell a little with shaving, no firm lumps but my armpits can feel sore, the more I prod the more I can feel.
Xxx