Lymph node regions
In humans, lymph nodes are distributed all over the body. There is also an important lymph node station in the groin. The inguinal lymph nodes receive the lymph fluid of the lower extremity and the organs of the small pelvis.
They therefore represent a crucial drainage station. To palpate the lymph nodes in the groin, it is best to look for the pulse of the femoral artery, which is also palpable in the groin. Around the artery there are usually groups of lymph nodes.
The lymph nodes in the groin are palpable in most adults, as they are often larger than other lymph nodes. Due to falls in childhood, broken knees and other injuries of the lower extremities, the lymph nodes are often challenged from childhood on. In the long run, the frequent activations lead to an increase in connective tissue in the lymph nodes, which is why they then remain slightly enlarged and palpable without this having any pathological significance.
Of course, the lymph nodes in the groin can also be enlarged in malignant diseases, such as prostate cancer in men, uterine or ovarian cancer in women, or colon cancer when the cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes. Any other malignant disease can also spread to the lymph nodes at an advanced stage and then also affect the groin lymph nodes. Benign lymph node swellings in the groin are manifested by enlarged, but soft and shiftable lumps that can be painful under pressure.
However, lymph nodes that have become enlarged as a result of an infection usually disappear within a few weeks. A constant increase in the size of a lymph node in the groin is therefore more suspect of a malignant finding. Most lymph nodes in the human body are located in the neck region.
They are particularly common in the context of colds and flu, and often cause pain. The lymph nodes of the neck are arranged in different lines.One line runs in the neck (nuchal lymph nodes), one starts in front of the ears (preauricular lymph nodes) and runs along the front edge of the large neck muscle towards the collarbone, one line starts behind the ears and runs along the back edge of the neck muscle towards the collarbone (retroauricular lymph nodes). There are also lymph nodes in the angle of the jaw and in the soft tissue under the lower jaw up to the chin (submandibular and submental lymph nodes).
In the case of colds, these lymph nodes are often swollen and painful. Once the cold or sore throat is over, the lymph nodes also swell rapidly. However, in the case of very frequent inflammations, the neck lymph nodes may remain somewhat enlarged for a long time.
In the context of malignant diseases, the neck lymph nodes can also become enlarged if the cancer has settled in the lymph nodes. However, the lymph nodes then tend to grope more roughly, irregularly and become baked with the surrounding tissue. Painful lymph nodes are then rather rare.
Especially in malignant diseases of the head and neck, the neck lymph nodes are often affected due to their anatomical proximity. For example, this can be the case with tumors of the larynx, tongue, almond, salivary gland or esophagus. However, any other cancer can also settle in the lymph nodes.
A tumor that develops directly in the lymph nodes is Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It often manifests itself in cervical or axial lymph nodes and is usually treated with chemotherapy. There are also lymph nodes in the neck.
These are also known medically as nuchal lymph nodes. They can be enlarged in case of infections, inflammations or malignant diseases. As with the cervical lymph nodes, the lymph nodes in the neck are swollen, especially in colds affecting the upper respiratory tract and in sore throats. Malignant diseases of the head and neck can form metastases in the lymph nodes of the neck.
