LYMPH NODE SWOLLEN ON BACK OF NECK HOW TO
LYMPH NODE SWOLLEN ON BACK OF NECK SKIN

When checking the lymph nodes above the collar bone:

Now press your fingers under the muscle.

Tilt your head towards the side you are examining, this helps to relax the muscle.

When feeling the nodes in your neck (marked 8): If you have an enlarged lymph node it may feel like a swelling the size of a pea, sometimes they can be larger.

Start with the nodes in front of the ear (1) then follow in order finishing just above the collar bone (10).

With your fingertips, in a gentle circular motion feel the lymph nodes shown.

LYMPH NODE SWOLLEN ON BACK OF NECK HOW TO

How to Check Lymph Nodes in the Head and Neck Checking them more often may result indifficulty noticing any change.ĭo not panic if you feel a lymph node as it may well be due to an infection, but if it has not gone away in a week contact your doctor or specialist nurse.

LYMPH NODE SWOLLEN ON BACK OF NECK SKIN

Checking your lymph nodes once a month is sufficient and this can be done at the same time as you check your skin for any changing moles. Lymph nodes can also become enlarged due to cancer cells lodging in them. Usually lymph nodes are not enlarged and thus not able to be felt, but if you have previously had an infection (such as tonsillitis) you may have noticed and felt lymph nodes becoming enlarged, painful and tender. Lymph nodes can only be felt in the areas listed:

These lymph nodes filter out harmful organisms and cells from the lymphatic fluid before it is returned to the blood stream. They are grouped like “beads on a string” both deep in the body and near the surface (see previous diagram). Lymph nodes are small oval clumps of lymphatic tissue found at intervals along the vessels. The fluid (lymph) that accumulates firstly drains into larger lymph vessels, then into ducts in the neck, before emptying into the blood stream. On its journey more tissue and waste material is collected. One way of describing this is to imagine a river that starts as a small stream, which then weaves its way between the cells and small blood vessels of the body’s connective tissue. Lymph is a fluid that contains proteins and waste materials, which is collected from around the cells in the body, eventually draining into larger vessels. This system consists of lymphatic vessels and tissue. Your doctor or nurse will show you how and which lymph nodes to check. This is why you have been given this information. Some people express a wish to check their own lymph nodes between clinic appointments. The aim is to detect any enlargement of the lymph nodes and undertake investigations at an early stage. The lymph nodes examined depend on the location of your skin cancer, eg: if your skin cancer was on your leg then the lymph nodes in your inguinal area (groin) will be felt or if on your face then the nodes in your head and neck would be examined. That is why, as part of your examination, your nodes are examined by your doctor or specialist nurse at your follow-up appointments. You may also have small lumps (nodules) on your skin, usually near the swollen lymph nodes.You have been diagnosed with a skin cancer that on occasions can spread into the lymphatic system. None of these are common symptoms, but they can happen.

cause yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) by blocking the flow of bile from the liver.

cause swelling in arms or legs by blocking the flow of lymphatic fluid around the body.

Other symptoms will depend on where in your body the Hodgkin lymphoma is.

bleeding problems such as nosebleeds, very heavy periods, or a rash of tiny blood spots under the skin because of a low platelet count.

increased risk of infections because of a low white cell count.

shortness of breath and tiredness because of anaemia from a low red blood cell count.

If you have this, it can cause the following symptoms: Some people have Hodgkin lymphoma in their bone marrow when they're diagnosed.

tummy (abdominal) pain or vomiting after drinking alcohol.

itching, which may be worse after drinking alcohol.

losing a lot of weight over a short period of time, despite eating well.

high temperatures that come and go with no obvious cause, often overnight.And for some they are painful after drinking alcohol. But some people say their lumps ache or are painful. With lymphoma, the lymph nodes often grow slowly and may be there for months or years before they're noticed. Lymph nodes commonly swell if we have an infection but they usually go back to normal over a short time. This can be in an area of the body such as the neck, armpit or groin. The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node.

Lymph node swollen on back of neck