In most cases, enlarged lymph nodes do not lead to anything bad and calmly decrease over time.
It is generally accepted that if a person comes to the doctor because of enlarged lymph nodes, then the risk of finding a malignant neoplasm there is somewhere around 1%.
The risk of finding cancer in the lymph nodes increases if these are lymph nodes immediately above the collarbones, in the elderly, if they dense, bumpy, immobile and welded to the surrounding tissues, if they remain enlarged for more than two weeks.
Lymph nodes can come out from infection, tumors, autoimmune diseases, for some unknown reason, and from some drugs.
Lymph flows into the lymph node from the arm, leg, or some other part of the body. Usually, if the lymph node has increased, then in this very part of the body you can find a wound or a focus of infection.
Age and time
In school-age children, most often and for any reason, lymph nodes are enlarged. But children rarely have malignant neoplasms.
If the lymph nodes have been enlarged for less than two weeks or longer than a year, then this is most likely not a tumor. This is clear?
Well, that is, the tumor usually does not dissolve by itself, and therefore metastases in the lymph nodes last longer than two weeks.
And on the other hand, if the lymph nodes remain enlarged for more than a year, then this is not very similar to a tumor, because the tumor will kill you in a year, or at least come out.
There are, of course, exceptions like all kinds of lymphomas and other tumors of the lymphatic system, which sit in the lymph nodes.
What is it for me?
Maybe the wasps were bitten, maybe there was an infection on the skin, maybe they took something for a long time. All this leads to enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Did the wasps bite you? A couple of years ago, at the end of summer, I saw thickets of wild garlic on the shore of the lake. Then it turned out that among the garlic inflorescences there was a nest of wasps. Small ball. The poured flower. And while I was staring at him, wasps flew out of the nest, and a couple stung me. In the arm and neck. The next day, the cervical lymph node came out. Maybe they have such a poison, or maybe they spread the infection.
Where does it come out
Most often, we notice lymph nodes in the neck. They are especially common in children. This is usually a reaction to seasonal respiratory viral infections. There is nothing terrible from this, and everything passes quickly.
Although infections are different. If the lymph node is festering from tuberculosis, then such a scrofula can hurt for months. We have already spoken about this matter with you.
Well, if the lymph nodes got out just above the collarbone, then this is very suspicious of metastases of a malignant tumor from the chest organs. Therefore, even children with enlarged lymph nodes in this place are examined for oncology.
How to distinguish between dangerous lymph nodes
If the lymph nodes are hard and painless, then this is bad. This is how metastases of a malignant tumor appear. Such lymph nodes lose mobility and grow together with the surrounding tissues.
Painful lymph nodes will be more likely from infection. They are enlarged, mobile, smooth and rather safe.
Usually, attention is paid to the lymph nodes if they are more than 1 centimeter. An exception will be the supraclavicular lymph nodes. Remember them? They shouldn't be felt at all.
In general, any lymph node larger than 1.5 - 2 centimeters is already suspicious of oncology.
How do you like the story?
