Quick question

[Lam123]

Hi! Do we have lymph nodes in our jaw line? I was washing my face this morning and came across a bump that was sore on my jaw line. Could be the start of a pimple, but I got quite worried when I started to think if it was a swollen lymph node.

[Fishmanpa]

Yes, we have nodes to the inside of our jaw line (I actually had 23 of them removed during my surgery for oral cancer). The being said, based on your post, it could also be a ingrown hair/pimple. Either way, sore is a good thing. It just means they're doing their job and I wouldn't concern myself with it. If it persists more than a couple of weeks, then I'd see a doc. Otherwise, business as usual ;) Ohhh and don't be poking and prodding (I know you're doing it now so stop! ;)).

Positive thoughts

[Lam123]

Thank you for your reply. It seems a little odd to me that I had a swollen lymph node in my armpit at Christmas time, that went away, and now this swollen lymphnode, or atleast what it feels like. Ugh!

---------- Post added at 00:29 ---------- Previous post was at 00:15 ----------

Here I thought I was doing so much better, the lymph node at Christmas went down, I thought I was going to have a break from Ha, and now this.

[Fishmanpa]

Lymph nodes are the sewer system of the human body. Their job is to pick up nasties and filter them out. So they find something and can swell a bit. After they eliminate it, they reduce to normal. The VAST majority are just common everyday nasties like cold, bacteria etc. Heck a nasty pimple can make a node swell. Again. painful is good. Some OTC meds will help with the pain and do whatever you can to keep your hands off it. Poking and prodding can and will make it worse and too much can make it permanently swollen (shotty).

Positive thoughts

[Lam123]

How long should I wait to see the dr?

[Fishmanpa]

How long should I wait to see the dr?

A couple of weeks if it's not resolving. But again, don't poke and prod. You'll prevent healing and can actually make things worse.

Positive thoughts

[Lam123]

Thank you!

[Leah88]

Yep... I remember the first time I really noticed mine and they scared me so I just looked up the lymphatic system and it has large nodes which run through your jaw. That's why when you get a lymph massage they spend a lot of time on your jawline which I always found weird.

[Lam123]

Did yours ever swell? What was the reason?

[Leah88]

Did yours ever swell? What was the reason?

I think I imagined them swollen but were really probably normal size. I have a lymph node at the back of my neck that swells every few months but lymph nodes aren't a common theme of my hypochondria so I don't tend to worry too much. Any level of viral, bacterial or autoimmune response will cause lymph nodes to swell so I guess that's why they aren't a main worry for me. Yours probably isn't as swollen as you think either :)

[Lam123]

It's a main focus of my worries. It used to be my heart, now it's lymph nodes. I actually go back and forth. Meanwhile, I have Crohn's disease and never worry about it! 😂

[Lam123]

Out know what really bothers me about situations like this, if I rewind a few years ago, I didn't even know what lymph nodes were and what could happen if they were swollen. So if I woke up and had a swollen lymph node, I wouldn't even know it or care about it. But because of my Ha, and all the googling, it makes situations like these so difficult for me.