Obsessed With Lymph Nodes

[sophiethestar]

I am absolutely obsessed with my lymph nodes. I've been like this since I found a swollen one behind my ear a few months ago which is shrinking now. But a few days ago I prodded the side of my neck and felt one, and felt one on the other side too, and then I prodded round the back of my neck and could feel them there too. These ones are only tiny though, maybe around 1cm. Because I can feel them does that mean they are swollen? Or can you feel them when they are not swollen too? Can you feel yours all the time?

[football12345]

I tend to find lymph nodes pop up all over the place when stressed. I've had them in my groin, neck and at the back of my head.

When they pop up I often find them painful and they do cause me a lot of anxiety aswell.


Tom

[sophiethestar]

I'm pretty stressed out at the moment with my alevel exams and health anxiety so I'm hoping that's all that's causing it. Thanks for responding. :)

[football12345]

I'm pretty stressed out at the moment with my alevel exams and health anxiety so I'm hoping that's all that's causing it. Thanks for responding. :)

Yeah that's very much likely the cause. I just tend to not notice mine once the stress levels drop, but I know how it feels to be really worried about something, horrible feeling!


Tom

[Rachel W]

Also, if you keep poking at a node it stays up longer. Also, it is possible that nodes can be felt, but if they stay around but are only about 1 cm then that is not considered swollen. They are then called 'shotty' lymph nodes.

[sophiethestar]

Thank you. :)

[football12345]

Ironic that I posted in this thread only a couple of days ago and now a lymph node has popped up on the back of my head! Ugh :(

[SarahXX]

I have suffered so much with node anxiety recently. It all started about a year and a half ago when I found a little pea sized node at the bottom left side of my neck. Then another appears next to it the same size. But now I have one on the right side and one at the back of my head near my muscle. I've had them scanned & seen an Ent who said they are normal size and nothing to worry about but I suffer with ha and find it hard to believe just like that. I prod them all the time to make sure they arnt any bigger and my neck and shoulder area is really tender and sore has been for a few weeks. I'm trying my best to leave them alone but the stuff on google is scary. I'm constantly feeling friends and family's necks and never find anything but muscle tissue? Help !!! Help me stop touching them! It's obsessive and out of control! I'm expecting my second child in 5 weeks and need this sorting! Thanku

[Fishmanpa]

I'm a head and neck cancer survivor. I first noticed something was up when I had a rather large swollen lymph node on the left side of my neck. It was totally painless and hard and didn't respond to antibiotics.

There are approximately 300 or so lymph nodes in the head and neck area divided into 5 areas and close to 600 total in our bodies. Normally, a healthy lymph node is about 1-1.5cm. Think of them like the body's sewer traps. If a lymph node swells, it's typically due to an infection but prodding them with your fingers can certainly aggravate them.

Yes, you can feel them. It's obvious when they're swollen as they will often protrude and probably be painful. The only way to diagnose if it is serious (i.e. cancer) is through a biopsy of the affected gland. If you suspect anything, your best course of action is to see an ENT that specializes in oral cancers.

Honestly, what is described here is perfectly normal. If it was something serious, they would swell, stay swollen and grow, not responding to antibiotics. Otherwise it's just your body doing it's thing and cleaning out the nasties.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

[SarahXX]

My little ones are litrally only 3 mil each but my back of neck one a but harder. I've had one for a year and a half I just don't understand how they never go away. I've had bad sinusitis last year is it possible they are shoddy nodes? And maybe they will never go away?

[Thelegend27]

Wow sara, after reading your reply it almost felt lime i wrote it, because i too have what you described. I also found a small lymph node on the lower part of the left side of my neck and then found another right beside it, i then found two side by side on the right side almost symmetrical to the left sided ones. I had a ultrasound and complete blood count which both came back normal. The nodes on side of my neck were 1.1 cm and below, and i think the biggest was under my jaw at 1.9 cm which from what i understand that node is normally 1.5 cm so its just slightly enlarged. I also found a very tiny node higher up on my neck if i had to guess id say its around 0.5 cm. My nodes also had fatty hilum present which the doctor said is a good thing. I hope to hear from you and know how things turned out for you because ive really beaten myself up over all this. At first i was worried that it was the supracalvicular lymph nodes but my doctor said that theu are in the supracalvicular area but that its not a supracalvicular node. Google scared me bad and to anyone reading this, stay away from google, its full of half truths and it is poorly monitored, so people can say anything, and just because it sounds like what you're experiencing doesn't mean it is what you're experiencing.

[AnxiousAbbie]

I spent a few months last year trawling these forums searching for lymph node posts. I had an U/S and blood tests on the nodes under my jaw and in my neck because I was convinced there was something wrong. I've even since found one on the side of my neck that pops out when I turn my head!

If you go searching around for nodes you will find them. Being able to feel them is completely normal. Some peoples' nodes can stay permanently enlarged, or shotty, if you've dealt with a few sicknesses throughout your life. Apparently the nodes under your jaw and in the sides of your neck commonly are larger, especially if you have suffered from tonsillitis as a child.

Legend - I've had my submandibular node under my jaw ultrasounded as well and mine is also 1.9cm! At first I worried about this but I know it's been this way for as long as I can remember.

[Mav]

I spent a few months last year trawling these forums searching for lymph node posts. I had an U/S and blood tests on the nodes under my jaw and in my neck because I was convinced there was something wrong. I've even since found one on the side of my neck that pops out when I turn my head!

If you go searching around for nodes you will find them. Being able to feel them is completely normal. Some peoples' nodes can stay permanently enlarged, or shotty, if you've dealt with a few sicknesses throughout your life. Apparently the nodes under your jaw and in the sides of your neck commonly are larger, especially if you have suffered from tonsillitis as a child.

Legend - I've had my submandibular node under my jaw ultrasounded as well and mine is also 1.9cm! At first I worried about this but I know it's been this way for as long as I can remember.

same :(