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View Full Version : Multiple Enlarged Painful Lymph Nodes In Neck & Infection



AmyJane1508
16-12-16, 15:55
For almost 3 weeks I've had some kind of viral infection (My Mom/Dad, Husband/Mother & Father in law have all had it too. It took them about a month to get over it). They've all said it's the worst they've ever had.

Mine started with a sore throat, pain swallowing and thick mucus draining down the back of my throat. The sore throat eased up for a few days and then I got an ear infection (Had a weeks antibiotics which I finished 3 days ago). The ear infection was nasty and made my ears and the side of my face feel numb. (Doc assured me it's just the inflammation pressing on a nerve). I had the infection in my ear canal in my right ear and mild inflammation in my left. I then developed cold symptoms such as an extremely runny nose, sneezing, coughing up mucus and then a dry tickly cough. I had a fever for 3 days even though I was taking paracetamol every 4 hours. The fever went away and so has the cold. The earache went away and left me with ringing in my one ear and mild deafness which has now cleared. My cough is almost gone. Ive been left with Laryngitis (Lost my voice Sunday night) and a sore throat especially when swallowing. My voice has started to come back but is not 100% strong. Tbe doc did say that can take a couple of weeks. What's worrying me is how swollen my neck lymph nodes have been on both sides. The doc examined them yesterday and said yes that's some good swollen nodes. There are quite a few swollen on both sides. You don't have to prod for them as they are quite noticeable. The doc even said I've got a froggy neck going on. She said she's not worried and that my body is fighting all this infection and that she would be more worried if they didn't swell considering how unwell I've been. She said if the nodes haven't gone down after 2 weeks of being completely better to come back and get a blood test. I think I am worried because of how uncomfortable they are. They make my neck feel really tight. It feels tight all down the sides and back of my neck. Sometimes they hurt when I press them and sometimes they hurt on their own. I'm keeping my hands off them now and using a warm compress every few hours. I don't remember my nodes hurting this much when I had glandular fever 19 years ago. This is the first time they've popped up like this since then. I'm trying not to panic as I know I've had this rotten virus/infection and that the doc didn't seem concerned. I quess I was just wondering if anyone has had multiple nodes swell on both sides of their neck and feel tight and tender with an infection. If so how long did it take for the sweeling to go down? I'm also feeling very tired and have painful ulcers in my mouth. I've been using a spray on these from the chemist and they feel about 70% better. It's just the tiredness and nodes I'm left with now. I feel so drained. I had a full blood test 2 months ago (unrelated) which came back completely normal and had a chest x-ray mid Nov which also came back clean.

Stecakes
16-12-16, 16:13
it's perfectly normal for reactive lymph nodes to raise with infection.
that's their job

AmyJane1508
16-12-16, 16:49
Thank you Stecakes. I was just wandering if anyone had it where they were so enlarged they made the neck feel very tight. I guess it's just freaked me out a little as it's never happened before and I've had my fair share of ear/throat/chest infections over the years.

Sande
16-12-16, 23:17
Hi there, I just wanted to let you know I have had what sounds like the same naff bug,
It's been very long winded and quite painful, iv had mine going on 5 weeks now and wondering how long it could possibly last, I have swollen painful lymphnodes to and they ache and my neck feels so tight when I move it from the pressure of them. Iv still got a cough the post nasal drip and it now feels like it's moving done to my chest and my throats and pretty much every upper body muscle hurt when I cough. I think it's just been a particularly nasty and persistent bug doing the rounds this year, hope you feel better soon.

AmyJane1508
17-12-16, 08:37
Hi Sande

Thank you for reassuring me. I hope you are feeling better soon. If you don't mind me asking how long have your lymph nodes been swollen for? It's such a strange sensation when your neck feels all tight, lumpy and sore. It is a nasty virus that's going around. I've probably got 3 or 4 swollen glands each side. It's so uncomfortable.

AmyJane1508
17-12-16, 18:04
Ok so now I'm freaking out. They lymph nodes at the back of my neck just below the ears are massive and hard. They are painless too. They have sprung up really quickly and they are not moveable. It's only the others low down in the neck that feel tender. Can't believe this is happening. I'm so scared. Don't want to leave my 9 month old baby without a Mum :(

zemikec
17-12-16, 18:13
Lymph nodes. I know them well.

I've had large painless ones under my jaw and in my neck due to an infection. My throat was painful, but they weren't as much or at all. Just a tightness that sucked. They were ping pong sized before I saw the doctor. They went to normal size a little while after the infection.

AmyJane1508
17-12-16, 18:51
Thank you Zemikec. My minds been in overdrive. Did you have to have a scan or anything or did your doctor wait to see if they went down? They are way bigger than when I had glandular fever 19 years ago. I was only 10 then so my Mum did the worrying for me. I didn't have a care in the world then

zemikec
17-12-16, 22:34
In my experiences, doctors don't care about nodes if you say you have been or are sick. Never had a scan. Doctors would confidently tell me that they'd go down in a week or two. Or three. Or four. And they did.

AmyJane1508
18-12-16, 06:12
Thank you so much for replying. I will try my hardest to stay calm until I go back to the Doctors after 2 weeks

AmyJane1508
18-12-16, 22:36
Stayed calm all day. Not touched or poked the swollen glands in my neck. Had a shower tonight and when blow drying my hair my neck started to feel all tight. Low and behold massive lumps behind each ear and the ones in my neck feel bigger. Everything feels as though it is pulling my neck. Today's the first day I feel better in myself. If the infections is almost gone why would the nodes keep swelling and new ones appear :( somethings up I know it. So frightened :(

AmyJane1508
19-12-16, 16:04
Well this is not good. Both sides are swollen above my collar bone. When I say swollen I mean swollen. A red rash has also appeared on my neck. I'm itching today everywhere. So scared. Got the docs tonight as an emergency appt. Freaking out big style :( I have a 9 month old baby. I'm so scared :(

SLA
19-12-16, 16:05
If you;ve had an infection, just don't worry about your nodes.

Swelling is them doing their natural job. Mine feel like crap today. Had an infection too.

AmyJane1508
19-12-16, 18:22
Thank you SLA. I think I was freaking out as I've had lots of infections over the years and they've never swollen. Not since I had glandular fever when I was 9 anyway. I've just got back from the docs. He suspects glandular fever / Mono again even though I've already had it once. He said it's super rare but some people do get it more than once. He's given me a blood test form. He said if not glandular fever then he thinks just a bad viral infection. He said he's not worried. He was more concerned about the laryngitis and me not resting my voice

AmyJane1508
26-12-16, 15:03
All my nodes have either disappeared or dramitally reduced in size except for one. It is still painful and big. I'm over the viral infection now. Is it normall for it to be this sore. They first raised 18 days ago. My blood test results are back but the Dr hadn't checked them before they closed for xmas

Fishmanpa
26-12-16, 15:08
All my nodes have either disappeared or dramitally reduced in size except for one. It is still painful and big. I'm over the viral infection now. Is it normall for it to be this sore. They first raised 18 days ago. My blood test results are back but the Dr hadn't checked them before they closed for xmas

That's a huge positive that the nodes are resolving and no, it's not unusual at all for one to be hanging on. It's most likely closest to the source of the original infection. Do you best not to poke and prod ya hear!

Positive thoughts

Bethel
26-12-16, 15:17
I have one lymph node in my neck, toward the right back side that ALWAYS gets puffed up when I'm sick. I can feel it more when I turn my head. Last year it puffed up to the size of like, what felt like a golf ball when I had allergies. Lately I haven't been able to just let it be. I feel your pain. I think it's normal for these to puff up now and again, as the body fends off infections. That said, I'm having my own. Out of panic this time around. Hope it goes down soon. 😔

AmyJane1508
26-12-16, 15:25
Thank you so much both. It is on the right hand side of my neck. It was my right ear that had a ear canal infection that was leaking fluid. Will keep my hands off it.

AmyJane1508
28-12-16, 16:23
For the last few weeks since my lymph nodes have been swollen I have been having tingling in my neck (right side only) where the biggest lymph node is. It tingles down my neck accross my collarbone and back up to my ear. I also feel my lips tingle. Does anyone think this could be related to say the node pressing on a nerve or could it be anxiety? I'm also feeling the tingle under my chin at the moment. My groimn and armpits are aching on and off too but I can't feel any enlarged nodes there. What is going on? Rang the docs today. My diabetes/thyroid/liver and renal blood tests are back and all ok but my EBV and full blood count hasn't been checked by the doc yet

Sphincterclench
28-12-16, 20:10
Does anyone think this could be related to say the node pressing on a nerve or could it be anxiety?

Yes and yes

AmyJane1508
28-12-16, 21:38
Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate it. Is it normal for a swollen lymph node to feel attached to muscle? It doesn't move but I can roll my finger over it and the skin moves freely but the node is stuck. Since my infection has gone all my nodes have dissapeared except for 2. I know this is a positive as the other kind posters have pointed out. One has shrunk down to the size of a petit pois pea (was oringianlly the size of a marble). I'm not worried about him. I'm sure he will clear off when he's ready or he might hang around a bit. It's the one on the other side that worries me. It's about the size of a kidney bean possibly a bit bigger. It's also sausage shaped. I know it might hang around for a while after the infection is gone. It seems like it's slightly bigger or hasn't shrunk at all. I only check the size once each night and keep my hands off during the day. This one worries me because it's further down my neck. You can't see it poking out but you can feel it and you don't have to dig in to find it. I've attached a pic of it's location.

AmyJane1508
02-01-17, 07:39
So my bloods have all came back negative however this lymph node is getting bigger. It also feels hard. It's kind if sausage shaped but some times feels oval. It's been raised 4 weeks on this thurs. I've been better for 8 days now and it's still getting bigger :(