Palpable Lymph Node in Neck - How normal is this?

[tsmc223]

1000% YES! In fact you can make them go shotty (permanently enlarged). There was a member here that for years was convinced he had lymphoma. Day after day, week after week, month after month and yes, year after year, he would post about his nodes and how they were swollen. He had seen countless doctors, had countless tests and scans and nothing was wrong. He remained unconvinced. He poked and prodded endlessly to the point that he had shotty nodes in several places. He was told they were shotty but was still unconvinced. He finally found a doctor that performed an invasive procedure (biopsy/node removal) from his groin area. Wanna guess the result? He STILL remained unconvinced. He hasn't posted in a couple of years but suffice it to say, I'm quite sure he's alive and well and who knows if the dragon is still breathing fire down his neck I have a feeling it still is :(

The bottom line is that you have to gain control over the HA behaviors that are keeping you in the rabbit hole. Real life professional help and/or meds are something to seriously consider if you want to get yourself out of this pattern of self destructive behavior.

Positive thoughts

Thank you so much, again. I guess obsessively poking at something is gonna make it aggravated and I shall try my best to stop. I've had a few pokes this morning but thats it. Ugh it's so frustrating. Sometimes it feels soft, sometimes if feels hard, sometimes it feels non existent. And after seeing two doctors who I have known for several years (one is actually my mom's doctors and my mom is particularly picky about doctors), I still somehow worry about this damn thing. Like I said, I wouldn't even have noticed it if it weren't for me LOOKING for them. It just feels like a 1cm bean which freaks me out. But anyway I will really try to abstain from touching it. Reminds me of a time when I was 16 - about five years ago - I had this pimple that wouldn't go away and I poked and squeezed it and it turned red and got HUGE like MASSIVE. I try to compare it to that.. one day I left it alone and it just vanished. Perhaps this node has just always been there and I never noticed.

[bobby84]

Ive been down this rabbit hole before and I totally sympathise. I found my node on my neck a few years ago when I was waiting for the tube. I remember completely freaking out. It was pea in shape/size and was very noticeable. At the time, I remember thinking it felt hard, immobile and about 1cm in size - classic signs of a 'bad node'. After seeing 2 doctors, both said they thought it was nothing to worry about but this didn't help me. The more I googled, the worse my fear got. Eventually, after much prodding, poking and soreness, my doctor referred me for an ultrasound. The node was only 5mm, in fact exactly the same size as the other (this was hidden under muscle). Whilst it felt awful to me, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought and turned out to be totally innocent. To this day, I still have the node - sometimes I can easily find it, others not so much. The more you poke, the more noticeable (and irritated!) it will become. If I go looking, I can usually find some more hidden away amongst the muscle.

[tsmc223]

Ive been down this rabbit hole before and I totally sympathise. I found my node on my neck a few years ago when I was waiting for the tube. I remember completely freaking out. It was pea in shape/size and was very noticeable. At the time, I remember thinking it felt hard, immobile and about 1cm in size - classic signs of a 'bad node'. After seeing 2 doctors, both said they thought it was nothing to worry about but this didn't help me. The more I googled, the worse my fear got. Eventually, after much prodding, poking and soreness, my doctor referred me for an ultrasound. The node was only 5mm, in fact exactly the same size as the other (this was hidden under muscle). Whilst it felt awful to me, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought and turned out to be totally innocent. To this day, I still have the node - sometimes I can easily find it, others not so much. The more you poke, the more noticeable (and irritated!) it will become. If I go looking, I can usually find some more hidden away amongst the muscle.

Wow I can't believe so many people go through the same thing. My node isn't visibly noticeable - but I can feel it. Feels like a kidney bean but a little softer and squishier. Also I'm estimating the size to be about 1cm. I can kind of squeeze the tip of my thumb and index finger to it and measures out to be about 1cm. It just freaks me out that I can feel it. Like I said - it could've been there and I might have never noticed it if I wasn't anxiously pressing around my neck. Ugh! It's so hard to not touch it but yeah I have been obsessively poking at it for like three weeks straight. My doctor have both said it's not concerning but I can't help but wonder "Did they really feel it? Did she even feel what I'm feeling? What if she missed it?!'. It's an endless cycle. I guess it would be best for me to not touch/poke/press on it and not worry about it unless it gets huge. *knock on wood that it won't*

[Fishmanpa]

My node isn't visibly noticeable - but I can feel it. Feels like a kidney bean but a little softer and squishier.

I first noticed a swollen node in my neck when I developed a sinus infection. It was the size of a small grape and hard to the touch. Definitely not palpable. That was in August of 2012. By the end of September after a course of antibiotics it hadn't resolved and was larger, definitely visible on the left side of my neck. Back to the doctor and another round of antibiotics. Now, we're into November and I suffered my 2nd heart attack. I received 3 stents. The node remained. Upon my visit to the doctor to follow up on my heart attack, the node had grown to the size of a small egg and was clearly visible on my neck.

I was sent immediately to the hospital for a scan and the rest was history. By the time they did surgery to remove it, I had two over 5cm! It looked like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck! You have a 5mm NORMAL node! I WISH I was as fortunate as you!

FMP

[tsmc223]

I first noticed a swollen node in my neck when I developed a sinus infection. It was the size of a small grape and hard to the touch. Definitely not palpable. That was in August of 2012. By the end of September after a course of antibiotics it hadn't resolved and was larger, definitely visible on the left side of my neck. Back to the doctor and another round of antibiotics. Now, we're into November and I suffered my 2nd heart attack. I received 3 stents. The node remained. Upon my visit to the doctor to follow up on my heart attack, the node had grown to the size of a small egg and was clearly visible on my neck.

I was sent immediately to the hospital for a scan and the rest was history. By the time they did surgery to remove it, I had two over 5cm! It looked like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck! You have a 5mm NORMAL node! I WISH I was as fortunate as you!

FMP

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that, however I'm glad you made it out all good! Glad to see you doing good. However, I think mine is about 1cm, as I can squeeze it between by thumb and index finger tips. But my doctor felt it and described it as normal. I didn't know they could be this big and be considered normal. It feels firmer now that I've been spending time poking/squeezing/prodding at it for weeks. I just wish I never noticed it. Ugh! Worst anxiety ever.

[bobby84]

I think finding any lump on your body where your not expecting to find one, can be really scary. I know, ive been there (several times). However, I think you need to try and look at some of the facts that even you mention: 'soft', 'squishy' and '1cm'. All sounds good. None of them scary characteristics. I promise, the more you prod, the more inflamed it will get and this will make if feel harder and actually may make it bigger.

[tsmc223]

I think finding any lump on your body where your not expecting to find one, can be really scary. I know, ive been there (several times). However, I think you need to try and look at some of the facts that even you mention: 'soft', 'squishy' and '1cm'. All sounds good. None of them scary characteristics. I promise, the more you prod, the more inflamed it will get and this will make if feel harder and actually may make it bigger.

Thanks again. I'm trying real real hard to stop poking at it. I had a whole session last night again.. but today, I haven't poked it once! It definitely feels harder than when I first found it and I know this was caused by the poking. I'm just hoping I'll make it out of this soon enough.

[tsmc223]

Wanted to update: Today was my first day of not touching it! I haven't poked or squeezed it at all! I've gently felt over the area and of course it's still there but I haven't poked or prodded it like usual. Im proud of myself. Lets go for day 2!

I'm sure three weeks of poking it did some damage - so I hope the node isn't too angry. God I hate health anxiety. Sure hope this is nothing serious.

[bobby84]

Wanted to update: Today was my first day of not touching it! I haven't poked or squeezed it at all! I've gently felt over the area and of course it's still there but I haven't poked or prodded it like usual. Im proud of myself. Lets go for day 2!

I'm sure three weeks of poking it did some damage - so I hope the node isn't too angry. God I hate health anxiety. Sure hope this is nothing serious.

Well done, thats the first step. Keep at it, you'll be fine

[tsmc223]

Bumping to see if anyone has gone through anything similar or if they can feel a neck lymph node.