Sudden onset hard Lymph node in neck HA

[LvdS]

Hello everybody,

I've had a long history of health anxiety, predominantly related to ALS, several forms of cancer etc. The usual. Today, ive suddenly spiraled into something new.

A little less than a month ago I became really sick, came down with a major fever. Since i kind of suspected mono at the time, I started checking my glands. They were swollen, but in the end i didn't think i had mono and my fever and the swelling went away after two weeks.

A few days ago I got a minor cold, nothing serious apart from a slight cough, runny nose and sore throat. Today however, I found that I had a swollen gland underneath my left ear. It can't have been there for more than a week, because I checked my glands when I got better from the flu. The thing that freaks me out is that it's hard, and unfortunately i've read up on hard glands. Beyond that its tender but not painful when i dont touch it, it looks like it does move around slightly and its around 1 cm. I can see it when i turn my head to the side. I also have a tender swollen gland on the other side of my head, around the same spot, which is less swollen but also slightly hard; still moveable.

I know it's not even been a day, but I can already feel myself spiralling into a huge anxiety attack. Do I have reason to worry? I wouldn't even think of worrying if the glands werent this hard.

[Fishmanpa]

Do I have reason to worry?

As a head and neck cancer survivor, no.

Positive thoughts

[eminence]

That is totally normal, there's no reason to worry.

[LvdS]

As a head and neck cancer survivor, no.

Positive thoughts

Thank you both. This alone feels like a huge help.

[LvdS]

Quick update: the small visible node on one side has gone down in size, and this doesnt worry me anymore. My cold is basically over, just have an itchy throat now and a cough. However, the swollen gland on the other side is still there, moveable and rubbery and still tender. Im too anxious to estimate if the size has gone down; it seems to be the same size or slightly snaller. it is still driving me crazy. The idea that it may not go down has been ruining my week. I take it that glands can hang around a while after an infection has passed?
Mentally im already seeing myself in a hospital bed, I hate being like this.

[LvdS]

I’m still panicking constantly, and its really affecting my quality of life right now. Id love to know if anyone had similar situations: the node hasnt gone down and its visible when i turn my head all the way to the side. I think it went down a few days ago but i was prodding it and it became bigger. Even though i know this im freaking out about it. Im calling my GP tonorrow to hopefully let her look at it.
Reasons i think i have cancer:
-its a swollen lymph node
-it might get bigger but hasnt yet
-it feels like it might be bigger than 2 cm
-it has become painless
Reasons i might not have cancer:
-i was sick for two weeks and got a cold after, causing them to swell
-literally do not have any other ailments
-its moveable even though it wasnt at first
-im spiralling mentally because i had an awful couple of months, culminating in the end of a relationship, which i feel caused this.

Even though the above is clear to me, im still panicking so much.