Lymph nodes - how long to go down?

[LeighD]

Hi all.

I have a swollen lymph node behind my ear, and its been there about 2 weeks. It came up after I had an eye allergy, and was pretty sore. The soreness is gone, but the pea-sized thing is still there.

The doc says it can take 4-6 weeks to go down. I know there are lots of "lymph" posts on the site, but haven't found anything specific to length of time till I have to peace of mind???

Any advice would be greatly welcomed. Of course I have gone from Zero to Cancer in 3 seconds.

Leigh

[mikhail1028]

Just dont google it more or less stay away from the internet its evil

[marley]

Hi Leigh

I too am a lymph node obsess-ee! Those things annoy the heck out of me.

Regarding time, the reason you wont find posts about it is because it differs - some people have swollen nodes for a few days, some have them for years. It really depends on your individual situation. I've had the ones in my neck (smaller than pea sized) up for at least 6 months, and the doctor pointed out that that's not even swollen. They need to be at least a centimetre to be considered swollen.

Sometimes nodes don't return to their previous size and remain palpable.

[meg86]

If your lymph nodes are pea sized, they are not pathalogically enlarged, i also went through a lymph node phrase and once you stop poking and prodding them you wont even know they are there.

Its normal to feel pea sized glands, i have lots so does my family. I also have one under my jaw that is grape sized on one side, when i get a cold its huge. If you have been checked out by the doctor and he thinks he is fine please take his word for it :) xx

[LeighD]

Thanks everyone - I really appreciate the reassurance. This forum is a real help.

And you are right - I must stop prodding and poking. How did you know I was doing that? You must be psychic....

Bizarrely it's very comforting to know that others react in the same way as me.

Thanks again
Leigh

[meg86]

Hey hun :)

You need to treat it a bit like a addiction, i used to touch them constantly and make them sore, and keep comparing the size of them, its really hard to stop but i know you can do it! the doctor has said you are fine so just say to yourself right i am not going to poke for 2 days! and see how you feel, the longer you leave it you will notice that the anxiety reduced, the first day is the hardest but the 2nd day us easier and i promise if you continue to leave it, it will get easier again give it a try :) xx

[LeighD]

Hi all - thanks so much for the advice.

It's now nearly 7 weeks since I noticed the lump, and probably 4 of those weeks were spent in panic, prodding and worrying.

On everyone's advice I stopped poking and feeling the damn thing, and guess what - within a few days it started to go down. It's now virtually non-existent.

Thank you all for helping me through my panic and health anxiety. And for helping me to master my fear. The site was invaluable in helping me to realise that I was not experiencing anything wildly exotic. Loads of people have "lump" issues and this was strangely comforting and helped me through it.

Leigh

[beanie]

Hi Leigh

Am really pleased it has resolved for you now :)

They are funny things - one in my neck has stayed swollen for 5 years now since I had glandular fever. Finally thought it was worth getting it checked last year. Went through a barrage of tests and it's totally fine. It obviously just wants to stay that way lol! Not poking these things constantly is definately the way forward :D

[Jesschuk]

Thank you sooo much for posting this info i just discovered a pea sized lymph node and the doctor said it was due to an infection and i had a fever. but i still am panicking that it is cancer...i think i am just scared b/c my auntie recently had thyroid cancer and it got me feeling around and being more paranoid than normal.,I feel better after reading this

[Fishmanpa]

Hi Guys,

Having had oral cancer, I can tell you that what you describe doesn't present itself as cancer so as a few have stated, stay away from Dr. Google. And seriously, are you going to trust an algorithm on a website or a schooled trained physician that sees hundreds of patients in real life along with scientific tests and imaging? Also keep in mind the forum you're posting on. Somewhere through the fog that is HA, there is your logical self that knows that it's anxiety making you think the worse.

We have 500-600 lymph nodes in our bodies and at any given time, if you search, poke or prod enough you'll find a few. Play around with any of them enough and they'll swell from the trauma. The lymph nodes are the "sewer system" in our bodies and it should be no surprise that you'll find one swollen due to an illness or virus or by having to filter some of the crap we put into our bodies. And to answer your question, your doctor is spot on it and be 4-6 weeks or longer until a lymph node will return to normal and sometimes they never do.

If you're thinking cancer, you can put it out of your head because 95+% of the time, you won't have any symptoms at all until it's been there for a while. I didn't have any symptoms other than a painless hard, large (1.5CM when I first felt it) lymph node. In fact I had no discomfort at all until shortly before the neck dissection when I felt a fullness and some mild pain from the tumors pressing on vital structures in my neck. They were close to 5cm when removed. It also doesn't come and go. Once a lymph node is affected, the cancer (in oral cancer cases) is metastatic and has spread from the primary site. It will continue to grow so it will be pretty obvious after a while. All of you have been checked out and if there were any red flags, you'd be going for further testing. I'm not a doctor but I've been there, done that so rest easy, what you describe is not presenting like oral cancer.

Seek out and beat the beast that is anxiety. Between therapy, CBT and meds there is one or a combination thereof that will get to the real illness which is anxiety.

Good Luck! :)

[kittencake]

I have two lymph nodes which have been enlarged for years... one on my neck and one above my collarbone. The doctor has checked them out, including sending me for an x-ray, and thinks they are nothing significant.

[lisab1]

i made the mistake of going on Lymphoma forums.
its really freaked me out, im going to try and not touch my lymph node
Lisa x