The inflammation of a lymph node is known as lymphadenitis, and it is most often the result of a bacterial infection in a wound. The swollen lymph nodes that accompany such a condition can be painful to the touch, as the lymph glands help to fight the infection. There can be red streaks that develop from the wound heading towards the swollen lymph node if the lymphatic vessels themselves are infected. Swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of many conditions, such as cat scratch fever, mononucleosis, and throat infections. To understand swollen lymph nodes, one needs to first know what the lymphatic system does.
Lymph nodes are small and bean-shaped glands that are located in different regions of the body. They are like receiving stations in the lymphatic system, which carries lymph fluid, nutrients, and waste products between the tissue of the body and the bloodstream. A vital part of the body’s immune system, the lymphatic system carries fluid to the lymph nodes, which trap bacteria, viruses, and other foreign bodies. In effect, the lymph nodes are like filters, and one of their most important functions is to catch the foreign bodies that have invaded your body. These are then destroyed by specialized white blood cells known as leucocytes. There are about five hundred of these lymph nodes throughout the body, and there are lymph nodes that can be felt in such regions as the groin area, the armpit, the neck, and behind the ears. Lymph nodes occur by themselves or in groups. When an injury or an infection occurs, the lymph nodes become swollen; if an infection is involved, the skin that is over the lymph node can become reddened and warm to the touch. Which lymph nodes are swollen gives a great clue to where the problem is in the body. If most of the body’s lymph nodes are involved and swollen, the odds are that they are responding to a whole-body problem such as a viral or bacterial infection, an autoimmune disease such as lupus, a reaction to certain drugs in the system, or something as serious as leukemia.
When the lymph nodes in the neck, under the jaw, or behind the ears are swollen, the culprit is often a cold or a sore throat or an infection of some sort in the mouth, head, or the neck. A scratch or cut on the hand can result in swollen lymph nodes in the elbow or armpit, while injuries to the feet, legs, groin, or genitals will have swollen lymph nodes behind the knee and in the groin as a consequence. In teething infants or those with ear infections, the lymph nodes around the head and neck will become noticeably swollen. The head and neck nodes can also indicate such maladies as tuberculosis, cat-scratch fever, and toxoplasmosis, so it is obvious that swollen nodes cannot be overlooked.
In children, swollen lymph nodes that are found just above the collar bone often are a sign of something more sinister than usual and need to be looked at by a physician. The lungs or abdomen could be involved in such cases. When someone has a high fever with swollen lymph nodes, they should seek a doctor’s advice, as they should if they have the telltale reddish streaks radiating towards one. When a lymph node becomes swollen past one or two inches in diameter, or if a node remains swollen for over a month or remains tender when it is touched, it should be a red flag.
When a physician determines the cause of swollen lymph nodes, they will be treated accordingly. Bacteria are responsible in many cases, and antibiotics will be used to fight their presence in the body. Always take the entire prescribed course of antibiotics so as to not allow an infection to make a comeback. If the source of the trouble is viral in nature, then no treatment is necessary, and if the infection is from another source such as an abscessed tooth, then that problem must be dealt with. Applying heat to areas where swollen lymph nodes are present can help to lessen any pain there is in the region. Swollen lymph nodes usually go back to normal when things are righted in your system. Never poke at or squeeze at swollen lymph nodes, as this may keep them from shrinking back to their normal size. You don’t really notice your lymph nodes until they become swollen, and all that means is they are doing the job they were designed by nature to do.
