Tips for dealing with HA about lymph nodes after seeing GP?

[scaredpt]

Long story short I've had a swollen lymph node for like 2 weeks now, was causing me a ton of pain last week. I have convinced myself it is lymphoma, and its basically paralyzed me. I may have had a dental infection when the swelling started (was getting a ton of pain near my jaw and where i had a tooth out a few weeks before.

I got up the nerve to see my GP-he seems pretty good, an older guy, and he felt the node and said it was pretty small and didn't seem abnormal after an infection. But, my HA is taking over and telling me he could be wrong, etc. Tips to deal with this?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi and welcome to NMP :welcome:

From a rationalisation point of view:

- you had an infection localised to the lymph node you believe is swollen.
- lymph nodes swell due to localised infections as they are working harder.
- you had an infection, and these can cause pain in those areas alone, which gives a likely root cause.
- the infection was diagnosed & treated by a dentist.
- dentists are specialists when it comes to the mouth.
- your GP, an experienced doctor who has probably felt enough lymph nodes in his career that if he had a $1 for each one he would be financing your government's loans :winks:, believes they are fine.
- your GP would have also heard what you described which tells him a possible root cause to analyse in his attempt at diagnosis.
- your GP doesn't even believe they have swelled due to the infection, and swelling is common, therefore what you may see or feel doesn't seem abnormal to someone who has not only been trained on what to look for and what to rule out but also has the benefit of comparing them to probably thousands of other patients with degrees of no swelling up to swelling & beyond (and GP's are often those seeing cancers at the start so they will know what rings alarm bells for further investigation)

So, you have a lot of counter evidence to your fear. In therapy you could use this as a technique against the obsessions.

But it's important to try to do other things, things not geared towards your anxiety, so that you have breaks from the thoughts. Whilst this can be hard, it helps.

[scaredpt]

Hi and welcome to NMP :welcome:

From a rationalisation point of view:

- you had an infection localised to the lymph node you believe is swollen.
- lymph nodes swell due to localised infections as they are working harder.
- you had an infection, and these can cause pain in those areas alone, which gives a likely root cause.
- the infection was diagnosed & treated by a dentist.
- dentists are specialists when it comes to the mouth.
- your GP, an experienced doctor who has probably felt enough lymph nodes in his career that if he had a $1 for each one he would be financing your government's loans :winks:, believes they are fine.
- your GP would have also heard what you described which tells him a possible root cause to analyse in his attempt at diagnosis.
- your GP doesn't even believe they have swelled due to the infection, and swelling is common, therefore what you may see or feel doesn't seem abnormal to someone who has not only been trained on what to look for and what to rule out but also has the benefit of comparing them to probably thousands of other patients with degrees of no swelling up to swelling & beyond (and GP's are often those seeing cancers at the start so they will know what rings alarm bells for further investigation)

So, you have a lot of counter evidence to your fear. In therapy you could use this as a technique against the obsessions.

But it's important to try to do other things, things not geared towards your anxiety, so that you have breaks from the thoughts. Whilst this can be hard, it helps.

I have been trying to challenge the thoughts but I am worried because it seems to be getting bigger not smaller, to the point where I can see it. I know most of the lymph node posts on here end up being nothing, but I'm pretty sure I actually have something wrong medically.

---------- Post added at 16:47 ---------- Previous post was at 16:28 ----------

Mine is really big and so so painful, it feels like a paper cut in my neck. I'm trying not to touch it because it gets worse after that but I don't know what to do bc i saw doctor last week.

[Fishmanpa]

Here's the deal. As per a medical professional, there's nothing wrong. It's reactive to stimuli from a dental infection and not of the size to be concerned. You're poking and prodding making is worse and add to that Google and here you are.

Essentially you're feeding the dragon. You're doing the exact thing your anxiety needs to keep on going and has you wrapped around his little fingers.

It comes down to some will power and some common sense. Don't poke and prod and continue to repeat the rational reasons this is not sinister.

Therapy and meds may help as well.

Positive thoughts

[scaredpt]

I understand I shouldn't worry and be rational but what if it IS growing? It is visible as a bump in the line of my neck which is why I'm worried because I can literally see it

[Fishmanpa]

I understand I shouldn't worry and be rational but what if it IS growing? It is visible as a bump in the line of my neck which is why I'm worried because I can literally see it

"What If" it's not? You know I had head and neck cancer. The node grew from less than an almost to a small egg in 5 months. If that happens... worry ok? In the mean time keep you hands off of it!

Positive thoughts

[scaredpt]

Pretty sure it is growing, but maybe that's my perception.

[Fishmanpa]

Pretty sure it is growing, but maybe that's my perception.

Your anxiety induce skewed perception. Stop touching it for goodness sakes!

Positive thoughts