Has anyone made their symptoms worse by prodding?

[Emmaisworried]

I am obsessed about my lymph nodes at the moment and have found some swollen ones which I have been touching constantly over the past couple of days. As a result my glands are sore today. Would this be expected if I kept touching them?

I've also found bruises on my hips/tummy which sent me into a huge panic. Then I realised its right on the spot I have been prodding as I've had a sore hip recently. It's visible finger print bruises where I have been prodding. Yes I am still wondering if this is even possible?

[beatroon]

Hi Emmaisworried, yes, this has happened to me and I am sure countless others. It's pretty much certain that if you prod and poke you will create problems where there were none, and it can happen quickly too - you are probably prodding and testing without realising it. It's a classic anxiety trick.

Thing to do is just to start noticing when you do it - some mindfulness techniques might help here - and then try to phase out the prodding. If in two weeks of no prodding you still feel there's a problem, then consult your GP, but be sure to mention how anxious you have been about it and the constant checking, so you can treat the anxiety as well as anything else.

I bet this is just anxiety though! If you do a search for 'checking' or 'testing' on the boards, you'll see how common a symptom this is.

Good luck!

[unsure_about_this]

Yes more ache and pains, in my mind these aches and pains are signs that a cancer is advanced or bone cancer

[countrygirl]

If you prod a lymph node, even one that is perfectly normal and not swollen at all and you prod it enough then it inflames and swells up. Believe me I know this from experience!

I learnt that if you find a swollen lymph node then touch it gently no more than once a day if that otherwise it will get bigger but because you are inflaming it.

If a lymph nodes stays swollen or grows very rapidly then yes see your Dr but most slightly swollen lymph nodes will resolve themselves within 14 days so no need to rusht to Dr's in most cases.

[FreakOutQueen]

Absolutely! For the past month I was convinced I was dying from inflammatory breast cancer and poked and prodded my left boob so much it got a deep shade of pink. I have left it alone for two days and can hardly notice anything. Sometimes the more we poke, the worst it gets. Also- the more we pay attention to something - the more we fixate and make a mountain out of a mole hill. Way easier said than done though...

[GlassPinata]

I am obsessed about my lymph nodes at the moment and have found some swollen ones which I have been touching constantly over the past couple of days. As a result my glands are sore today. Would this be expected if I kept touching them?

I've also found bruises on my hips/tummy which sent me into a huge panic. Then I realised its right on the spot I have been prodding as I've had a sore hip recently. It's visible finger print bruises where I have been prodding. Yes I am still wondering if this is even possible?



Ha. Yes. Sometimes I feel that my lymph nodes weren't palpable, until I poked and prodded them for years.
Now I can point to each and every one (well, maybe not, since we apparently have hundreds... but at least the more prominent ones).
Lymph node anxiety is the worst. It's the worst because you can actually MAKE it worse- cause your nodes to swell and become reactive- by prodding.
Yet it's so hard to leave them alone!
It's a vicious cycle.

PS just remind yourself that if you're having to prod so deep as to leave bruises on yourself in order to feel these alleged "lymph nodes", then they are probably nothing at all to worry about. Doctors don't leave bruises when they palpate nodes. They touch them very gently. Anything that you can't feel with a gentle touch is probably insignificant.

[Fishmanpa]

TRUTH: Everyone has nodes... 500-700 of them. They range in size from less than a BB to 2cm. If you poke and prod enough you'll find a few. Poking and prodding can and will cause them to react and swell.

Keep your hands to yourself and you won't have an issue.

Positive thoughts

[Thelegend27]

A lymph node obsession is a terrible obsession trust me I'm in the same boat. Prodding can definitely cause them to become sore and even bigger, I had stopped poking mine they may not even be palpable now but I poke them daily mine are in my neck so they are easy to poke at. They haven't changed much since I noticed them 7 months ago, I had a ultrasound and complete blood count all were normal, so if I was you I'd go request a cbc and ultrasound to put your mind at ease.

[Fishmanpa]

if I was you I'd go request a cbc and ultrasound to put your mind at ease.

If I were you, I would just exercise some self control and stop messing with your nodes.

Positive thoughts

[tantopat]

Yep, I've definitely done this! I recently scared myself into thinking I had a blood clot, then started prodding my leg to check whether it hurt - after prodding for a while, it definitely hurt! The same's happened to numerous spots, and each time leaving them alone has helped them stop hurting. So it sounds like this is simply a vicious cycle of anxiety and making symptoms worse by checking them so often, which I'm sure many of us have done! :)

[Emmaisworried]

Thanks E everyone.

I'm a mess tonight as have had night sweats for the 4th night in a week �� They make me waken up in a panic

[mrsgilby569]

Hello,yes this happens to me too.When i leave it,it does not hurt anymore. When i have googled stuff in the past i always end up getting the symptoms too. I am that bad i have a ultrasound,mammogram and MRI scan booked in this month its expensive but i have had a health scare over Christmas and the doctors blame it all on Anxiety,i am not risking it so paying private.

I hope you manage to overcome it,i was never worried till i had a health scare. It has ruined my life.