The symptoms
The symptoms of a swelling of the neck can look quite different depending on the disease underlying the swelling. Inflammatory diseases are characterized by a painful swelling, which can also be accompanied by redness and warming of the affected area. If the inflammation is correspondingly severe, general symptoms such as fever, exhaustion and tiredness, as well as headaches and sore throats are not uncommon.
If, on the other hand, the thyroid gland is affected, a wide variety of symptoms can occur, depending on whether the disease is accompanied by hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. In general terms, an overactive thyroid gland shows signs of metabolic hyperactivity. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include insomnia, weight loss, diarrhea and high heart rate.
An underactive thyroid can have exactly the opposite symptoms, i.e. increased fatigue, weight gain and constipation. Tumor diseases, which should also not be disregarded as a cause of swelling in the neck, are often characterized by the so-called B-symptomatics, to which fever, night sweat and unwanted weight loss lead. Lipomas as the cause of the swelling, on the other hand, are not accompanied by any other symptoms.
Doctors speak of dysphagia in cases of swallowing difficulties. Dysphagia can have many different causes. Among other things, various pathogens (viruses, fungi, bacteria) can cause swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, which leads to difficulty in swallowing.
Severe swelling, which also affects swallowing, can also be caused by abscesses (accumulation of pus). The reason for an abscess in the mouth can be tonsillitis or an inflammation of the roots of the teeth. In a few cases, a cancerous disease, e.g. cancer of the throat, can be behind the difficulty in swallowing and swelling of the throat. The causes of swallowing problems? You can find out more here.
The diagnosis
At the beginning of the diagnosis of any disease is the doctor’s consultation. The aim of this discussion, known as anamnesis, is to gather as much information as possible about the patient’s condition and symptoms so that further diagnostics can be as specific as possible. This includes questions about the patient’s previous illnesses, relevant illnesses in the family and which medications the patient is taking.
The anamnesis is followed by a physical examination, in which above all the swelling itself, but also the rest of the neck is examined. Of particular interest is the extent of the swelling and its consistency. In addition, the examining physician may examine the oral cavity and routinely listen to the lungs and heart.
In the next step, blood tests can be performed. Here, parameters such as inflammation values and blood count are particularly revealing and can provide indications of infection.Depending on what the suspected diagnosis is, the family doctor may refer the patient to a specialist, who will then carry out further diagnostics. For example, endoscopic examinations of the upper respiratory tract or the esophagus can be performed. In many cases, imaging procedures such as sonography (ultrasound), color Doppler (which can show the blood flow to organs), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer tomography (CT) are also helpful. Furthermore, the taking and analysis of a tissue sample can often provide information, for example, for the diagnosis of lymph gland cancer.