Bit freaked

[Fedup79]

Hi all

Lymph node fear is back :( ive a lump about a cm below my earlobe near my jaw joint (my mum can feel it too) I can feel it no matter what way i move. I dont know if its maybe a spot coming up or if its maybe a node. (Had a sore throat, snotty nose, cough for past week or so and had sore ears the last day or to) whichy anxiety is saying is related to something sinister (how i dont know!!)

Last had bloods taken at the end of feb and they were normal. Ive got a neck scan at the end of the moth (seperate issue) but im freaking out! Trying not to poke at it or anything but struggling. Have dr next week anyway but struggling to keep the anxiety calm!! Also been tired recently but also been highly stressed, anxious and depression is starting again.

Thanks f9r any reassurnce in advance xx

[Bearinmind]

Lymph nodes can work as the garbage disposal for your immune system. Whenever you have some inflammation they will swell, sometimes even painfully, because they're filling up with dead cells your immune system is fragging up. It's how doctors can tell you have some inflamation/infection without actually spotting the inflammation itself, they search for the swollen lymph nodes, which can more or less tell where the inflammation is.

From your symptoms list, it appears you had a common upper respiratory tract infection recently, an allergy or cold, so, it's expected for some lymph node around your head area to be swollen as it's taking up all the trash from that infection. This is actually the reason doctors tell you to drink plenty of water when you're sick: the lymph nodes use water secretions to clean themselves up, which is why you tend to get dehydrated when you're fighting some infection, even the common cold.

Try to stay hydrated, the lymph node should get back to normal within some days. Also, try to get relaxed, stress makes inflammations stronger, which makes them last longer.

[Fedup79]

Thanks bearinmind. Think just with alot of financial stress going on just now that this has just freaked me out totally. Its near a cluster ofspots aswell so could poss be something to do with that but i dont know. Xx