Introduction
Although the neck is rarely given much attention, it is an extremely important body part. The neck is the connecting piece between head and trunk. In addition to the major blood vessels, it also houses the trachea, which connects the upper and lower airways, and the esophagus, which connects the mouth and stomach.
The neck also contains the thyroid gland, many lymph nodes and nerves, as well as the cervical spine, which contains part of the spinal cord. For this reason it is very important to take a closer look at and observe changes such as swelling in the neck. In principle, any swelling of the neck, especially if it occurs very suddenly or is subject to severe changes or grows rapidly, should be clarified by a doctor. In particular, long-standing and/or painful swellings should be examined, because behind them inflammatory processes or even malignant changes could hide.
The causes
Our neck houses many important organs and structures in a rather small space. These include conductive structures such as the trachea and esophagus, as well as large arteries and veins. On the other hand, the neck also contains organs such as the thyroid gland, a large number of lymph nodes and, of course, muscles.
A swelling of the neck can therefore have many different causes. Among these are: Which cause is ultimately responsible for the swelling, depends on the one hand strongly on other symptoms that the patient feels. On the other hand, factors such as exact appearance, condition and localization, painfulness and the patient’s medical history play a role.
Swelling – What can be behind it?
- Thyroid gland diseases
- Swelling of lymph nodes
- Diseases of the salivary glands
- Abscess
- Neck cyst
- Neck Fistula
- Scarred processes
- Tumor Diseases
- Lymph gland cancer
- Lipoma
An abscess is a tissue cavity filled with pus, which is the result of an infection. This ultimately leads to melting and encapsulation of the site of infection, i.e. to the formation of an abscess.
In principle, this process can occur in any region of the body or in any tissue. An abscess on the neck is in urgent need of treatment, since many important structures are located close to each other and the spread of the infection should be prevented at all costs. The starting point for an abscess on or in the neck is, for example, purulent tonsillitis, inflammation of the middle ear or teeth.
Lateral neck cysts can also become infected and develop into abscesses. Typical symptoms are fever, a feeling of illness and pain in the respective area, swelling of the nearby lymph nodes and painful swelling in the neck area, which can also be red and warm. The treatment of abscesses typically involves opening and draining the abscess and possibly administering an antibiotic after the diagnosis has been confirmed.
Lymph nodes swell in the course of various diseases. Many lymph nodes are located in the neck region. The most common cause of lymph node swelling is infection, such as a cold or flu.
The lymph nodes in the neck region swell evenly. They can then be palpated more often, which is otherwise not possible. After an infection, a lymph node can also remain enlarged.
Lymph nodes also swell in cancer. Usually, however, only individual lymph nodes or groups of lymph nodes swell. This means that there is no symmetrically distributed swelling of lymph nodes as with an infection.
In addition, the consistency of the lymph nodes is rather coarse. Various diseases of the thyroid gland also lead to swelling of the neck. An enlarged thyroid gland is called goiter (or goiter).
A goiter is caused, for example, by iodine deficiency. In Germany, goiter is rare due to iodine deficiency, as iodine is added to foods such as salt. Autoimmune diseases such as Graves’ disease, which leads to an inflammatory process in the thyroid gland, can also cause swelling of the thyroid.
In addition, cancers of the thyroid gland also cause swelling. There are also a few medications that can cause swelling of the thyroid gland as a side effect. After an insect bite, the affected tissue swells.In harmless mosquito bites, however, the swelling is not very pronounced.
Depending on the insect, the swelling on the neck can be more pronounced and cause further discomfort. If the swelling on the neck is very pronounced, it is advisable to consult a doctor or pharmacy. Medication, such as fenistil gel or cortisone, helps to reduce the swelling.
In some cases a mosquito bite can also become infected. The swelling increases. The bite becomes painful and overheated.
If the insect bite is suspected to be inflamed, a doctor should be consulted in any case. There is the danger of sepsis. In addition, the location on the neck is very unfavorable for an inflamed mosquito bite.
Allergies can be differently pronounced. Only slight reactions can occur, such as redness and localized swelling. In the worst case, life-threatening anaphylactic shock can occur.
Among other things, this can lead to a life-threatening swelling of the throat. In the worst case, this progresses to such an extent that breathing becomes impossible due to an obstruction in the airways. Insect bites in the mouth can have a similar effect.
In case of an allergic shock, quick action must be taken. Drugs must be administered that have a rapid decongestant effect, such as antihistamines. The most common triggers of an allergic shock are food and insect bites.