Paratoid Lymph Node Swollen and painful

[golddustgirl1000]

Hey everyone.

So here’s the story- last year I had a bout of tmj. I started feeling around and noticed a swollen lymph node right in front of my ear, near the jaw bone..

I went to my ent who said oh that’s just tmj.... I decided I’d wait it out.
I decided to get a second opinion and went to another ent who in fact confirmed it was a paratoid lymph node but said because it wasn’t painful or getting bigger, and because I was producing saliva that it was fine. few more months and went to another dr who said it was a lymph
Node and that she thought it was okay but to wait and if I wanted to get a ct later on for peace of mind to do it...

Anyway, ( trying not to trigger anxiety) and just let it go, I’ve waited 7 months... it still has not gone down but not gotten bigger till Now. I woke up yesterday morning with pain, went to feel it and it feels bigger ( still moveable and squishy) but a bit bigger and towards the end of the day got really painful...I also noticed that just directly underneath it ( in my jaw) that area feels bruised and painful too.. I can now feel the node when moving my hand over my face as before I had to feel around...

Trying not to panic- but terrified this could be cancer.. I know I shouldn’t but I started reading about it and got freaked out...I’m only 29

I decided to schedule ct for Thursday but won’t see dr till the following Thursday.... I can’t be panicking two weeks... uhhhhh help!

[Careful1]

Try not to freak yourself out. Easier said then done. I went through something similar only it wasn't a lymphnode. I one day found a lump in front of my ear, not very big but hard. I went to the ENT who said he thought it was a tumor in my paratoid gland but we would check on it in 3 months time. That of course wasn't good enough for me so I went to another ENT who ordered a CT scan. The results were 9mm contrast enhancing tumor. The ENT told me she could do a biopsy but in order for that to happen the entire gland would need to be removed. I don't remember now what the reason behind it was but after she explained everything about the odds of it being benign verses cancerous and telling me that tumors in this gland are slow growing I decided to wait 6 months and do another CT scan to see if it grew or changed. I was surprised how I handled the whole situation because I have health anxiety but oddly enough after my initial freak out and a good cry, I was okay. I didn't dwell on it, I didn't worry about it or research till my fingers fell off, I was good.
So about 2 weeks before I was due for my next CT scan while I was eating the left side of my face and swelled up. The swelling was really bad. I went to the ER and they said it wasn't an allergic reaction because nothing else swelled but they gave me some Benadryl and steroids anyways and sent me home. By the next day the swelling was gone and I happened to get an inch in front of my ear and when I scratched it, I realized that little lump was gone.
I never went and had the 2nd CT scan and when I went back to the ENT about 7 months later I asked her to see if she could feel it anymore and she couldn't and that was that.

Years later while eating my face swelled again and this time it left behind a lot of soreness and so a CT scan was ordered and there was nothing there. Come to find out that little lump was not a tumor, it was a saliva stone and when my face would swell up like that while eating it was because the stone was blocking the flow of saliva.

I'm just sharing with you because things aren't always bad and we shouldn't worry until we have a reason to. I know that's easier said then done when one had health anxiety or anxiety period but are bodies are complex and they do all kinds of weird stuff. Yes bad stuff can and does happen but most of the times the things we worry about are unfounded. So, yes deff get yourself checked out but don't make yourself sick that you have lymphoma which is by the way rather rare when compared to other types of cancer and what you describe does not really go with how lymphoma presents. Another piece of advice, don't poke at area because if it is a lymphnode you will cause it to react and it can become shotty.

[golddustgirl1000]

Thank you so much... yes I’m not so much worried about lymphoma- I’m worried about the paratoid tumor...

The dr didn’t think it was a stone or anything sinister cause I was producing saliva.... she also said it’s probably been there for years and I never noticed....so I didn’t get the ct..7 months ago.... but after I brushed past it yesterday and noticed it felt bigger I decided to order the ct with contrast.

But now I woke up this morning and it’s super painful! And the pain is extending down to my jaw...like where the sunbmandular gland is.... I mean... that’s what I was told too- tumors are rare and if they are they are slow.... slow like 7 months.... uh trying not to worry but it’s super painful an now there are two swollen areas..


I will say though... I poked and prodded it a lot yesterday - would that cause it to be this much pain?

[Hypo84]

Stop touching and poking it, if you don't it will hurt even more. It is painful, not hard, moveable...no reason to worry about cancer.

[Careful1]

Yes continous poking at the area could deff cause pain.

Even though you are producing saliva does not mean that it can't be a stone. I had one and produced saliva, when they thought it was a tumor I was still producing saliva. You won't produce saliva if it becomes to big and blocks the duct.
I really wouldn't worry much about a tumor there. The cancerous ones are rather rare. My mom had a tumor in the other saliva gland I can't recall the name at the moment but she has had it for going on almost two decades now and it's barley grown. I know it's scary but honestly from what you describe it doesn't sound like a tumor but even in the extremely unlikely event that it turns out to be one the odds of it being benign are FAR more likely then it being of the cancerous type.

Try to avoid touching the area as this will only make the area more angry and cause you more swelling and pain. Have you tried putting a warm compress on it? This may give you some relief as well as some ibuprofen if there are no contradictions.

[golddustgirl1000]

Uh thank you guys... I’m trying to not touch it.. just worried cause it went from never changing in size to blowing up to twice the size over the period of 8 hours- and then becoming very painful...

I went to the urgent care yesterday cause I am photographing a wedding next weekend ( I’m a full-time photographer) and could
Not afford it to possibly be an infection...
They did absolutely nothing for me and gave me no relief...all she kept saying was “make sure you get the ct” over and over :/

Trying to distract myself but I get moments, especially when I feel the pain...

[Hypo84]

Well, since it grew so quickly and its painful, it seems like it is some kind of infection.

[golddustgirl1000]

Uh yes- over the weekend I now have one swollen painful one in my jaw- and overnight another swollen in the middle of my neck on the side... seems like it’s spreading which I would assume means infection.

I have a ct scheduled for Thursday, but this morning decided to call my ent as I am a wedding photographer and have a massive wedding on Saturday- I can’t afford for this to get worse...

They said I need to get in like ASAP cause I probably need an antibiotic. :/

[Careful1]

Let us know how you make out

[golddustgirl1000]

I have an appt for 3 today.. trying not to be nervous... I mean... if it was a tumor- it couldn’t spread that fast right? The logical side of me tells me it’s an infection.. especially cause it’s painfully... I guess I just need reassurance that it wouldn’t spread to lymph nodes overnight