The accompanying symptoms

Two large groups of accompanying symptoms can occur with swollen lymph nodes, depending on their respective origin (benign or malignant). In the benign ones, where we assume an infection, fever, fatigue, exhaustion and a performance kink can occur. Depending on the location and origin of the disease, more specific symptoms may also occur (for example, discharge and swollen lymph nodes in the groin in the case of venereal diseases, or a cold and sore throat with swollen neck lymph nodes in the case of a cold).

The other complex of complaints related to malignant diseases is also called B-symptoms. These are fever, weight loss and night sweats. A query and differentiation of these two large groups can already point the way for further investigations.

The diagnosis

First of all, it is important to clarify when the enlargement was noticed in order to be able to classify whether it is an acute or chronic process. The enlarged lymph node should be palpated and examined for shifting and pressure pain. If a malignant process is suspected, any general practitioner can usually provide further information with an ultrasound.

Further imaging measures could be e.g. an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a scintigraphy with contrast medium. A biopsy, i.e. taking a sample from the lymph node, can be useful for a precise clarification of the type of cells present. A blood sample can be taken at the same time to check for increased inflammation values.

The treatment

If lymph nodes are swollen as a result of an infection, they should be considered as a symptom rather than the center of a disease itself. In this case, the corresponding infection should be cured and the focus should not be on the swelling of the lymph nodes. Depending on the infection, an appropriate therapy will then result.

Mild bacterial and viral infections should not be treated. In case of severe bacterial infections, high-dose antibiotics should be administered. If a malignant background for a lymph node swelling could indeed be proven, the therapy will focus on treating the cancer. Such treatment can be a surgical procedure or it can be treated with radiation or chemotherapy. However, this cannot be said in general terms and falls into a special field (oncology).