Localization of lymph node swelling | Lymph node swelling in the groin – How dangerous is that?

Localization of lymph node swelling

A unilateral lymph node swelling does not necessarily indicate a malignant disease. In the case of infections and inflammations, the lymph nodes often swell in general and thus on both sides. However, since the lymph nodes are not always evenly distributed throughout the body or are not always easy to feel, a one-sided swelling does not rule out inflammation.

Especially in the case of painful swelling of the lymph nodes, an inflammation of the respective side must be considered, which can spread to the other side in the course of hours and days. However, unilateral lymph nodes that swell unnoticed and painlessly for a few days to weeks can also indicate a malignant disease of the lymphatic system. However, the specificity for such a disease is not particularly high.

This means that although lymph cancer often manifests itself in swollen lymph nodes, swollen lymph nodes rarely mean lymph cancer. Also rare are benign tumors that cause a punctiform swelling in the groin. Often these originate from the fatty tissue and represent a completely harmless fat tumor.

In the technical terminology they are called “lipoma“. A biopsy is performed to obtain a tissue sample of the lymph node for precise clarification in order to reliably rule out a malignant disease. In the case of malignant diseases of the genital organs, the lymph nodes can also swell.

In these cases, the cancer can spread through the lymphatic system like an inflammation. Since the lymph nodes of the groin are large lymph stations in many parts of the body, they are less frequently affected by such metastases than the lymph nodes close to the organs. Such a malignant disease is very rarely suspected in unilateral swelling of the groin.

A bilateral, symmetrical swelling is very typical for an inflammation. Inflammations that lead to lymph node swelling are caused by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses. In the groin there are large lymph node stations, which collect all the lymph from the legs, genital area, pelvis and groin region.

The inflammation can affect all genital organs, the legs, the skin and many other structures.Some of the pathogens flow from the inflammation region to the lymph nodes in the groin via the lymph. These are often palpable even in healthy people and can be up to 1cm in size. If the lymph node recognizes a certain pathogen, it produces numerous defense cells to fight the infection.

The lymph nodes on both sides swell up within a few hours or days and become painful. Even if there is no noticeable infection, the lymph nodes can swell symmetrically due to the pathogen. Once the inflammation has subsided, the large lymph nodes may remain in some patients. In the course of the inflammation, they encapsulate and lose the ability to shrink despite the infection having subsided. Such swellings are no cause for concern.