Risk potential of an inflamed lymph node

The risk of permanent damage to health from an inflamed lymph node is very low. Most lymph node inflammations occur as a result of an infection of neighboring tissue, for example a swelling of the neck lymph nodes as part of a common cold. This lymph node swelling usually subsides within a few days or weeks.

If an inflammation of the lymph node is caused by a specific bacterial inflammation, complete healing is usually achieved within a few weeks. It should be noted, however, that this is only possible with adequate and timely therapy. Only in rare cases, such as the manifestation of tuberculosis in the lymph node, can a chronic inflammation develop, which can be impressive with swelling for months to years.

The clinical examination of the lymph nodes can provide important information about the type of swelling. At least as a general rule, an infection can be assumed to be the cause if the swelling is painful under pressure and can be easily displaced against the surrounding tissue. If the swollen lymph nodes are not painful under pressure and do not move well against the surrounding tissue, this may indicate a malignant tumor.

Therefore, as with most non-acute complaints, the same applies: In general, it is possible to wait a few days to see how the swelling develops and whether further symptoms occur. If the swelling persists or if there are additional symptoms that go beyond the extent of an unproblematic cold, a doctor should be consulted. In most cases, the family doctor can determine more precisely how the lymph node swelling is to be classified and which further examinations might be useful.

Besides the clinical examination, the medical history is always important. Questions about the time of occurrence (is it an acute swelling of the lymph nodes or is it chronic?) and the temporal connection with other events (for example, occurrence of the swelling shortly before the onset of a cold) can be important.

It is also important to ask about previous illnesses (e.g. a cancerous history) and recent travel (possibility of infection with pathogens that are common in certain countries). In addition to the clinical examination and anamnesis, imaging also plays a role. Here, procedures such as ultrasound (sonography), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used.Nuclear medical procedures such as scintigraphy also play an important role in the precise examination of lymph nodes. However, they are not used as routine procedures.