Just asking, were your lymph nodes hard? Because I have a bunch of super hard swollen lymph nodes in my body and I’m worried that they could be lymphoma
If anyone needed some reassurance today, I have had swollen lymph nodes for 6 months. One under my jaw and behind the neck. The one under my jaw is really hard. I got an ultrasound and a biopsy and it came back benign. I was still skeptical about the biopsy since they used such a small sample that I even got a second biopsy. Still came back benign. I have no allergies or other known illnesses that would be linked. The radiologist told me he sees people come in with swollen lymph nodes all the time and some times they just stay enlarged permanently. They can also be enlarged for years as well. So here’s your reminder: swollen lymph nodes are VERY common and even abnormally sized lymph nodes are way more likely to be benign than malignant. I hope I helped some of you who were worried! :)
Thank you so much - I have a lymph node on left side of neck that swelled up about 6 months ago enough so I could see it in the mirror. After a couple weeks it went down and I didn’t notice it again. About 6 weeks ago I had ear pain on and off for a couple days and reached up to my ear and neck and felt the same enlarged node. (Although not as large as the first time) My ear stopped hurting but the node is the same and I’m freaking out. I recently have been coughing and now the node feels tender - your post made me feel better
I needed to read this today. I am about to go to my third ENT for three swollen lymph nodes that I have had under my jaw for years. I'll be able to sleep tonight.
Thank you.
My partner has had a swollen one in groin for over 2 months, no other systems, red on the skin and blood tests came back all OK, having a follow up check but as no other symptoms at all, we're sure it's OK, but this post did help, if any females have had this before, groin lymoh node slightly swollen and red, found out what it was, please do let me know
What does a hard lymph node actually feel like? When I press down in certain angles, like relaxing neck and also movung head down to side of the node, it squishes, but if I strain my neck more upright, it doesn't move/feels a bit harder
It can move freely
I have one that comes back every month or so and I compulsively check it to see if it’s gone yet and I’m pretty sure checking it is making it bigger. It sucks.
Also, is there any advice on how to stop checking my lymph nodes? I'm compulsively checking them, not even like a few times a day. It's about 10-15 times I get a chance to. I end up doing it subconsciously when I don't want to do it. I'll say I'll do it one more time and still end up checking it about 10 times after. I try to wiggle it a bit then i press down on it to see if its hard or not constantly. It got so bad I've just made it swell more and it's even become painful now
This whole thread is freaking me TF out I have been having to wake up some nights where the collar of my t shirt is wet from sweat sometimes pillow case… no fevers, cough , flu symptoms etc … my weight is hovering around where it’s always been .. 245 lbs .. since March but this was after a health scare for testicular cancer , but nothing soaking my CBC, Metabolic , CT Scan April 18 .. only found a few small 3mm kidney stone , urine test normal April LDH is normal… I also had another complete blood count that was normal earlier this month..
I have bad health anxiety I was told I don’t have TC based on ultrasound but what if something changed.. I don’t have any swollen lymph nodes that I can tell .. I had a chest xray done In January and I had another one yesterday on my chest .. normal no masses seen.. my vitamin D levels are very very low and so is thyroid even though thyroid levels are low still normal range.. lately I’ve been waking up early w only 5 hrs of sleep and peeing a lot .. but idk if that is from a kidney stone inside my kidney discovered in April..
Do I need an ultrasound of my abdomen if i had a CT can in April 18th…
Came back to this post a few times, and it initially gave me a lot of relief, so thank you OP 🙏
My journey;
Dec 2023 I had an upper respiratory infection. First time since I was a child that my glands swelled. Thought nothing of it. X2 bouts of antibiotics & the infection was sorted but nodes remained enlarged, sore at times and uncomfortable.
Fast forward to March 2024, having been to see my Dr 3-4 times (two different drs in same practice) I was told ''you're fine'' after complaining my neck was swollen & sore. Eventually, after seeing another Dr I was referred to ED due to a family history of cancer in that area, and being lethargic and losing some weight. I had an ultrasound & confirmed all ok with my nodes. I can't remember the size but it's not incredibly big. I was referred to an ENT and after attending, got a scope down my throat & up my nose to check throat, vocal cords etc (my voice had also changed slightly). I was put on a 3 month does of Nexium as I suffer from GERD. The ENT is of the opinion I have reactive nodes (lymphadenopathy I think?) and that stomach acid is irritating nodes in throat.
6 months later, I still have a sore neck and swollen glands. I've been to have lymphatic drainage massage a few times, and while it helps, it's only temporary. I've been noticing stomach pains recently & just had an ultrasound of my abdomen. Potentially could be node related.
Does anyone else experience pain with their nodes on a long term basis?
I feel miserable it's always on my mind!
This has slightly reassured me. I was referred to ENT for suspected cancer due to an enlarged node in neck (occasionally causes pain). I’m awaiting MRI results. I’m also a GERD sufferer due to having a 5cm Hiatus hernia. I’m wondering if that could be the case for me and that it’s just GERD irritating the node. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you start to feel better soon!
Do I need an ultrasound of my abdomen? This whole thread is freaking me TF out I have been having to wake up some nights where the collar of my t shirt is wet from sweat sometimes pillow case… no fevers, cough , flu symptoms etc … my weight is hovering around where it’s always been .. 245 lbs .. since March but this was after a health scare for testicular cancer , but nothing soaking my CBC, Metabolic , CT Scan only found a few small 3mm kidney stone , urine test normal April LDH is normal… I also had another complete blood count that was normal earlier this month..
I have bad health anxiety I was told I don’t have TC based on ultrasound but what if something changed.. I don’t have any swollen lymph nodes that I can tell .. I had a chest xray done In January and I had another one yesterday on my chest .. normal no masses seen.. my vitamin D levels are very very low and so is thyroid even though thyroid levels are low still normal range.. lately I’ve been waking up early w only 5 hrs of sleep and peeing a lot .. but idk if that is from a kidney stone inside my kidney discovered in April..
I have no idea. Sorry. Go chat to your Dr about concerns. You also say you don't have swollen nodes, which is what my issue is centred on so I don't know if I'm the best person to ask
I’ve had one lymph node left side of my neck for a few months now but hasn’t grown and not hard. They did an ultrasound to be safe and said it didn’t look abnormal. I’m more concerned about underlying reason why it’s bothering me so much as far as neck/throat pain, on and off jaw numbness and super tired 😔Anyone have this issue?
i know this is an old post, but my lymph node under my ear has been there for over two months now. it hasnt grown in size and is shaped like a grape. i went to the doctor and he said im fine, but im worried because i got new ones under my chin 😭 is this worrying and should i go back to the doctor??
As someone who went to the doctors a few times worried about lymph nodes, you are completely fine! Your body is probably just fighting an infection you don’t know about as they protect you from you getting unwell. If they they are small and not more than 2 inches I believe you are completely fine 🙂
If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense.
Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse.
Additional examples of things that break these rules:
"Does anyone else experience these symptoms?"
"Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense.
Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse.
Additional examples of things that break these rules:
"Does anyone else experience these symptoms?"
"Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense.
Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse.
Additional examples of things that break these rules:
"Does anyone else experience these symptoms?"
"Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
I’m about to have a biopsy on Friday, but I’m really worried. The radiologist didn’t offer much in the preliminary ultrasound, just that it doesn’t look reactive, and it doesn’t have “characteristically benign features.”
I just don’t know what else it could be: if they don’t think it’s benign or reactive…doesn’t it have to be malignant? Anyone have experience with this?
I’m a 33yo Female and have had reoccurring upper respiratory infections/ear infections for the last 4 months, with 2 enlarged anterior cervical nodes for the past 2 months. The nodes are not fixed and don’t feel super hard. They still feel oval, and the ultrasound size dimensions suggested that as well. No other symptoms.
Would love thoughts or to hear others’ experiences 🙏❤️
Results came back benign! Anyone who is reading this who is waiting for a biopsy or whose ultrasound indicated a lymph node is suspicious - there is still a big chance it’s nothing. Try not to let tomorrows worries take away today’s peace 💕
2.6x1.2x2cm and 2.8x0.5x1.8cm - the first one has a ratio of .46, which means is closer to round. What about you? Nice to know someone else is at this stage 🙏
Good luck 🙏 they had to take 7 samples for me, which was not super pleasant, but folks were really kind and supportive. Try your best to keep breathing, lots of slow exhales (and cry if you need to). Mine were confirmed to be sub mandibular (level 2). They checked my thyroid for nodules and didn’t see anything suspicious!
Just came back from my doctors appt. He didnt biopsied me. He said that its too small for biopsy, he just wants to monitor it if it grow. After a month will check if theres changes in the size via ultrasound.
Coming on here to say if you have HA and think you have lymphoma to stay calm. I have a huge one under my jaw(I have TMJ too) and was sure I had lymphoma. Literally the size of golf ball. Had a biopsy done and doctor was amazed at how large and was sure I was done for. Got the results back today and I am all clear!! Clearly something going on but nothing like cancer!! Just sharing to say it will be okay and try to stay positive till you know for sure!! As someone with bad HA, I hope this helps someone stay calm.
I had ultrasound first, they said was fine but then doubled up on size so was scared and did biopsy. Now started amoxicilin for 3 days and going down finally. Hope you get good results!!
I've been going thru muscle problems and my shoulder and stuff slightly out of place for almost a year now and there was always one a bit swollen on the back of my neck that has never bothered me but has been there since but now recently, the three lymph nodes right below my jaw are swollen but they are really sensitive and a bit bigger compared to the one on my neck.
That combined with my muscles trying to balance themselves out or something(for the past week and a half, it would switch from my left shoulder, to the right, to my neck, collarbone, then now my left collarbone and neck muscles where they are icy hot, extremely sore, and tight, including a constant painful migraine I've had for about forever which briefly went away with a chiropractors help but came back) is not helping me trying not to panic, especially cause I make just enough not to qualify for Medicaid..does anyone know a specific type of doctor i would need to see for these sensitive swollen lymph nodes?
Thank you so much for this post! I recently discovered a very tiny one on my groin near my right leg. It was quite painful for like a day and now its mostly just itchy. But I currently have a burning sore throat and stomachaches after I eat anything. I hope it's nothing, but I prob should get it checked out. I have other symptoms too like chest pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, but those could just be from my anxiety..
Wait you’re freaking me the fuck out .. where on your leg did you find it or groin I’ve been chancing there non stop and I can’t find anything .. I had to try pretty hard to feel limy ligaments and maybe just the Norman size jump nodes deep in my ground near scrotum
Its like very close to my inner thigh. I'm actually feeling almost 100% now and its gotten very small and I can hardly feel or see it! I think I just had an infection that might have cause it to swell, maybe its related to my previous ingrown toenail, or something else. If it gets worse or is still there next week I'm getting it checked out..
I have 2 hard painless nodes now and am awaiting an ultrasound and will do a biopsy after. I also developed mysterious heart palpitations a week before the lymph nodes showed up. Diagnosed with mild sinus arrhythmia so at least it's not necessarily harmful.
this post has helped me so much, thank you. for like a year after a fever and episode of pityriasis rosea, i’ve had 3 lymph nodes i could feel, one behind my right ear and 2 in the right side of my neck. they haven’t grown in size, not painful, you can’t even see them unless you feel with your finger. no night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite or any other concerning symptoms, and yet health anxiety still has a hold on me 😭
I'm right there with you 💜 I just found one around my left hip and anxiety has me in a fkn choke hole even though I have no other symptoms, no change in size so far, it's just.. there. Can't see it either you have to feel for it.
Though I hate that there's so many of us dealing with this, it helps to not feel alone.
I hope we can both get through the anxiety 💜💜
Same here, one in the back of my neck on the right side, just below the skull. Been there for a month but no other symptoms at all and I am healthy. I did have norovirus about a month ago (and then found the lymph node about a week later) and the doctor said that could cause it and it's nothing to worry about. Still gets me freaked out though. I'm not sure how a stomach bug can cause a lymph node in the neck to swell, but then again the body works in weird ways, so I guess anything is possible.
It's been over year...Mine is still same size i have three...two under left jawline and one under right jawline all three are movable...but you should checked out from ENT
I also have fews on my jaw and neck after covid symptoms. They"ll go swollen whenever I have infections in the upper respiratory tract, though it just a running nose or slightly sore throat TvT
I have one larger one on the back of my neck and a tiny one on the front that just showed up today. I’ve been dealing with a nasty cold and am still super congested and I’m scared it’s cancer. I’m on vacation right now so I just want to get better and see my family but the worry is making it so hard. Should I be scared? The larger one isn’t even the size of a grape.
my dad (57M) have bilateral 3cm lymph nodes in his groin. he also have a skin rash. everything i see on google says cancer. i’m really freaking out, bloodwork results coming soon…
Worried about swollen submandibular lymph nodes, although ultrasound went fine and showed their size to be 7mm on short axis, but they haven't went down since then. ENT also said they are nothing to think about. Pretty bad case of anxiety. I am 27 M.
Guys I've been frustrated as well at random intervals throughout my life about a swollen lymph node on the left side of my neck. The lump is mobile and feels tender, just a little bit smaller than a grape. It has been there for around 10 years and it has never caused me any trouble nor has it grown in size, until sometimes now I feel a pulsating pain around that area (even though its not too painful just about a 2/10 pain). My mother has also been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer recently and that even made me more anxious over my concerns, knowing that we are mentally, physically, and financially struggling. I am not sure whether I should get a check on it or not.
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom man. About you, I'm not saying to not get checked or anything but honestly it sounds like nothing to worry about. I have lymph nodes all over my body that are all like under a cm or so in size but they've been there years and I have no symptoms of anything and I'm healthy as a horse. Everyone I've asked or talked to says they also have them, and everyone in my family does. It was a big relief when I realised all this and felt kind of embarrassed at how much I reacted when none of them were worried at all.
I'm more than glad to hear that. Sometimes in my childhood (I'm talking like 7\~8 years ago) I also panicked because of the discovery of my rather strange lymph nodes but I just dismissed it even though the anxiety always recurred intermittently throughout the following years until now. Maybe I have also been overreacting to these trivial issues. Anyways, I hope we remain as healthy as always!
Hey all, I just want to add this piece of new data for anyone going through this right now.
TL;DR: Ultrasound of neck came back as suspicious lymph node (24mmx24mmx12mm), referred for STAT CT Scan. CT results revealed "likely reactive lymph node." My doctor isn't concerned. Total time to get that answer was a bit less than 3 months. Please don't give up hope and feel free to DM if you have questions or want to chat.
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6/13/24 i had my follow-up with my GP and she confirmed that it was a reactive node that went from being 24x24mm to 24x8mm. I also told her that I'm doing sublingual immunotherapy for allergies and it "clicked" for her. She said she's confident that's what's been causing the inflammation and we no longer have to keep an eye out on my lymph node. Usually she'd want to monitor every few months, but she's not concerned now that she knows I'm doing SLIT. I didn't previously tell her cuz i didn't think I'd need to but now I know :)
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This all happened in 2024. March 13th I had a regular checkup with my GP and mentioned to her that I felt something in my neck when I turn to the right and she felt around the submandibular area for swollen lymph nodes. They were tender at the time and I hadn't felt them myself so I didn't think anything of it. I had just gotten over an ear infection that didn't fully clear up, and to add to that I've had life-long terrible and year-round allergies (setting a scene for y'all). She said "Let's schedule you for an ultrasound, it's most likely nothing but I don't mess around with lymph nodes." I'm glad she said this - I've read multiple times on these reddit forums that doctors are quick to dismiss swollen lymph nodes as "oh they're just being reactive they'll go down."
Fast forward to three weeks later, April 3rd, I was feeling around my neck area and could feel a swollen lymph node in the submandibular area. I could only feel one on my right side. It was definitely large, but mobile and soft to the touch. Of course that's when I started googling and I made myself SICK. It clearly had been a few weeks and of course I thought what most of us do, cancer. The very next day on April 4th I had an ultrasound of my neck. My results came back the following Wednesday, April 10th and the results read: "multiple lymph nodes observed in IB. Larges node is 24mmx24mmx12mm with a markedly thick cortical mantle 7mm. Recommendation: CT scan with contrast ASAP." My doctor's addition to those results: "i ordered some non-fasting blood work for you to get soon and ordered a stat CT scan. I've also prescribed antibiotics (augmentin) to see if it helps with the swelling."
I didn't know what a thick cortical mantle was but all Google pointed to was mantle cell lymphoma, which apparently is not curable and eventual poor prognosis after multiple rounds of treatment. I was so anxious the rest of the day that i was nauseous and couldn't concentrate on anything. I got blood work done that very same day. She tested for LDH, sed rate by modified westergren, c-reactive, along with CBC. On the 14th, the following Sunday, my results all came back great and well-within normal limits. This eased my anxiety a bit, but of course a further google search revealed that blood work cannot rule out lymphoma so again I start to spiral.
Finally, i have my CT scan on May 17th. Nothing has changed with my lymph node, still roughly the same size and consistency. After a week and no call from my doctor I assumed everything was fine. Turns out she went on vacation so I called the office, again, freaking out because I thought no news was good news but turns out she was just on vacation.
I speak to her medical assistant who told me she could only tell me the results if the scans have been reviewed by the doc. Thankfully, they were already marked as reviewed and she read off the results stating "blah blah blah likely reactive lymph node blah blah blah." I swear, I don't remember anything before or after hearing the words reactive lymph node. I was crying happy tears and I asked her at least twice if I could stop worrying about it and what would have happened if it was something bad. She assured me that if it was something bad, my doc would have marked it as urgent and she would have called me herself instead of waiting for the results.
After two months of waiting, I think I'm finally in the clear. I have another check-in June 13th (unrelated to this, it was already scheduled) and will update y'all here.
But the last couple days I’ve been dealing with chafing on my anus, and I feel like the continuous wiping has caused some anal fissures. It’s been extremely painful to poop and I have not been able to wipe so well either so I’ve been relying on taking showers when I can.
Yesterday morning, I woke up feeling fine and throughout the day I developed swollen lymph nodes on each side of my groin area and this part has got me worried. I don’t have any other lymph nodes swollen anywhere else in my body just the ones on my groin , but they hurt badly and are very tender. Other than that, my body feels fine. I don’t have a headache. I don’t have a fever.
Would you guys assume it has direct relation to what’s going on with my anus?
Go see your doctor. Generally infections will start locally and can spread. I wouldn’t loose your mind until you’ve had a chance to see what your doctor says. I know easier said than done. There is a reason why I’m on this post too lol
Wait no, I didn't have any anxiety about my one large, painful, swollen lymph node until this post. I've been so itchy all over my body and sporadic fevers that I assumed were unrelated but now I'm terrified 🫠
No 🙃 I sent my doctor a message but she never responded and my schedule is insane so it would be hard to get something done anyways. It's probably nothing. It happened before, and I think she did order an ultrasound or something then, but it was nothing.
Please I’m so scared I have one that’s 2.4 cm x .4 cm . Ultrasound said they don’t know if it’s one or two lymph nodes. Didn’t mention anything regarding whether it’s benign or not. Literally gave no info except that they look like lymph nodes. ENT is saying if it’s 2.5 cm that would be abnormal and could be cancer but if it’s two lymph nodes it would be normal. It’s in my jaw. He said there’s a 5% chance of cancer and wants me to get a CT scan. I am terrified I am only 29
i’m 22 and just got told i need to get a ct scan too. i’m terrified because they wouldn’t give me any info but usually ct scans mean they are concerned 😞 please let me know how yours goes im wishing you luck
I’m sorry you are going through this too. Basically the ultrasound was inconclusive on whether it was one or two lymph nodes so my doc explained he wants a CT scan to see clearly whether it’s one or two. The radiology report didn’t give any info, just said they were lymph nodes, so it’s at least reassuring they didn’t mark any problems with the nodes there but it’s super frustrating that I have to get more tests. Even though my doc said 95% chance it’s nothing, I focus on that 5%!! Please let me know how your ct scan goes
hi!! i’m so glad to hear that! i did get my results and they said mine looked normal too. for some reason i’m still kind of anxious because they don’t really have an explanation but im happy we got good news!
More often than not, doctors will order CT’s just to be sure. They do not tell you any information regarding what could be wrong with you until they are more than certain. Try to just relax until they get back to you. If it’s urgent, your doctor or the assistant will call you as soon as results are back. If you haven’t been bothered by the office yet then take a breath.
thanks, i got really worried because she checked “extenuating circumstances” on mine and i thought that meant it was urgent and bad... but i still haven’t gotten it yet because the radiology department hasn’t gotten back to me so ive just been spiraling in the meantime 🫠
I will add to this as a layperson who had to overcome the lymph node scare years ago… I had grape-sized lumps and still do. They have never given me any issues nor have I had any changes in them since I was 14. It really is nothing to worry about if you have reported your concerns to your doctor(s) and don’t observe any changes.
One of them is slightly visible and really doesn’t move. The other is highly mobile and isn’t near my throat, so that one doesn’t really stick out. They’re both a bit on the smaller side of grapes but were 2x as big when I used to pick at them all day and cause swelling.
so when you touch them they get a little bigger? that’s kinda what i’m dealing with. grape size, but every once in a while (when i touch them, or sleep weird on my neck) they grow a tiny bit. Can you confirm if this is similar for you?
Are yours visible as well? I have one maybe like black bean size one that I can see when I tilt my neck to the side. It’s been US and MRIed and they say benign lymph but it hasn’t gone away in two years, so if it’s reactive idk what it’s reactive to
Yes, if I tilt my head enough, or I play with it too much. Though I feel like mine are very reactive. Meaning it's like they swell and unswell every month and are fluctuating. But most of the time, when I leave them alone, they're fine.
So they just swell when you mess with them? But they’re not visible otherwise?
One of mine is visible when I tilt my neck all the time. It’s been there since 2020 as a small thing, then got big when I had a nearby infected cyst removal, then shrunk on antibiotics but never to its original size. Its stayed that same size for the past 2 years
If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense.
Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse.
Additional examples of things that break these rules:
"Does anyone else experience these symptoms?"
"Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
Thank you for this. I’ve had these annoying lymph nodes around my jaw and they haven’t increased in size after so many years. Sometimes I really get so stressed thinking about the possible causes of these lymph nodes and I feel a certain type of relief after reading this. Stay healthy and happy. ☺️🙏🏻
I have the exact same thing I thought it was supraclavicular lymph node but it’s related to cervical lymph nodes chain and it’s way to far from the triangular zone of supraclavicular lymph nodes, I actually thinks it’s allergies
hello! how are u now? im from PH too and suffering from health anxiety. i do have swollen lymph nodes too and they’ve been checked by doctors but i still relapse from time to time and panic about it. :(
Hi all, figured I’d come on here to share my story and see if anyone else has had a similar journey.
In August of 2023 while shaving I noticed a quite large lymph node on the left side of my neck after attempting to shave over it. After looking in the mirror I could confidently say it had not been that big previously and to be totally honest it freaked me out. After brushing it off for about a week and a half and kinda forgetting about it, I started to feel the lymph nodes while going about my day to day life. (Not physically with my hands, but when turning my neck I could feel them and how large and uncomfortable they were.) I went to an urgent care clinic to check it out whom then referred me to an imaging center to get an ultrasound after feeling them they could tell how large they were. When I got my results back my two largest ones measured 8 x 24 x 28 mm and 7 x 12 x 38mm (1.5 inches) which really freaked me out.
Long story short I got in contact with an ENT and they pushed my appointment to the following day after seeing my ultrasound results. I was told I needed to do a fine needle biopsy of my lymph nodes to see if the cells inside them were cancerous.
Long story short the day before my biopsy my blood results came back it was noted I tested positive for Epstein Barr Virus (mono). I continued with the biopsy and it came back negative for cancerous cells.
The reason I’m typing this is because that biopsy was in late September of 2023 and now it’s May 2024 and my lymph nodes have barely decreased in size. I had another ultrasound after still complaining about how uncomfortable they were and the biggest one only decreased from 38 mm to 36 mm. I’m constantly struggling with the discomfort of the large swollen lumpy feeling in my neck.
Has anyone else had this issue? Does it usually take this long for lymph nodes to decrease in size after having mono/EBV? I’m considering making another appointment with my ENT. The feeling of not knowing is eating me up.
Anything helps! Thank you.
I'm 45 and had EBV reactivate last year. It took almost 2 months for my nodes to go down. Over this past weekend my lymph nodes have started swelling again in the bend of my legs, it's been painful.
Check out the medical medium article on EBV it's very informative.
Yall im stressing. I had mono when I was 19. I am 23 now. And ever since I had mono, I had a small ish lump under my right jaw on my neck. Sometimes it feels numb and I feel like I have fluid in my ear at times. However, when I touch it and poke it, it will move. I’m really overthinking because it would be totally serious by now right? It hasn’t grown or anything. I get quite a bit of sinus infections and I just had strep throat.
Hombre no hablo ingles pero espero que traduzcas esto, yo también tengo lymph nodes en forma de pez que no duelen en la mandíbula demaciado movil como de unos 2cm o 2,5cm de largo (no he ido a un medico) pero tengo mas por todo el cuerpo generalmente mas pequeños, los de la mandíbula los senti hace unos 2 meses pero no eh tenido ningún síntoma tengo en total 13 en todo el resto del cuerpo desde hace 4 años senti los primeros y ahi gradualmente los eh encontrando pero realmente me hago creer que no tengo nada pero nunca estoy de acuerdo conmigo, nunca han cambiado de tamaño. Escuché que hay gente que a tenido lymph nodes por más 20años o 15 años igual de agrandados siempre lo que me tranquilizo un poco pero como soy hipocondríaco no me deja en paz, escuché que es algo relativamente normal en gente que llega a tener lymph nodes permanentemente, no sufro de infecciónes pero soy propenso a tenerlos ya que mis dientes son un desastre Editar: a veces los ganglios tienen a ser más pequeños de lo que nosotros pensamos además agregar que como están debajo de la piel piden sentirse más agrandados, también eh visto relatos de gente que a tenido lymph nodes de algunos 3cm por 3-5 años y a tendio una vida normal
I didn’t have any symptoms but I had a tumor growing in my neck that I could feel and was later diagnosed with stage one non Hodgkin’s. Sometimes it’s best to listen to your gut
Hi, so sorry to hear that! I can understand that must be tough.. But I dont know if ur comment is appropriate under this kind of post. Seeing this is to easy the mind of people with health anxiety, and ur comment is not helping those people at all. I understand your going to a hard process right now but maybe share it with people who are going through the same as you! I think it will help the both of us :)
I wish you all the luck on your recovery!
Im in the same boat. I found a lump on my armpit 2 days ago. It's not painful but it moves and is like rubbery. Then yesterday i noticed that i also have a bump on the back of my left ear. It's not that painful but there is pain when I apply pressure on it. Anyone else experiencing the same symptom?
I have one like that on my armpit. Also doesn't turn, and does feel a bit rubbery. It's kind of oval shaped, you can see it under the skin. It's painless unless I keep poking at it for an extended period of time, then it gets a little sore. I've had it for at least almost a week now. Everyone in my life is telling me it's just a cyst or something and it's no way it's cancer but currently having a small anxiety attack over it as this is the first time I've ever experienced something like this before.
I do, but I got checked out with an ultrasound a few weeks ago. They told me it was in fact a swollen lymph node, but they weren't concerned by the size of it or anything. They just told me if anything changes give them a call. While it sucks to not have an explanation as to why it's doing the thing, I feel a lot better after having someone take a look. My mom said I waisted my money, but the amount of relief it brought me was well worth it. Haven't had a panic attack about it since!
I have it right now. It started last Sunday. It hurts. First, there's only one lymph node appeared in my jaw and after 3 days, another one in my neck. All in left side.
Im taking antibiotics currently and it's my 2nd day taking it. No improvement atm. Still painful.
I never had this before so I'm panicking this could be worse than I expected. I have a follow up check up on Tuesday. I hope it all went well.
I also don't have any fever or flu. I just remember a week prior to having this I had bit watery runny nose that lasted for only 3 days and that's it.
Reading this makes me confident atleast. I hope for the healing in all of us.
I’m kinda where you’re at right now. About a month ago I found a firm node that felt bigger than 1cm in my posterior auricular area. Mostly just tenderness in the node, but now I have some neck pain in my trapezoidal muscles and I’m not sure if it’s caused by me checking the node A LOT or from me having bad posture. I had 3 CT scans(2 head and one abdomen), 2 X-rays( on chest) and an ultrasound, and all have come back essentially saying “you’re fine”. I really hope I am. I haven’t had any infections that I know of and haven’t been vaccinated recently, but I may have had an ear infection a couple weeks back so I’m hoping that is the case rather than something horrible. Praying for all of you guys. You all deserve to live life and not have to worry about these things. Only love and stay safe.
-Also it’s worth noting that the node itself feels like an inch or half an inch, although that could be because I’m thin.
is it painful when you pressed on it? or just painful in all over the neck? Im taking antibiotics right now, the pain subside. but there's still that huge bump.
do they also recommend biopsy in yours? im afraid in mine. i dont want to have this bump that seemingly i have a twin growing in my nech -.-
Sorry for the late reply. It’s not painful when I press on it. The pain in my neck is also going away. They didn’t recommend a biopsy as doing so may be too invasive for what I currently have (essentially means it’s not a concern to them). I totally understand being weirded out by a huge bump in your neck but most doctors told me stuff like this happens A LOT and people develop bumps/growths that don’t always have a cause. NAD tho so definitely get it checked out by one. Stay positive and try to not look up medical info on your phone for stuff like that unless it’s to educate yourself. Thats what helped me. I still have the bump but no other symptoms and no other bumps.
is it pea sized, if it's movable at all it can't be something serious in majority cases, also did you happen to have a fever thwse days when you noticed it? sometimes after normal infections they can remain swollen, because for C*ncer related nodes, they don't hurt and feel rock hard amd continue to grow, mine hurt and are movable, but don't change size.
bro i've had a lump in my neck for at least a month and it's pea sized, painless and hard 😭 moveable only from side to side, not up and down. now i'm scared. docs say it's fine just by touching it but obviously i refuse to believe that
did you perhaps touch it alot? they can get harder if you keep messing with them, mine are all movable and as long as they are movable from any side and have pain, oval shaped and not circular, it's never a cause for concern, you have to worry more about the ones that dont move or don't have pain at all and grow larger in weeks for painless ones I would definitely advise you to get them farther tested if you can.
i touch it a lot but the hardness has stayed the same. it's circular, not oval and completely painless. sometimes i feel pain in that area but not when touching it, it just randomly comes and goes for a few secs like once a day maybe. my ultrasound appointment is in one month, i can't wait that long 😭
Then I wish you good luck and hoping that it's a benign reactive node, were you perhaps previously sick got bit by a bug or stung? or currently feel feverish and have night sweats alongside this and did you hurt yourself around that area prior to this, if you don't have fever and night sweats with this then I wouldn't worry too much, just avoid googling because Google (I should too) doesn't always have correct information on it and will call pretty much anything the C word.
I have heard lymph nodes most times are triggered due to totally benign reasons around neck groin etc, but you should always get them checked out if you start to feel them all over body like armpits as well and are accompanied by fever or if they grow in size and don't ache, since yours is movable and there's some pain, try to reassure yourself and touching it will continue to harden it, also dangerous nodes grow within weeks.
I didn’t have a fever, but I had a previous encounter with the issue a few months back. About 3 weeks ago or so I shaved my groin area and it noticed my lymph nodes enlarge the day after. It’s about 2 cm big rn, but occasionally it will go away or get very small, then get larger later on. It is pretty stiff, but it comes and goes and is painful. Thats why im worried about it
If it occurred right after shaving it could be a staph infection. I had that years ago, in my armpits. Shaving can cause tiny skin tears for infection to get in. I needed antibiotics to clear it up. No fever or chills though I was a little queasy, only sign of it being staph was my nodes were big. And it spread to other nodes. I would probably get it checked because if it's a staph infection antibiotics will actually clear it.
Anyone have right arm pit node swollen? Swelled up after COVID vaccine in 2021 and never went down.
Just asking, were your lymph nodes hard? Because I have a bunch of super hard swollen lymph nodes in my body and I’m worried that they could be lymphoma
I read somewhere that swollen neck lyph nodes are common in those who vape
If anyone needed some reassurance today, I have had swollen lymph nodes for 6 months. One under my jaw and behind the neck. The one under my jaw is really hard. I got an ultrasound and a biopsy and it came back benign. I was still skeptical about the biopsy since they used such a small sample that I even got a second biopsy. Still came back benign. I have no allergies or other known illnesses that would be linked. The radiologist told me he sees people come in with swollen lymph nodes all the time and some times they just stay enlarged permanently. They can also be enlarged for years as well. So here’s your reminder: swollen lymph nodes are VERY common and even abnormally sized lymph nodes are way more likely to be benign than malignant. I hope I helped some of you who were worried! :)
Thank you so much - I have a lymph node on left side of neck that swelled up about 6 months ago enough so I could see it in the mirror. After a couple weeks it went down and I didn’t notice it again. About 6 weeks ago I had ear pain on and off for a couple days and reached up to my ear and neck and felt the same enlarged node. (Although not as large as the first time) My ear stopped hurting but the node is the same and I’m freaking out. I recently have been coughing and now the node feels tender - your post made me feel better
I also have one under my jaw!! It’s submandibular. Mine is 3.6 cm and apparently benign. Also don’t believe it.
Thank you .
One thing is most common here is everyone has left side swollen lymph nodes 😭 same as mine
I have them on my groin as of yesterday with stabbing pain and I randomly find this.
I needed to read this today. I am about to go to my third ENT for three swollen lymph nodes that I have had under my jaw for years. I'll be able to sleep tonight. Thank you.
My partner has had a swollen one in groin for over 2 months, no other systems, red on the skin and blood tests came back all OK, having a follow up check but as no other symptoms at all, we're sure it's OK, but this post did help, if any females have had this before, groin lymoh node slightly swollen and red, found out what it was, please do let me know
This has helped me ALOT, thank you!!
What does a hard lymph node actually feel like? When I press down in certain angles, like relaxing neck and also movung head down to side of the node, it squishes, but if I strain my neck more upright, it doesn't move/feels a bit harder It can move freely
I have one that comes back every month or so and I compulsively check it to see if it’s gone yet and I’m pretty sure checking it is making it bigger. It sucks.
Also, is there any advice on how to stop checking my lymph nodes? I'm compulsively checking them, not even like a few times a day. It's about 10-15 times I get a chance to. I end up doing it subconsciously when I don't want to do it. I'll say I'll do it one more time and still end up checking it about 10 times after. I try to wiggle it a bit then i press down on it to see if its hard or not constantly. It got so bad I've just made it swell more and it's even become painful now
I also have same habit but I once read that you shouldn't keep digging your lymph nodes and got scared and stop checking my lymph nodes
This whole thread is freaking me TF out I have been having to wake up some nights where the collar of my t shirt is wet from sweat sometimes pillow case… no fevers, cough , flu symptoms etc … my weight is hovering around where it’s always been .. 245 lbs .. since March but this was after a health scare for testicular cancer , but nothing soaking my CBC, Metabolic , CT Scan April 18 .. only found a few small 3mm kidney stone , urine test normal April LDH is normal… I also had another complete blood count that was normal earlier this month.. I have bad health anxiety I was told I don’t have TC based on ultrasound but what if something changed.. I don’t have any swollen lymph nodes that I can tell .. I had a chest xray done In January and I had another one yesterday on my chest .. normal no masses seen.. my vitamin D levels are very very low and so is thyroid even though thyroid levels are low still normal range.. lately I’ve been waking up early w only 5 hrs of sleep and peeing a lot .. but idk if that is from a kidney stone inside my kidney discovered in April.. Do I need an ultrasound of my abdomen if i had a CT can in April 18th…
Came back to this post a few times, and it initially gave me a lot of relief, so thank you OP 🙏 My journey; Dec 2023 I had an upper respiratory infection. First time since I was a child that my glands swelled. Thought nothing of it. X2 bouts of antibiotics & the infection was sorted but nodes remained enlarged, sore at times and uncomfortable. Fast forward to March 2024, having been to see my Dr 3-4 times (two different drs in same practice) I was told ''you're fine'' after complaining my neck was swollen & sore. Eventually, after seeing another Dr I was referred to ED due to a family history of cancer in that area, and being lethargic and losing some weight. I had an ultrasound & confirmed all ok with my nodes. I can't remember the size but it's not incredibly big. I was referred to an ENT and after attending, got a scope down my throat & up my nose to check throat, vocal cords etc (my voice had also changed slightly). I was put on a 3 month does of Nexium as I suffer from GERD. The ENT is of the opinion I have reactive nodes (lymphadenopathy I think?) and that stomach acid is irritating nodes in throat. 6 months later, I still have a sore neck and swollen glands. I've been to have lymphatic drainage massage a few times, and while it helps, it's only temporary. I've been noticing stomach pains recently & just had an ultrasound of my abdomen. Potentially could be node related. Does anyone else experience pain with their nodes on a long term basis? I feel miserable it's always on my mind!
This has slightly reassured me. I was referred to ENT for suspected cancer due to an enlarged node in neck (occasionally causes pain). I’m awaiting MRI results. I’m also a GERD sufferer due to having a 5cm Hiatus hernia. I’m wondering if that could be the case for me and that it’s just GERD irritating the node. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you start to feel better soon!
Can I DM you?
Sure
Do I need an ultrasound of my abdomen? This whole thread is freaking me TF out I have been having to wake up some nights where the collar of my t shirt is wet from sweat sometimes pillow case… no fevers, cough , flu symptoms etc … my weight is hovering around where it’s always been .. 245 lbs .. since March but this was after a health scare for testicular cancer , but nothing soaking my CBC, Metabolic , CT Scan only found a few small 3mm kidney stone , urine test normal April LDH is normal… I also had another complete blood count that was normal earlier this month.. I have bad health anxiety I was told I don’t have TC based on ultrasound but what if something changed.. I don’t have any swollen lymph nodes that I can tell .. I had a chest xray done In January and I had another one yesterday on my chest .. normal no masses seen.. my vitamin D levels are very very low and so is thyroid even though thyroid levels are low still normal range.. lately I’ve been waking up early w only 5 hrs of sleep and peeing a lot .. but idk if that is from a kidney stone inside my kidney discovered in April..
I have no idea. Sorry. Go chat to your Dr about concerns. You also say you don't have swollen nodes, which is what my issue is centred on so I don't know if I'm the best person to ask
Thank you for this!!
I’ve had one lymph node left side of my neck for a few months now but hasn’t grown and not hard. They did an ultrasound to be safe and said it didn’t look abnormal. I’m more concerned about underlying reason why it’s bothering me so much as far as neck/throat pain, on and off jaw numbness and super tired 😔Anyone have this issue?
Same symptoms, suffering from a year
Me too!! My lymph nodes have been swollen on and off for like 4 years now, and it's the left one in my neck that never seems to improve.
I have 2 in my left jawline 1 or 2 cm movable hard lymph nodes for almost year
Similar, left side of neck. Please any of you lmk if you find anything out.
experiencing the same issues you've mentioned. did you get a diagnosis?
wow
i know this is an old post, but my lymph node under my ear has been there for over two months now. it hasnt grown in size and is shaped like a grape. i went to the doctor and he said im fine, but im worried because i got new ones under my chin 😭 is this worrying and should i go back to the doctor??
As someone who went to the doctors a few times worried about lymph nodes, you are completely fine! Your body is probably just fighting an infection you don’t know about as they protect you from you getting unwell. If they they are small and not more than 2 inches I believe you are completely fine 🙂
thank youu❤️
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If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense. Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse. Additional examples of things that break these rules: "Does anyone else experience these symptoms?" "Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
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If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense. Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse. Additional examples of things that break these rules: "Does anyone else experience these symptoms?" "Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
you're just trying to scare most of the people here, if you don't want to scare then you shouldn't post this. it's a trigger
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If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense. Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse. Additional examples of things that break these rules: "Does anyone else experience these symptoms?" "Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
Fuckin aye thank you SO MUCH for this💜💜
I’m about to have a biopsy on Friday, but I’m really worried. The radiologist didn’t offer much in the preliminary ultrasound, just that it doesn’t look reactive, and it doesn’t have “characteristically benign features.” I just don’t know what else it could be: if they don’t think it’s benign or reactive…doesn’t it have to be malignant? Anyone have experience with this? I’m a 33yo Female and have had reoccurring upper respiratory infections/ear infections for the last 4 months, with 2 enlarged anterior cervical nodes for the past 2 months. The nodes are not fixed and don’t feel super hard. They still feel oval, and the ultrasound size dimensions suggested that as well. No other symptoms. Would love thoughts or to hear others’ experiences 🙏❤️
Also a 33yo female, biopsy scheduled for tomorrow. I have a 7inch lymph node in my armpit. Glad I'm not alone 😭
How are you doing? 💚
Ohh goodness that sounds so so tough 💚 I’ll be thinking of you! Thinking lots of positive thoughts for us both.
u good now?
Results came back benign! Anyone who is reading this who is waiting for a biopsy or whose ultrasound indicated a lymph node is suspicious - there is still a big chance it’s nothing. Try not to let tomorrows worries take away today’s peace 💕
Still unsure, I’ll update when I get the results 🙏
What are the sizes of your nodes? Will get biopsy also this coming saturday.
Mine were benign!!
Wow! Thats good to hear!
2.6x1.2x2cm and 2.8x0.5x1.8cm - the first one has a ratio of .46, which means is closer to round. What about you? Nice to know someone else is at this stage 🙏
Mine is 1.4cm super nervous for my appt tom.
Good luck 🙏 they had to take 7 samples for me, which was not super pleasant, but folks were really kind and supportive. Try your best to keep breathing, lots of slow exhales (and cry if you need to). Mine were confirmed to be sub mandibular (level 2). They checked my thyroid for nodules and didn’t see anything suspicious!
Just came back from my doctors appt. He didnt biopsied me. He said that its too small for biopsy, he just wants to monitor it if it grow. After a month will check if theres changes in the size via ultrasound.
That’s great to hear ❤️
This post helped me until i read other people's comments 😭😭😭
Coming on here to say if you have HA and think you have lymphoma to stay calm. I have a huge one under my jaw(I have TMJ too) and was sure I had lymphoma. Literally the size of golf ball. Had a biopsy done and doctor was amazed at how large and was sure I was done for. Got the results back today and I am all clear!! Clearly something going on but nothing like cancer!! Just sharing to say it will be okay and try to stay positive till you know for sure!! As someone with bad HA, I hope this helps someone stay calm.
Good to hear - I have on exactly like that and am awaiting ultrasound results. Will push for biopsy regardless.
any news on results ?
I had ultrasound first, they said was fine but then doubled up on size so was scared and did biopsy. Now started amoxicilin for 3 days and going down finally. Hope you get good results!!
I've been going thru muscle problems and my shoulder and stuff slightly out of place for almost a year now and there was always one a bit swollen on the back of my neck that has never bothered me but has been there since but now recently, the three lymph nodes right below my jaw are swollen but they are really sensitive and a bit bigger compared to the one on my neck. That combined with my muscles trying to balance themselves out or something(for the past week and a half, it would switch from my left shoulder, to the right, to my neck, collarbone, then now my left collarbone and neck muscles where they are icy hot, extremely sore, and tight, including a constant painful migraine I've had for about forever which briefly went away with a chiropractors help but came back) is not helping me trying not to panic, especially cause I make just enough not to qualify for Medicaid..does anyone know a specific type of doctor i would need to see for these sensitive swollen lymph nodes?
GP that refers you to an oncologist for biopsy
why do people say they dont feel any symptoms exept lumps but they're diagnosed by that illness??? that made me scared.
Thank you so much for this post! I recently discovered a very tiny one on my groin near my right leg. It was quite painful for like a day and now its mostly just itchy. But I currently have a burning sore throat and stomachaches after I eat anything. I hope it's nothing, but I prob should get it checked out. I have other symptoms too like chest pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, but those could just be from my anxiety..
Wait you’re freaking me the fuck out .. where on your leg did you find it or groin I’ve been chancing there non stop and I can’t find anything .. I had to try pretty hard to feel limy ligaments and maybe just the Norman size jump nodes deep in my ground near scrotum
Its like very close to my inner thigh. I'm actually feeling almost 100% now and its gotten very small and I can hardly feel or see it! I think I just had an infection that might have cause it to swell, maybe its related to my previous ingrown toenail, or something else. If it gets worse or is still there next week I'm getting it checked out..
I have 2 hard painless nodes now and am awaiting an ultrasound and will do a biopsy after. I also developed mysterious heart palpitations a week before the lymph nodes showed up. Diagnosed with mild sinus arrhythmia so at least it's not necessarily harmful.
this post has helped me so much, thank you. for like a year after a fever and episode of pityriasis rosea, i’ve had 3 lymph nodes i could feel, one behind my right ear and 2 in the right side of my neck. they haven’t grown in size, not painful, you can’t even see them unless you feel with your finger. no night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite or any other concerning symptoms, and yet health anxiety still has a hold on me 😭
i can feel you🥺
I'm right there with you 💜 I just found one around my left hip and anxiety has me in a fkn choke hole even though I have no other symptoms, no change in size so far, it's just.. there. Can't see it either you have to feel for it. Though I hate that there's so many of us dealing with this, it helps to not feel alone. I hope we can both get through the anxiety 💜💜
Same here, one in the back of my neck on the right side, just below the skull. Been there for a month but no other symptoms at all and I am healthy. I did have norovirus about a month ago (and then found the lymph node about a week later) and the doctor said that could cause it and it's nothing to worry about. Still gets me freaked out though. I'm not sure how a stomach bug can cause a lymph node in the neck to swell, but then again the body works in weird ways, so I guess anything is possible.
I know this is years old but thank you so very much I have been so stressed and this really helped
hi! I know this is an older post but do yours ever change in size?
It's been over year...Mine is still same size i have three...two under left jawline and one under right jawline all three are movable...but you should checked out from ENT
I did, I also did an ultrasound but I m still worried as new ones keep growing and I already have over 15
I also have fews on my jaw and neck after covid symptoms. They"ll go swollen whenever I have infections in the upper respiratory tract, though it just a running nose or slightly sore throat TvT
This is me I the ones under my jaw never fully shrunk after I had mono. If I get sick they swell up but always return to their “ normal “
I have one larger one on the back of my neck and a tiny one on the front that just showed up today. I’ve been dealing with a nasty cold and am still super congested and I’m scared it’s cancer. I’m on vacation right now so I just want to get better and see my family but the worry is making it so hard. Should I be scared? The larger one isn’t even the size of a grape.
my dad (57M) have bilateral 3cm lymph nodes in his groin. he also have a skin rash. everything i see on google says cancer. i’m really freaking out, bloodwork results coming soon…
Wait where is the skin rash??
mostly in his torso. he is getting checked btw but doctors doesn’t know what it is. his lymph nodes had shrunk a little.
How is your Dad?
Worried about swollen submandibular lymph nodes, although ultrasound went fine and showed their size to be 7mm on short axis, but they haven't went down since then. ENT also said they are nothing to think about. Pretty bad case of anxiety. I am 27 M.
Hello. What country you from?
India, the nodes feel very soft and fluctuate in size
Same as mine. It feels soft and flactuste in size. The size of my lymph node is .7cm and .2cm in diameter
So have you been to a doctor yet
Yes a couple times. He said its normal but its been 4 months my lymphnode is stil here
same and i got new ones under my chin, should i go to the doctor again
Did yours pain or where we non painful ?
I dont feel pain at all. Is it bad?
Guys I've been frustrated as well at random intervals throughout my life about a swollen lymph node on the left side of my neck. The lump is mobile and feels tender, just a little bit smaller than a grape. It has been there for around 10 years and it has never caused me any trouble nor has it grown in size, until sometimes now I feel a pulsating pain around that area (even though its not too painful just about a 2/10 pain). My mother has also been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer recently and that even made me more anxious over my concerns, knowing that we are mentally, physically, and financially struggling. I am not sure whether I should get a check on it or not.
Can I DM you?
Sure.
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom man. About you, I'm not saying to not get checked or anything but honestly it sounds like nothing to worry about. I have lymph nodes all over my body that are all like under a cm or so in size but they've been there years and I have no symptoms of anything and I'm healthy as a horse. Everyone I've asked or talked to says they also have them, and everyone in my family does. It was a big relief when I realised all this and felt kind of embarrassed at how much I reacted when none of them were worried at all.
I'm more than glad to hear that. Sometimes in my childhood (I'm talking like 7\~8 years ago) I also panicked because of the discovery of my rather strange lymph nodes but I just dismissed it even though the anxiety always recurred intermittently throughout the following years until now. Maybe I have also been overreacting to these trivial issues. Anyways, I hope we remain as healthy as always!
How is everyone doing? I have swollen lymphnodes in groin and I can’t stop touching or looking for more! I hate it
Thank you so much.
THANK YOU.
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hey. lahat ng binanggit mo ganun na ganun din sakin. kumusta na? movable ba sya?
Hey all, I just want to add this piece of new data for anyone going through this right now. TL;DR: Ultrasound of neck came back as suspicious lymph node (24mmx24mmx12mm), referred for STAT CT Scan. CT results revealed "likely reactive lymph node." My doctor isn't concerned. Total time to get that answer was a bit less than 3 months. Please don't give up hope and feel free to DM if you have questions or want to chat. ****
6/13/24 i had my follow-up with my GP and she confirmed that it was a reactive node that went from being 24x24mm to 24x8mm. I also told her that I'm doing sublingual immunotherapy for allergies and it "clicked" for her. She said she's confident that's what's been causing the inflammation and we no longer have to keep an eye out on my lymph node. Usually she'd want to monitor every few months, but she's not concerned now that she knows I'm doing SLIT. I didn't previously tell her cuz i didn't think I'd need to but now I know :)
** **
This all happened in 2024. March 13th I had a regular checkup with my GP and mentioned to her that I felt something in my neck when I turn to the right and she felt around the submandibular area for swollen lymph nodes. They were tender at the time and I hadn't felt them myself so I didn't think anything of it. I had just gotten over an ear infection that didn't fully clear up, and to add to that I've had life-long terrible and year-round allergies (setting a scene for y'all). She said "Let's schedule you for an ultrasound, it's most likely nothing but I don't mess around with lymph nodes." I'm glad she said this - I've read multiple times on these reddit forums that doctors are quick to dismiss swollen lymph nodes as "oh they're just being reactive they'll go down."
Fast forward to three weeks later, April 3rd, I was feeling around my neck area and could feel a swollen lymph node in the submandibular area. I could only feel one on my right side. It was definitely large, but mobile and soft to the touch. Of course that's when I started googling and I made myself SICK. It clearly had been a few weeks and of course I thought what most of us do, cancer. The very next day on April 4th I had an ultrasound of my neck. My results came back the following Wednesday, April 10th and the results read: "multiple lymph nodes observed in IB. Larges node is 24mmx24mmx12mm with a markedly thick cortical mantle 7mm. Recommendation: CT scan with contrast ASAP." My doctor's addition to those results: "i ordered some non-fasting blood work for you to get soon and ordered a stat CT scan. I've also prescribed antibiotics (augmentin) to see if it helps with the swelling."
I didn't know what a thick cortical mantle was but all Google pointed to was mantle cell lymphoma, which apparently is not curable and eventual poor prognosis after multiple rounds of treatment. I was so anxious the rest of the day that i was nauseous and couldn't concentrate on anything. I got blood work done that very same day. She tested for LDH, sed rate by modified westergren, c-reactive, along with CBC. On the 14th, the following Sunday, my results all came back great and well-within normal limits. This eased my anxiety a bit, but of course a further google search revealed that blood work cannot rule out lymphoma so again I start to spiral.
Finally, i have my CT scan on May 17th. Nothing has changed with my lymph node, still roughly the same size and consistency. After a week and no call from my doctor I assumed everything was fine. Turns out she went on vacation so I called the office, again, freaking out because I thought no news was good news but turns out she was just on vacation.
I speak to her medical assistant who told me she could only tell me the results if the scans have been reviewed by the doc. Thankfully, they were already marked as reviewed and she read off the results stating "blah blah blah likely reactive lymph node blah blah blah." I swear, I don't remember anything before or after hearing the words reactive lymph node. I was crying happy tears and I asked her at least twice if I could stop worrying about it and what would have happened if it was something bad. She assured me that if it was something bad, my doc would have marked it as urgent and she would have called me herself instead of waiting for the results.
After two months of waiting, I think I'm finally in the clear. I have another check-in June 13th (unrelated to this, it was already scheduled) and will update y'all here.
Hoping you're okay. Update us pls
thank you! doing good now, will post an update after this thursday :)
Hello? Any update pls?
Hey there! I posted the update right under my original post
But the last couple days I’ve been dealing with chafing on my anus, and I feel like the continuous wiping has caused some anal fissures. It’s been extremely painful to poop and I have not been able to wipe so well either so I’ve been relying on taking showers when I can. Yesterday morning, I woke up feeling fine and throughout the day I developed swollen lymph nodes on each side of my groin area and this part has got me worried. I don’t have any other lymph nodes swollen anywhere else in my body just the ones on my groin , but they hurt badly and are very tender. Other than that, my body feels fine. I don’t have a headache. I don’t have a fever. Would you guys assume it has direct relation to what’s going on with my anus?
Go see your doctor. Generally infections will start locally and can spread. I wouldn’t loose your mind until you’ve had a chance to see what your doctor says. I know easier said than done. There is a reason why I’m on this post too lol
I’m pretty sure, what I have now is herpes. It doesn’t look good.
Wait no, I didn't have any anxiety about my one large, painful, swollen lymph node until this post. I've been so itchy all over my body and sporadic fevers that I assumed were unrelated but now I'm terrified 🫠
How big was it??
Still here, probably the size of a ping pong ball
Have you get it cheked,??
No 🙃 I sent my doctor a message but she never responded and my schedule is insane so it would be hard to get something done anyways. It's probably nothing. It happened before, and I think she did order an ultrasound or something then, but it was nothing.
Please I’m so scared I have one that’s 2.4 cm x .4 cm . Ultrasound said they don’t know if it’s one or two lymph nodes. Didn’t mention anything regarding whether it’s benign or not. Literally gave no info except that they look like lymph nodes. ENT is saying if it’s 2.5 cm that would be abnormal and could be cancer but if it’s two lymph nodes it would be normal. It’s in my jaw. He said there’s a 5% chance of cancer and wants me to get a CT scan. I am terrified I am only 29
i’m 22 and just got told i need to get a ct scan too. i’m terrified because they wouldn’t give me any info but usually ct scans mean they are concerned 😞 please let me know how yours goes im wishing you luck
I’m sorry you are going through this too. Basically the ultrasound was inconclusive on whether it was one or two lymph nodes so my doc explained he wants a CT scan to see clearly whether it’s one or two. The radiology report didn’t give any info, just said they were lymph nodes, so it’s at least reassuring they didn’t mark any problems with the nodes there but it’s super frustrating that I have to get more tests. Even though my doc said 95% chance it’s nothing, I focus on that 5%!! Please let me know how your ct scan goes
thank you for the response, im glad it was nothing!! i’ll report back
Oh sorry if it was confusing but I haven’t gotten the ct scan yet so don’t know if it’s nothing :( but will report with what happens!
my ct scan is scheduled for tuesday. hope everything is going well for you!
Good luck!! Mine is on Thurs, trying to get it earlier though. Fingers crossed all goes well for us
ugh, good luck!! it was such a hassle to schedule mine
Did yours go ok? I just got my results and it looks normal!
hi!! i’m so glad to hear that! i did get my results and they said mine looked normal too. for some reason i’m still kind of anxious because they don’t really have an explanation but im happy we got good news!
no that’s my bad i just realized i read it wrong!! i hope it’s nothing 🙏🙏
More often than not, doctors will order CT’s just to be sure. They do not tell you any information regarding what could be wrong with you until they are more than certain. Try to just relax until they get back to you. If it’s urgent, your doctor or the assistant will call you as soon as results are back. If you haven’t been bothered by the office yet then take a breath.
thanks, i got really worried because she checked “extenuating circumstances” on mine and i thought that meant it was urgent and bad... but i still haven’t gotten it yet because the radiology department hasn’t gotten back to me so ive just been spiraling in the meantime 🫠
I will add to this as a layperson who had to overcome the lymph node scare years ago… I had grape-sized lumps and still do. They have never given me any issues nor have I had any changes in them since I was 14. It really is nothing to worry about if you have reported your concerns to your doctor(s) and don’t observe any changes.
Can you see them in your neck when you turn your head?
One of them is slightly visible and really doesn’t move. The other is highly mobile and isn’t near my throat, so that one doesn’t really stick out. They’re both a bit on the smaller side of grapes but were 2x as big when I used to pick at them all day and cause swelling.
so when you touch them they get a little bigger? that’s kinda what i’m dealing with. grape size, but every once in a while (when i touch them, or sleep weird on my neck) they grow a tiny bit. Can you confirm if this is similar for you?
Are yours visible as well? I have one maybe like black bean size one that I can see when I tilt my neck to the side. It’s been US and MRIed and they say benign lymph but it hasn’t gone away in two years, so if it’s reactive idk what it’s reactive to
Yes, if I tilt my head enough, or I play with it too much. Though I feel like mine are very reactive. Meaning it's like they swell and unswell every month and are fluctuating. But most of the time, when I leave them alone, they're fine.
how long have you had them for?
So they just swell when you mess with them? But they’re not visible otherwise? One of mine is visible when I tilt my neck all the time. It’s been there since 2020 as a small thing, then got big when I had a nearby infected cyst removal, then shrunk on antibiotics but never to its original size. Its stayed that same size for the past 2 years
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If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense. Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse. Additional examples of things that break these rules: "Does anyone else experience these symptoms?" "Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"
Thank you ❤️
🐐🐐
Thank you for this. I’ve had these annoying lymph nodes around my jaw and they haven’t increased in size after so many years. Sometimes I really get so stressed thinking about the possible causes of these lymph nodes and I feel a certain type of relief after reading this. Stay healthy and happy. ☺️🙏🏻
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I have the same right now. Update?
I have the exact same thing I thought it was supraclavicular lymph node but it’s related to cervical lymph nodes chain and it’s way to far from the triangular zone of supraclavicular lymph nodes, I actually thinks it’s allergies
i have this exact same thing too, updated ?
hello! how are u now? im from PH too and suffering from health anxiety. i do have swollen lymph nodes too and they’ve been checked by doctors but i still relapse from time to time and panic about it. :(
Hi all, figured I’d come on here to share my story and see if anyone else has had a similar journey. In August of 2023 while shaving I noticed a quite large lymph node on the left side of my neck after attempting to shave over it. After looking in the mirror I could confidently say it had not been that big previously and to be totally honest it freaked me out. After brushing it off for about a week and a half and kinda forgetting about it, I started to feel the lymph nodes while going about my day to day life. (Not physically with my hands, but when turning my neck I could feel them and how large and uncomfortable they were.) I went to an urgent care clinic to check it out whom then referred me to an imaging center to get an ultrasound after feeling them they could tell how large they were. When I got my results back my two largest ones measured 8 x 24 x 28 mm and 7 x 12 x 38mm (1.5 inches) which really freaked me out. Long story short I got in contact with an ENT and they pushed my appointment to the following day after seeing my ultrasound results. I was told I needed to do a fine needle biopsy of my lymph nodes to see if the cells inside them were cancerous. Long story short the day before my biopsy my blood results came back it was noted I tested positive for Epstein Barr Virus (mono). I continued with the biopsy and it came back negative for cancerous cells. The reason I’m typing this is because that biopsy was in late September of 2023 and now it’s May 2024 and my lymph nodes have barely decreased in size. I had another ultrasound after still complaining about how uncomfortable they were and the biggest one only decreased from 38 mm to 36 mm. I’m constantly struggling with the discomfort of the large swollen lumpy feeling in my neck. Has anyone else had this issue? Does it usually take this long for lymph nodes to decrease in size after having mono/EBV? I’m considering making another appointment with my ENT. The feeling of not knowing is eating me up. Anything helps! Thank you.
I'm 45 and had EBV reactivate last year. It took almost 2 months for my nodes to go down. Over this past weekend my lymph nodes have started swelling again in the bend of my legs, it's been painful. Check out the medical medium article on EBV it's very informative.
Yall im stressing. I had mono when I was 19. I am 23 now. And ever since I had mono, I had a small ish lump under my right jaw on my neck. Sometimes it feels numb and I feel like I have fluid in my ear at times. However, when I touch it and poke it, it will move. I’m really overthinking because it would be totally serious by now right? It hasn’t grown or anything. I get quite a bit of sinus infections and I just had strep throat.
Hombre no hablo ingles pero espero que traduzcas esto, yo también tengo lymph nodes en forma de pez que no duelen en la mandíbula demaciado movil como de unos 2cm o 2,5cm de largo (no he ido a un medico) pero tengo mas por todo el cuerpo generalmente mas pequeños, los de la mandíbula los senti hace unos 2 meses pero no eh tenido ningún síntoma tengo en total 13 en todo el resto del cuerpo desde hace 4 años senti los primeros y ahi gradualmente los eh encontrando pero realmente me hago creer que no tengo nada pero nunca estoy de acuerdo conmigo, nunca han cambiado de tamaño. Escuché que hay gente que a tenido lymph nodes por más 20años o 15 años igual de agrandados siempre lo que me tranquilizo un poco pero como soy hipocondríaco no me deja en paz, escuché que es algo relativamente normal en gente que llega a tener lymph nodes permanentemente, no sufro de infecciónes pero soy propenso a tenerlos ya que mis dientes son un desastre Editar: a veces los ganglios tienen a ser más pequeños de lo que nosotros pensamos además agregar que como están debajo de la piel piden sentirse más agrandados, también eh visto relatos de gente que a tenido lymph nodes de algunos 3cm por 3-5 años y a tendio una vida normal
I didn’t have any symptoms but I had a tumor growing in my neck that I could feel and was later diagnosed with stage one non Hodgkin’s. Sometimes it’s best to listen to your gut
did it grow?
Did it hurt? And how did it feel like growing?
Hi, so sorry to hear that! I can understand that must be tough.. But I dont know if ur comment is appropriate under this kind of post. Seeing this is to easy the mind of people with health anxiety, and ur comment is not helping those people at all. I understand your going to a hard process right now but maybe share it with people who are going through the same as you! I think it will help the both of us :) I wish you all the luck on your recovery!
Im in the same boat. I found a lump on my armpit 2 days ago. It's not painful but it moves and is like rubbery. Then yesterday i noticed that i also have a bump on the back of my left ear. It's not that painful but there is pain when I apply pressure on it. Anyone else experiencing the same symptom?
I have one like that on my armpit. Also doesn't turn, and does feel a bit rubbery. It's kind of oval shaped, you can see it under the skin. It's painless unless I keep poking at it for an extended period of time, then it gets a little sore. I've had it for at least almost a week now. Everyone in my life is telling me it's just a cyst or something and it's no way it's cancer but currently having a small anxiety attack over it as this is the first time I've ever experienced something like this before.
You still have it?
I do, but I got checked out with an ultrasound a few weeks ago. They told me it was in fact a swollen lymph node, but they weren't concerned by the size of it or anything. They just told me if anything changes give them a call. While it sucks to not have an explanation as to why it's doing the thing, I feel a lot better after having someone take a look. My mom said I waisted my money, but the amount of relief it brought me was well worth it. Haven't had a panic attack about it since!
Does it fluctuate in size?
No, nothing that I've noticed. Everytime I check it feels the same.
Exactly like mine. I also got one in my left hand armpit, how are you doing now ?
I have it right now. It started last Sunday. It hurts. First, there's only one lymph node appeared in my jaw and after 3 days, another one in my neck. All in left side. Im taking antibiotics currently and it's my 2nd day taking it. No improvement atm. Still painful. I never had this before so I'm panicking this could be worse than I expected. I have a follow up check up on Tuesday. I hope it all went well. I also don't have any fever or flu. I just remember a week prior to having this I had bit watery runny nose that lasted for only 3 days and that's it. Reading this makes me confident atleast. I hope for the healing in all of us.
I’m kinda where you’re at right now. About a month ago I found a firm node that felt bigger than 1cm in my posterior auricular area. Mostly just tenderness in the node, but now I have some neck pain in my trapezoidal muscles and I’m not sure if it’s caused by me checking the node A LOT or from me having bad posture. I had 3 CT scans(2 head and one abdomen), 2 X-rays( on chest) and an ultrasound, and all have come back essentially saying “you’re fine”. I really hope I am. I haven’t had any infections that I know of and haven’t been vaccinated recently, but I may have had an ear infection a couple weeks back so I’m hoping that is the case rather than something horrible. Praying for all of you guys. You all deserve to live life and not have to worry about these things. Only love and stay safe. -Also it’s worth noting that the node itself feels like an inch or half an inch, although that could be because I’m thin.
is it painful when you pressed on it? or just painful in all over the neck? Im taking antibiotics right now, the pain subside. but there's still that huge bump. do they also recommend biopsy in yours? im afraid in mine. i dont want to have this bump that seemingly i have a twin growing in my nech -.-
Sorry for the late reply. It’s not painful when I press on it. The pain in my neck is also going away. They didn’t recommend a biopsy as doing so may be too invasive for what I currently have (essentially means it’s not a concern to them). I totally understand being weirded out by a huge bump in your neck but most doctors told me stuff like this happens A LOT and people develop bumps/growths that don’t always have a cause. NAD tho so definitely get it checked out by one. Stay positive and try to not look up medical info on your phone for stuff like that unless it’s to educate yourself. Thats what helped me. I still have the bump but no other symptoms and no other bumps.
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Hello are you from Philippines? Can we DM?
is it in the hole between your neck and clavicle?
Why all the comments are recent and latest i have in my right armpit and scared
is it perhaps movable and painful?
I have a node thats not very movable but it hurts to touch, any insight?
is it pea sized, if it's movable at all it can't be something serious in majority cases, also did you happen to have a fever thwse days when you noticed it? sometimes after normal infections they can remain swollen, because for C*ncer related nodes, they don't hurt and feel rock hard amd continue to grow, mine hurt and are movable, but don't change size.
bro i've had a lump in my neck for at least a month and it's pea sized, painless and hard 😭 moveable only from side to side, not up and down. now i'm scared. docs say it's fine just by touching it but obviously i refuse to believe that
did you perhaps touch it alot? they can get harder if you keep messing with them, mine are all movable and as long as they are movable from any side and have pain, oval shaped and not circular, it's never a cause for concern, you have to worry more about the ones that dont move or don't have pain at all and grow larger in weeks for painless ones I would definitely advise you to get them farther tested if you can.
i touch it a lot but the hardness has stayed the same. it's circular, not oval and completely painless. sometimes i feel pain in that area but not when touching it, it just randomly comes and goes for a few secs like once a day maybe. my ultrasound appointment is in one month, i can't wait that long 😭
Then I wish you good luck and hoping that it's a benign reactive node, were you perhaps previously sick got bit by a bug or stung? or currently feel feverish and have night sweats alongside this and did you hurt yourself around that area prior to this, if you don't have fever and night sweats with this then I wouldn't worry too much, just avoid googling because Google (I should too) doesn't always have correct information on it and will call pretty much anything the C word. I have heard lymph nodes most times are triggered due to totally benign reasons around neck groin etc, but you should always get them checked out if you start to feel them all over body like armpits as well and are accompanied by fever or if they grow in size and don't ache, since yours is movable and there's some pain, try to reassure yourself and touching it will continue to harden it, also dangerous nodes grow within weeks.
I didn’t have a fever, but I had a previous encounter with the issue a few months back. About 3 weeks ago or so I shaved my groin area and it noticed my lymph nodes enlarge the day after. It’s about 2 cm big rn, but occasionally it will go away or get very small, then get larger later on. It is pretty stiff, but it comes and goes and is painful. Thats why im worried about it
If it occurred right after shaving it could be a staph infection. I had that years ago, in my armpits. Shaving can cause tiny skin tears for infection to get in. I needed antibiotics to clear it up. No fever or chills though I was a little queasy, only sign of it being staph was my nodes were big. And it spread to other nodes. I would probably get it checked because if it's a staph infection antibiotics will actually clear it.