Definition
Lymph nodes act as a kind of filter station for the lymph. They can be found in different parts of the body, where they receive lymph from their feeding area. A particularly large number of lymph nodes are found in the neck region and the lower jaw, but also in the groin and the chest.
They are part of the human defense system and are about 5 to 10 mm in size. Normally, lymph nodes are not palpable in healthy people. Occasionally, groin lymph nodes are palpable in very thin people. Swelling of lymph nodes can have various causes.
Introduction
In general, one speaks of a lymph node swelling as soon as lymph nodes are enlarged and palpable through the skin. The medical term is lymphadenopathy or lymphadenitis, although the latter is more likely to describe an inflammatory cause. A distinction is made between benign and malignant lymph node swelling.
There are criteria that can be used to describe lymph node swelling in more detail and to narrow down potential causes. In addition to the physical examination, in which the lymph nodes are palpated by the examiner, there are other diagnostic tools that can be used to examine lymph node swelling more closely. These include imaging procedures such as ultrasound, CT or MRI.
Furthermore, tissue can be removed from a lymph node and examined more closely under a microscope. Lymph node swelling can be caused by a variety of factors that are based on different mechanisms. The consistency and size as well as the painfulness, also called pressure dolence, vary.
Causes of lymph node swelling in the lower jaw
Many different diseases and conditions can cause lymph nodes in the region of the lower jaw to swell. Since a large number of lymph channels run through this region of the body in particular, as well as the rest of the neck, and many lymph nodes are located there, some diseases cause swelling of the lymph nodes, especially here. A distinction is made between benign and malignant swellings.
Furthermore, a distinction can be made according to the cause of the swelling. The following topics may also be of interest to you:
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- Lymph node swelling after surgery
First of all, we will focus on the various clinical pictures that can lead to benign swelling of the lymph nodes in the lower jaw region. These include banal viral infections, which lead to the activation of the immune system.
As part of this immune response, the lymph nodes, which are an essential component of the immune system, swell. The lymph nodes themselves can also become inflamed as a result of a viral infection. This is called lymphadenitis.
This type of lymph node swelling can be painful. Swollen lymph nodes in the lower jaw and in the neck region are particularly common in viral infections of the upper respiratory tract, i.e. in a viral cold or similar. The following topic may also be of interest to you: Chronic lymph node swelling Another very common cause of bilateral lymph node swelling in the lower jaw is inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis).
Pathogens such as the Epstein-Barr virus, measles, mumps, rubella and the cytomegalovirus also very often cause lymph node swelling in this area. In addition to the pathogens already mentioned, other pathogens are also capable of causing lymph node swelling. These include, for example, herpes labialis or a parasite infection with leishmania or toxoplasma.
In most cases, the lymph node swelling is then not limited to the lower jaw, but extends over several regions. This is known as a generalized lymphadenopathy. But an abscess in the lower jaw can also cause lymph node swelling.
This is not always visible from the outside, so that lymph node swelling in the lower jaw can be the first symptom. Cancer can be the cause of lymph node swelling in the lower jaw. However, it is important to keep in mind that in most cases a common infection is behind such a swelling.
Especially blood cancer (leukemia) and lymphomas cause swelling of the lymph nodes. Lymphomas are malignant diseases of the lymphatic system, which are divided into Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Tumors of the oral cavity and the floor of the mouth as well as salivary gland tumors can also lead to swollen lymph nodes of the lower jaw.More rarely, other cancers such as lung cancer or tumors of the digestive tract are responsible for lymph node swelling.
Lymph node swelling of the lower jaw can occur in the context of other diseases. These causes, however, are considered to be rare. Rarely, hyperthyroidism, sarcoidosis or amyloidosis can be behind lymph node swelling.
Another cause can be lupus erythematosus. Rare inflammatory diseases such as vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) are also potential causes of lymph node swelling. Other causes are rheumatic diseases.
However, all these causes are rare cases. A bilateral lymphadenopathy in the lower jaw region is very often caused by tonsillitis. In most cases both tonsils are inflamed.
The drainage area of the lymph from the tonsils is located exactly in the lower jaw and lower jaw angle, so that swelling can quickly develop here, which is pronounced on both sides. Possible pathogens are viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, but also bacteria such as streptococci. Other infectious diseases that can be considered are cat scratch disease or an infection with toxoplasms.
Both pathogens are transmitted by cats and can lead to more or less painful swelling of the lymph nodes during the course of the disease. In principle, many other causes are also possible. Other viral diseases that can cause bilateral lymph node swelling in the lower jaw include measles, mumps and rubella.
Cancers such as lymphomas, leukemias and metastases of other tumors are also possible causes of bilateral lymph node swelling in the lower jaw. Furthermore, tumors of the face and neck region, e.g. tumors of the parotid glands, the floor of the mouth or the tongue can cause bilateral lymph node swelling in the lower jaw. One-sided lymph node swelling can have various causes.
Often it is a local infection that can promote swelling of the lymph nodes on one side. If the lymph nodes are located in the lymph drainage area of the infection, the immune system becomes particularly active here, so that swelling can occur. This is often painful and accompanied by a local skin reaction such as redness.
The causes can be respiratory tract infections or local inflammation of the skin on the affected side of the jaw. A unilateral inflammation of the salivary glands, e.g. the parotid gland or other small oral salivary glands, can also cause such unilateral lymph node swelling. Other infectious diseases, such as rubella or mumps, can also cause unilateral localized lymph node swelling.
In the course of the infection, however, the swelling of the lymph nodes then spreads to other regions, so that we then speak of generalized lymph node swelling. Other causes of unilateral lymph node swelling in the neck and lower jaw region can be diseases such as tuberculosis or sarcoidosis. Here too, the swelling can spread to other lymph node regions.
In the context of systemic lupus erythematosus, which is an autoimmune disease, local lymph node swelling can occur. In most cases, such swelling is not painful and is caused by the general autoimmune reaction of the body. Unilateral lymph node swelling in the lower jaw or neck area can also occur in malignant cancer.
These can be lymph node metastases from other primary tumors, i.e. tumors of another body region, or independent tumors of the lymph nodes, so-called lymphomas. Tumors of the oral cavity or salivary glands can also initially be accompanied by unilateral lymph node swelling. Such malignant swellings are often painless and have little or no displacement.
Fever, night sweats and weight loss may be associated with the swelling. However, these symptoms do not always occur, so that any lymph node swelling that has existed for more than 3 weeks without signs of infection or that grows very quickly and has appeared suddenly should be clarified by a doctor. Lymphadenopathy can be painful in many cases.
In most cases it is a pressure pain that can be triggered by touching the swelling of the lymph nodes. In the case of painful, swollen lower jaw lymph nodes, chewing or speaking can also be painful, as the swelling presses on the muscles required for this.Painfulness is generally a rather benign symptom of lymph node swelling and usually speaks for an inflammatory or infectious cause and rather against a malignant cause like cancer. However, this should not be generalized, as there can always be exceptions. For the assessment, the shiftability, the growth rate and the accompanying symptoms are also very important. In most cases, however, pronounced signs of infection such as cough, fever, rhinitis and painful cervical lymph nodes are benign lymph node swelling, e.g. caused by an infection.
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