Stressed out, lymph node

[MelThomas1]

Hi,

I wanted anyone with experience or a medical background to help me calm down. I found a lymph node in front of my ear, where the partoid gland is. I've been to the GP, she gave me antibiotics and said come back if it is still there after two weeks.

It's moving from side to side. But it's a ball shape and the GP said it is a lymph node. I haven't been overtly ill, been feeling fine.

I've googled (and I shouldn't have) and I can't get cancer out of my mind, I can't sleep properly, keep thinking the worst.

Shouldn't the GP have ordered bloods and a scan? I'm just so worried. I'm co Templeton getting a private scan, but I don't want to spend £200+ pounds when that could be used for my children.

Am I being unreasonable? Do I need to calm down?

I know this is a very old post but wondering if you had answers about this. I have the same thing, I’ve had it for years, recently I considered I needed to get it checked again because last time I was only seen by a nurse who didn’t seem to have a clue what it was and wasn’t really bothered about finding out.

@ispecialiseinthis I know this is old but my son had soft moveable lump infront of his earlobe a few years ago. It went but has now come back in the same place.. is there a lymph node there? Google doesn't show one. Thankyou

Yes, this is normal - in front of your ear is the parotid gland, which makes saliva. It is normal for the parotid gland to contain lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can fluctuate and it is reassuring that this went down previously. If it doesn’t go down again after a week or two then best to see your GP.

I went to the doctors 2.5 years ago and was told I have a swollen lymph node and that sometimes they swell up but don't go back down again. My doctor was not concerned by it. It's still there. I know it's not cancer as I was on the two week pathway in January and all the tests came back normal. Try not to worry it's probably nothing.

I’ve had one in my neck since 2018.

I saw an ENT consultant through my insurance who scanned it and said it was all good.

I went back to him last year as it was still there - he scanned it again and yep, no worries. He said sometimes you have a reactive node for the rest of your life. By luck, I was referred to him through my insurance as he was the closest and he’s a world leading expert in what he does, so I’ll take his word for it.

I know it’s hard, but try not to worry.

@ispecialiseinthis thankyou for replying. Why would the lymph nodes in the parotid gland swell? I've read it could be mumps which he doesn't have but he does have a cold? Not sure if that would make the parotid gland lymph nodes to swell?x