Lymph node swelling in the pregnancy

If you notice a swollen lymph node in yourself or your child, the question arises as to what you should do. First of all it makes sense to continue to observe the lymph node. Especially in children, the lymph nodes are often so large that they can be palpated anyway and this is completely normal.

Most lymph node swellings in the neck are caused by infections and disappear on their own after 1-2 weeks. Especially children often suffer from mostly harmless infections of the respiratory tract. A doctor should be consulted if the lymph node swelling lasts longer than 2-3 weeks, if the lymph node is larger than 2-3 cm, if it feels hard or if there is a swelling that is insensitive to pressure or painless.

A physician should also be consulted if the swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck is accompanied by high fever, failure to thrive, weight loss or a decline in performance. If the swelling of the lymph nodes lasts longer than two weeks, a doctor should be consulted. The doctor will first take the patient’s medical history.

He will ask how exactly the symptoms manifest themselves and since when the observed lymph node swelling has been present. Further important information is, for example, whether the person concerned has had an infection recently and whether there are any other complaints, such as weight loss, night sweats, itching or even skin rashes or joint pain. Also after medicine contact, allergies and regular animal contact is asked.

After collecting the medical history, a physical examination is performed. First the physician looks at his patient to see if he notices anything unusual on the outside. Also into the mouth one looks, in order to recognize for example inflamed almonds.

The entire throat is palpated, paying attention to swellings. If a swelling is present, the doctor must determine whether it is a swelling of a lymph node or other tissue. If a lymph node swelling is present, it must be described in detail: Is only one lymph node or several affected?

Are the lymph nodes affected on one or both sides? Is the lymph node swelling on the neck on the right or left side? How large is the lymph node?

Is the lymph node painful or without pain? Does the lymph node feel hard or soft? Once the clinical examination is complete, the doctor will decide whether there is a need for further clarification of the swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck.

Since these are most often caused by colds, this is usually not necessary. Possibly he will order a throat swab to find out the exact pathogen causing the inflammation. If further clarification is necessary, the doctor will first arrange for an ultrasound examination.

This will enable him to measure the size of the lymph nodes and also check internal organs such as the liver and spleen. Further examinations include a laboratory examination of the blood, especially a large blood count, a blood sedimentation rate and CRP (C-reactive protein). In individual cases, other imaging procedures such as X-rays, CT or MRI are also required.

If the physician suspects certain lymph node diseases, a tissue sample must be taken from the lymph node and perhaps also from other organs, which are then examined under a microscope. Depending on what the physician suspects, he will consult a colleague, for example a pulmonologist, an ear, nose and throat specialist or a physician specializing in tumor diseases. Due to the large number of possible causes of swollen lymph nodes, there is no specific doctor responsible for treatment.

In any case, it is always a good idea to consult your family doctor. He can determine whether an inflammation or infection is the cause of the swollen lymph nodes and thus begin appropriate treatment. Depending on the suspected cause, the family doctor can refer affected persons to other doctors.

These include, for example, radiologists who can take an image of the affected lymph node region. If one does not have one so far, a general practitioner or internist in private practice is chosen as the family doctor. In most cases, this physician can already determine the origin of lymph node swelling by examining and questioning the patient.

He can also decide whether it is best to wait and see whether the swelling subsides on its own or whether a referral to a specialist is appropriate for further examination.However, not every swelling of lymph nodes requires immediate consultation with a doctor. In most cases, there is no disease requiring treatment and one waits to see whether the swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck recedes. However, swellings lasting more than 2 weeks should be examined by a physician for safety reasons.

Lymph nodes in the neck are typically located along the sternocleidomastoid muscle (large nodding head). The lymph nodes are usually not palpable in their normal state. However, if there is swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, the lymph nodes can be palpated as “lumps” in front of and behind the muscle.

In most cases, the lymph nodes under the fingers move, and palpation can be painful. As the lymph nodes in the neck swell, other lymph nodes may also swell (for example, under the jaw and under the chin). The lymph nodes on the collarbone can also be swollen.