Swollen lymph node

[Anonybrit]

A few weeks ago I woke up from a bad dreams all hot and sweaty, and although this wasn't a proper drenching "night sweat", I knew this was a symptoms of lymphoma and started checking my lymph nodes.

I have noticed a 1 - 1.5cm swollen node on the right of my neck.

It's behind the diagonal muscle down my neck, meaning it is a posterior cervical lymph node.

It doesn't hurt (or it didn't until I started poking it loads), it is hard, rubbery - I can't tell if it's movable or not, it's certainly not locked into place but I can't move it up or down or move it side to side very much.

I can't find any other swollen nodes and the equivalent node on the opposite side is far far smaller.

I have read that the posterior cervical lymph nodes are among the most commonly affected by lymphoma, and I honestly have never noticed a swollen node in this area before.


I'm really really really worried, I saw a nurse who did a really quick and general feel of my neck and she said she couldn't feel a lump, and whilst it's not obvious and doesn't stick out of my neck, if you palpate for it it is very easy to feel.

Tough, rubbery and like an elongated oval in shape.

So freaked out by it......

[salimali]

I have exactly the same thing. Enlarged posterior cervical. Gp examined mine a couple of weeks back and told me she was sure it was nothing more that a shotty lymph node ( lympb node that has remained swollen after infection-normal. I have been worried about mine as well. GP did take my bloods and they were normal so I would hope that lymphoma would have showed some abnormalities there. Mine feels just like yours. I dont know how long mine has been there but I did notice it about 3 months ago.

Try not to worry,and if the nurse couldt feel anything then thats ok. Have you asked Gp to check it out for your peace of mind
sharanjXX

[Anonybrit]

I have exactly the same thing. Enlarged posterior cervical. Gp examined mine a couple of weeks back and told me she was sure it was nothing more that a shotty lymph node ( lympb node that has remained swollen after infection-normal. I have been worried about mine as well. GP did take my bloods and they were normal so I would hope that lymphoma would have showed some abnormalities there. Mine feels just like yours. I dont know how long mine has been there but I did notice it about 3 months ago.

Try not to worry,and if the nurse couldt feel anything then thats ok. Have you asked Gp to check it out for your peace of mind
sharanjXX


Thanks for your reply Sharanj, it's good to know I'm not the only one with this specific node enlarged, if it had been a submandibular node I wouldn't have worried as those are always popping up now and again in people, but I couldn't find much info on the posterior cervicals and whether or not they became enlarged by normal, mild infections.

If yours hasn't changed in 3 months then you almost certainly have nothing to worry about, and whilst not all lymphomas have telltale signs in bloods, most do, and a 3 month old one certainly would. You're all clear.

I'm trying to leave mine alone for a few days before I have another feel and see if it's just been me provoking it and making it swell. I'm booking an appointment to see the GP next week and will make sure I show him exactly what I'm talking about so at least it provides me with better piece of mind even if he gives me the "nothing to worry about" line.

[salimali]

Im trying my best not to prod mine, but not easy!! Let me know what the doc sais. Im sure its nothing and might have been there for a long time. My Gp told me that she would send me ti have it removed if I wanted cos she didnt want me to worry about it. Not decided about that yet as a biopsy would send my HA through the roof. All the best X

[Anonybrit]

I suppose it's no coincedence that I started a case unit on lymphoma at uni this week...

But coincedences do happen :(

does anyone know if the posterior cervicals are raised by simple viral infections?

I can't stop prodding still but I'm doing it very lightly, on second thoughts it's not quite as big as I thought but I'm still going to the GP.

[Vanilla Sky]

I think it can be raised by simple viral infections, i'm not an expert . Could it be a dental problem ? thyriod? Even glandular fever ?

[lilypippin]

Anonybrit...I could have written your post myself. I have exactly the same node swollen, feels smooth, oval, rubbery, fixed, hard....not the best characteristics for our nodes! If I feel the other side, I can feel 'something', but nothing quite as defined as on the right hand side. I only noticed it by chance whilst examining my shotty nodes. I've pointed it out to the doc and he said, 'if you press hard enough, you're bound to feel lumps', but he did agree that it was a lymph node and the repeated swelling of those in my neck and collarbone area, together with the petechial rash I was complaining about yesterday, were enough for him to send me for a full blood count.
Interesting that you are a med student and suffering with HA...i wanted to study medicine throughout school and a-levels, but it was my HA that put me off. I thought it would exacerbate my probs, so I went down the journalism route instead!

[Anonybrit]

How long does it take for these things to go down if you've ben messig with them?

It's been about 3 or 4 days and mine feels about the same, maybe a little tougher :(

[Anonybrit]

God.. I am really getting anxious about this now.

[O_O]

How did this turn out for everyone? I've got one kind of by my hyoid bone. Small, smooth, spherical, slightly moveable, feels kind of hard. Didn't hurt until I kept prodding it. Don't know how long it's been there, only noticed it the other day.

Doctor felt it today and was unconcerned but I'm still paranoid...

[O_O]

I thought you were going to accept the doctors advice in this? :)

Half an hour has passed since then Dave!!

I've been so good for legit about two years, basically anxiety free, and now... this.

I think it's a submandibular node. Why on earth would I have a swollen node if I don't have any infection? Even the doctor said she thought it was a node.

If it's not a node then it must be a cyst. I think I'd prefer that.

[O_O]

Really? How big is it and what does it feel like?

I have this really vague memory of finding a neck lump years ago and now I'm not sure if it's the same lump or not. Even if it is, it could still be low grade non Hodgkin's lymphoma :(

And if it's new it could be any type of lymphoma, given the absence of infection!

I know all I can do it try to trust the doctors and wait it out though. See if it gets bigger. Without prodding it constantly.

Recently I have had doctors get some things wrong with advice and procedures so I'm more mistrustful now.

[Bobi]

5-6 years ago I wasted more than six months on poking around my body and looking for lymph nodes. I was pretty sure that I'm going to die.

First I found one in the right side of my neck, then a bunch of them in the groin, latter I palpated a mass in the left armpit. I was really really depressed for months.

It turned out it was nothing - all these nodes are still in their places, are of the same size, shape etc. They're part of our bodies and should be there.

I leaned that people with cancer have huge, golf ball like nodes. You don't need to dig with your fingers between skin and muscles to find them.

If you don't have any other symptoms, you feel well but you worry because you found out a small node on the place where it should be - then you have to stop it. I know it's extremely hard to stop worrying, but you should know that you're healthy and there's no reason to waste your life.

[O_O]

5-6 years ago I wasted more than six months on poking around my body and looking for lymph nodes. I was pretty sure that I'm going to die.

First I found one in the right side of my neck, then a bunch of them in the groin, latter I palpated a mass in the left armpit. I was really really depressed for months.

It turned out it was nothing - all these nodes are still in their places, are of the same size, shape etc. They're part of our bodies and should be there.

I leaned that people with cancer have huge, golf ball like nodes. You don't need to dig with your fingers between skin and muscles to find them.

If you don't have any other symptoms, you feel well but you worry because you found out a small node on the place where it should be - then you have to stop it. I know it's extremely hard to stop worrying, but you should know that you're healthy and there's no reason to waste your life.

Well, I don't have to dig for it. I only found it because I rubbed my neck and felt it there. It's small at the moment though, like a little pea. I don't have any nodes like that at the moment. Doctor just reckons it's shotty so I'll just try to go with that I guess unless it gets bigger!