By a thick or swollen neck, physicians understand a swelling in the area of the neck. This can be visually visible and / or palpable and have very different causes, which may be more serious in nature.
What is a thick neck?
Because several different organs are located in the neck area, some of which perform vital functions, the cause of a thick neck should be determined by a physician. A thick neck (neck swelling) refers, as the name suggests, to one or more swellings in the neck area. These swellings may be rather superficial and therefore harmless, and may not interfere with swallowing or speaking. However, the swellings can also extend to the inner part of the neck and cause problems with swallowing or, in the worst case, breathing. Since several different organs are located in the neck area, some of which perform vital functions, the cause of a thick neck should be clarified by a doctor in order to rule out later health problems or even a life-threatening condition of the patient.
Causes
A thick neck can have very different causes. Among them is a disease of the thyroid gland, which may cause a clearly visible swelling (called goiter). Swollen lymph nodes are also sometimes clearly visible. They may indicate inflammation present in the body. Flu or even a severe cold are often the reason for a thick throat, which is also accompanied by difficulty swallowing. Mumps or scarlet fever cause a swollen throat not only in children. Last but not least, a tumor in the neck area can also be responsible for swelling. The attending physician can clarify the exact causes as part of a comprehensive examination.
Diseases with this symptom
- Angina tonsillaris
- Jugular vein thrombosis
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Goiter
- Cold
- Graves’ disease
- Thyroiditis
- Pharyngitis
- Mumps
- Sarcoidosis
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Pfeiffer’s glandular fever
- Lateral Strangangina
- Scarlet fever
- Thyroid cancer
Diagnosis and course
In the case of a thick neck, a detailed discussion with the patient first takes place before the actual examination. Then the attending physician can palpate the swelling and perform, for example, a blood test to determine possible changes in the blood count. If necessary, a tissue sample can be taken from the lymph nodes, for example, or a computer tomography can be performed. Based on the diagnosis made, appropriate therapy can then be initiated. The course of the disease depends on the type of illness and cannot be given as a general rule. While a flu-like infection is usually over after a few days, for example, in the case of cancer, intensive therapy must be initiated.
Complications
Complications from a “thick throat” are closely related to the causes. For example, if an abscess connects to a blood vessel in the neck, it can cause the risk of blood poisoning or brain abscess with a life-threatening course. If an abscess is located retropharyngeally, i.e. behind the pharynx, spreading to a cervical vertebra must be considered as a possible complication. There is also a risk of the abscess descending into the chest cavity. A life-threatening course cannot be ruled out in this regard either. The Bezold abscess can spread to the bone ([[mastoiditis). Further spread to the cervical muscle as a far-reaching complication must be avoided. The peritonsillar abscess due to bacterial tonsillitis may develop into a parapharyngeal abscess in the neck if not treated properly or too late. By then, the course may also be affected by complications such as:
- Unilateral difficulty in swallowing
- Fever associated with general weakness
- Earache
- Difficulty opening the mouth
be characterized. Retropharyngeal abscess may contribute to purulent meltdown of involved lymph nodes after injury or bacterial infection.Another serious complication that can arise from tonsillitis as a cause of a thick throat is rheumatic fever. This is characterized by painful inflammation of various joints as well as the heart valves and the heart muscle. Extremely rarely, inflammation of the kidneys occurs in connection with tonsillitis. Goiter as another cause of a thick neck can lead to functional autonomy. From this, in rare cases, a malignant tumor (thyroid cancer) develops as a further complication.
When should you see a doctor?
A “thick neck” in the medical sense means a swollen neck. If it is not visible, it is at least palpable. There are many different causes for a thick neck, including harmless as well as serious ones. In the case of a superficial swelling, affected persons rarely have any complaints. Internal swelling of the neck, on the other hand, can affect swallowing and even breathing. To be on the safe side, the doctor should be consulted immediately in case of a thick neck. The thick neck is known in the form of a goiter, triggered by a malfunction of the thyroid gland. Swollen lymph nodes are also frequently responsible for a thick neck, often as a symptom of a severe cold, flu or tonsillitis. Among various other conditions, a thick neck may also be thought of as a tumor in the neck area. It may be necessary to take a tissue sample. The general practitioner can already provide his patient with good services in finding the diagnosis. When taking the patient’s medical history, he asks about other complaints such as difficulty swallowing, ear pain, fever and feeling of weakness. In addition, the family doctor can refer his patient to a specialist, for example, an internist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, ear, nose and throat specialist, rheumatologist, nephrologist or oncologist and, if necessary, to a pediatrician.
Treatment and therapy
Once the thick neck has been examined by a doctor and a diagnosis has been made, the medical professional can begin the appropriate therapy. Flu or tonsillitis, for example, do not always require medical treatment; however, healing can be supported with antibiotics or similar medications, for example. Thyroid diseases can also often be treated well with medication. If the lymph nodes are swollen, this is often due to an inflammatory disease, which is usually also treated with appropriate medication. If the treating physician has discovered a cyst or a fistula, it should be surgically removed. Although these swellings tend to be harmless, they can become painful and thus very distressing. If cancer has been detected, surgery may also be an option, depending on exactly which parts are affected by the disease. In addition, chemotherapy is initiated to prevent the cancer cells from growing and spreading. Since it is sometimes impossible to determine at first glance whether there is a harmless cause or a serious illness behind the thick neck, a doctor should always be consulted if the complaints last for several weeks or are accompanied by fever or severe pain.
Outlook and prognosis
In most cases, a thick neck is only a harmless symptom that often disappears on its own. This is especially the case if it is flu or tonsillitis. These diseases can be easily treated with antibiotics and do not cause further discomfort. The throat itself swells up again after a few days. If the thick neck indicates a thyroid disease, treatment by a doctor is necessary. In this case, a cyst may also be responsible for the swelling in the neck. This must be surgically removed. No general prognosis can be given for cancer. However, chemotherapy leads to success in most people. Without treatment, the throat will only go down if it is the flu or tonsillitis. In this case, healthy eating with plenty of fruits and vegetables generally helps.
Prevention
Since the causes of a thick throat or throat swelling can be very diverse, a direct prevention is not possible. Some diseases can certainly be prevented by a healthy lifestyle and regular checkups.If swelling of the throat occurs acutely as part of an infection and disappears again when the symptoms subside, medical advice is often not necessary. In case of doubt, however, a doctor should always be consulted, especially if the complaints persist for a long time and involve a general deterioration in health. This is the only way to rule out serious illness.
What you can do yourself
Whether and what patients can do themselves about a thick neck depends on the causes of the problem. When it occurs for the first time, the causes must definitely be clarified by a doctor, as life-threatening diseases such as thyroid cancer can be hidden behind it. If the thick neck is a so-called iodine-deficiency goitre, self-therapy is absolutely not recommended. However, patients can do a great deal to prevent this from happening in the first place. To prevent iodine deficiency, the German Nutrition Society recommends 200 µg of iodine per day for adults. Good sources of iodine are spinach, mushrooms, radishes, broccoli, garden cress, chives and parsley. A simple way to improve iodine intake is to use iodized salt regularly. If this is not sufficient, dietary supplements can be used. If the thick neck results from a cold, which is often accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes, the patient can also combat the underlying disease with home remedies in mild cases. First of all, rest and warmth help with colds. So, if possible, the patient should not go to work for a few days. For inflammation of the throat and pharynx, naturopathy recommends preparations of sage, especially tea or tablets to suck. In addition, warm neck compresses and steam baths with chamomile tea or sea salt are said to help.
