Therapy for painful lymph nodes
Lymph nodes that are swollen and painful due to a bacterial or viral disease do not require explicit therapy.As a rule, the swelling disappears on its own once the body has fought off the infection and the symptoms subside. Sometimes the lymph nodes remain painful and somewhat enlarged for a long period of time, but the symptoms usually subside within a few weeks. With frequent colds, the lymph nodes may permanently rebuild their connective tissue so that they can be palpated somewhat enlarged over a long period of time.
This is, however, without disease value. In principle, the treatment of painful lymph nodes depends on the underlying disease. The only situation in which the lymph nodes require direct treatment is in the presence of a malignant disease.
If the lymph nodes are the site of tumor metastasis, they must be removed. The same applies if the lymph node itself is the site of origin of the primary tumor. In most cases, chemotherapy and/or radiation is then added to the surgical removal of the degenerated tissue.
If the lymph nodes are very painful during an infection or even a malignant disease, painkillers can help to make the symptoms more bearable. Pain in the lymph nodes is in most cases due to inflammation in the body. Depending on where this inflammation is located, various home remedies can be used.
Pain in the lymph nodes is particularly common in the context of colds and infections of the upper respiratory tract. The consequences are swollen and painful lymph nodes in the neck, under the chin and under the jaw. At the lymph nodes themselves, cooling applications are usually perceived as pleasant, so that cooling packs or quark compresses are household remedies that can be used well.
However, critical voices claim that cooling reduces the blood flow to the lymph nodes so that they cannot perform their tasks. Therefore, one should not cool too long at a stretch. On the other hand, if you suffer from sore throat due to the cold, you will probably feel more comfortable with warm compresses on your neck.
Sufficient fluid intake is also essential for recovery, so cold teas (ginger tea, peppermint tea, herbal tea, camomile tea, sage tea, etc.) are very important. A warm broth can also provide relief from lymph node pain by treating the underlying disease symptomatically.
In the case of pain in the lymph nodes (often accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes), many nutrients as well as medicinal plants can be used in homeopathy. In the diet, care should be taken to ensure a sufficient intake of spruce, sage, rosemary, garlic and cloves. For example, red clover, liquorice root, olive leaves and cypress oil can be taken as medicinal plants for lymph node pain.
The effect of cold and heat on swollen and painful lymph nodes is controversial. The immune system is weakened by the intake of cold and the susceptibility to viruses and other pathogens is higher. At the same time, the blood circulation of the cooled skin areas is reduced, which is equivalent to a mild anaesthetic effect. The supply of warmth and the resulting increased blood circulation allows a faster and more effective removal of harmful germs. For this reason it is recommended to keep swollen and painful lymph nodes warm if possible.
