Swollen lymph node in neck - not ill - worried.

[SportyBobster]

A few weeks ago I noticed a lump behind my ear in my neck, after a few days I thought I could feel another so I went to the gp.

The GP said swollen lymph nodes were normally a sign of infection, but I felt well and had no visible signs of infection. Temp taken, listened to chest and checked ears and throat. Advised to come back in 4 weeks for blood tests if still there.

Today is 4 weeks and one is still there. Feels like a pea in my neck. Have another appointment with GP this week but I'm starting to feel really worried. No other symptoms but a slight cold but this has just been in the last few days.

Googling has scared me a bit. Has anyone had this and how did it turn out?

I've had the lymph node's in the left side of my neck removed for biopsy as they were swollen. They were fine probably just blew up due to and infection and got stuck.

Thank you. That's reassuring

It was worrying at the time but bloods had come back fine then I got the option of leave them or removal, I couldn't stop playing with them so decided to get them out this was about 10 years ago. I got them out in the day surgery unit, was fine just groggy when I got home but the scar isn't too good. Looks like someone cut my neck wit a blunt butter knife so that's something to consider

Are they soft? And just pea-sized? I've had a few just like yours - i.e not linked to any obvious illness. They are really scary, especially if you google them (!) but I was reassured that they're nothing to worry about unless they get to an inch in size, and then they need to be checked out. Also, they can take ages to go down and sometimes they never do. Some of mine are permanently palpable (one behind the ear and a couple in my neck) - a consultant radiologist (who was scanning my neck for an an unrelated thyroid issue) assured me that this was completely normal.

I’ve had them before and they have eventually gone down. They will quite probably be fighting an infection that possibly isn’t causing any (other) symptoms
Don’t panic but go to the doc if they don’t go down in a couple of weeks or become very uncomfortable

I’ve got one enlarged one that’s been that way for the best part of 5 years since I had mumps whilst I was at uni. It is about 2cm (so marble sized), moves easily and isn’t painful. It doesn’t get any bigger or smaller whether I’m ill or not and hasn’t changed since I noticed it after the mumps swelling went down. Docs would dearly like me to go and have it removed and tested, but since it’s been there so long and hasn’t changed or caused problems, they are equally happy for me to just leave it as all my blood tests have been normal (the mumps one aside!). If it hadn’t coincided with the mumps I would probably have been more worried, but as it did I think it can reasonably be assumed that it’s just damage to do with that infection.

I would say not to worry and stop googling! They will know more after the blood tests and in the vast majority of cases these enlarged lymph nodes are just ones that reacted to an infection and haven’t gone down for whatever reason. I remember googling after I found mine and I was worried, but it hasn’t changed in all the time I’ve known about it so I guess it’s just a faulty one!!

Sorry re-read your post hopefully either the doc or a blood test can reassure you. Mine did take several weeks to go down.

Thanks everyone, very reassuring.

Yes size of a pea and quite soft is exactly what it's like. I feel like I can stop touching it. 🙄

Hopefully the blood test will come back fine. Although my cold has gotten 10 times worse and I've developed a cough now too, but I'm assuming that won't interfere with getting bloods done tomorrow?

Just been for bloods. GP also checked all the other lymph node sites and I still only have the original 2. So hopefully everything will come back clear.