Diagnostics of swollen lymph nodes
The first diagnostic tool for all problems with superficial lymph nodes is physical examination. During this examination the lymph node is palpated if possible. A lymph node that is not enlarged due to a malignant change should be painful, easy to move with pressure and have a soft consistency.
On the other hand, a tumor in the lymph node is rather immovable with a hard consistency and is also not pressure-treated. In order to substantiate an infection, the classic inflammation parameters can be checked by laboratory examination of the blood. In addition to the palpation, the physician can perform an ultrasound examination.
This is cost-effective and does not expose the patient to radiation. Swelling of deeper lymph nodes cannot be palpated and is increasingly difficult to visualize with ultrasound. Now, better imaging techniques must be used, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
If the suspicion of a malignant disease is confirmed, a biopsy of the affected lymph node is performed. Tissue is removed intraoperatively and then microscopically examined in the pathology department. Palpating lymph nodes in the groin is usually not difficult.
If the lymph nodes are somewhat swollen, they can be palpated as small “lumps” under the skin. Usually the swollen lymph nodes feel rubbery or like somewhat hardened nodes. They should be movable under the fingers against the skin.
Often, it is not only a single lymph node that is swollen, but many lymph nodes (often on both sides) in the groin can be palpated. Often the swollen lymph nodes are also painful due to pressure. Lymph nodes in the groin usually have a size of about half a centimeter to one centimeter in diameter.
Often, non-swollen lymph nodes in the groin can also be palpated. From a size of more than one centimeter, one speaks of swollen lymph nodes. Often not only is a single lymph node swollen, but several lymph nodes on both sides are affected instead.
This can also lead to the feeling that several of the lymph nodes are connected and cannot be easily separated from each other with the fingers. This should be possible again once the swelling has subsided. The treatment of lymph node swelling in the groin depends on the cause if the conventional approach is used.
In case of infection, antibiotics or antivirals can be used to kill the pathogens and support the immune system. The affected regions should not be cooled, even though the body is probably warm at this point (common consequence of an inflammation). In the case of a malignant tumor disease, surgical intervention is often indicated in which the affected lymph node(s) is (are) completely removed.
Chemotherapy can also be used to additionally attack the cancer cells and increase the success of surgical therapy. The relapse rate has been shown to decrease with additional medication. Alternative medicine suggests various forms of treatment.
On the one hand, the topic of medical massage is very important. Here, manual lymphatic drainage is to be carried out either independently or by an alternative practitioner. A brush is used to brush the skin of the lower extremities towards the chest, thus attempting to increase lymph drainage.
Another technique based on massage is the acupuncture massage according to Penzel, which is performed without needles but with reference to the acupuncture teachings.Nutritionally, it is recommended to avoid pork completely and increasingly sugar, eggs and milk and to eat a full diet, fruit and vegetables. Further for followers of the hom?opathischen philosophy an income of Sch?ssler salts or an Aromatherapie is applicable. If no therapeutic success is achieved by such a treatment, please consult a doctor.
In case of lymph node swelling in the groin, home remedies can be used to cool the affected area. These include simple cooling packs as well as quark or cabbage wraps. Above all, the cold relieves pain that can accompany lymph node swelling.
In addition, treatment of the underlying disease with home remedies is also useful. Infections or abdominal pain are often the cause of lymph node swelling. These can be treated symptomatically by placing a hot-water bottle on the stomach and drinking a sufficient amount of tea (teas such as sage, herbal, henger, peppermint tea) or by taking fluids with food (soup, broth).
An injury to the leg, for example, can also cause swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin, which is better treated with cooling household remedies. Antibiotics are drugs that are given as tablets or intravenously in the case of bacterial inflammation. In other infectious diseases, for example viral diseases, they are ineffective or can even lead to undesirable side effects.
Antibiotics should only be prescribed if a doctor has a high degree of certainty that there is a well-founded suspicion of a bacterial disease. An example of such a disease is “erysipelas” or “erysipelas”. It often affects the leg and is caused by bacteria.
As the pathogens rise, the lymph nodes in the groin can swell. Immediate high-dose antibiotic administration is necessary. Antibiotics can be counterproductive for certain viral diseases that are associated with swollen lymph nodes.
For example, in cases of glandular fever, administration of ampicillin can trigger a hypersensitivity reaction of the skin. This results in a large-area rash on the skin. In the case of lymph node swelling in the groin, many healing plants can be used in homeopathy.
These are often taken in the form of tea, sometimes even as a powder. Especially effective are plants like: These plants can remove the accumulation of lymph and thus reduce the swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin. Accompanying symptoms such as pain and fever can also be treated with homeopathic remedies, if necessary, but care should be taken to ensure that the substances taken are compatible.
- Peppermint
- Incense
- Lemon
- Oregano
- Licorice root
- Red Clover
