![]() ![]() Unilateral, Bilateral, Right and Left Side Lymph Node Enlargement The lymph node enlargement that persists for more than 3-4 weeks should be checked for cancer. In insect bites and acute infections, the lymph nodes can remain swollen for few weeks, in chronic infections, autoimmune diseases and cancers for several months or years and in hereditary storage diseases lifelong. In infections, the lymph nodes tend to be soft and mobile under the fingers, while in cancers they tend to be hard, grouped together and fixed. Enlarged nodes usually appear as lumps with well-defined borders and are covered by normal or reddened skin.Ĭonsistency and mobility. Sometimes, a swollen lymph node can be bigger than 2 inches. Nodes are generally considered to be normal if they are up to 1 cm in diameter however, some authors suggest the nodes in the elbows larger than 0.5 cm or the nodes in the groin larger than 1.5 cm should be considered abnormal. ![]() Palpability and size. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin are palpable or visible, but those within the chest or abdominal cavity are not. In infections and insect bites, lymph nodes tend to be tender or painful, while in autoimmune diseases and cancers tend to be painless. What do swollen lymph nodes feel and look like? The medical term for swollen (enlarged) or abnormally shaped lymph nodes is lymphadenopathy and for infected nodes lymphadenitis. Swollen Lymph Nodes (Lymphadenopathy) - Causes, Symptoms and Signs In healthy older children and some young adults–but not in small children or infants–small, firm “shotty” lymph nodes in the neck and armpits can often be palpated as a result of recurrent viral infections. Some healthy adults, especially those who walk barefoot, can have persistent small (<1 cm), firm and movable nodes in the groin as a result of recurrent “insults” in the legs. In healthy adults, the lymph nodes vary from few millimeters to about 2 cm in size and are usually not palpable or visible–except in very slim persons. On a CT or MR image, they appear or as white round shadows. Swollen lymph nodes appear as painful or painless lumps in the neck, armpits or groin. Together with the white blood cells, tonsils, thymus, spleen and bone marrow, they form the body’s immune system. The lymph nodes filter microbes, cancerous cells and other foreign particles from the lymph. They are linked by the lymphatic vessels, which deliver the fluid called the lymph from around the cells to them. The lymph nodes are bean-like organs located mainly in the neck, armpits, groin, chest and abdominal cavity. ![]()
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