You should also take steps to help your recovery from any underlying infection, particularly making sure you get adequate rest. A warm compress can be helpful, and should be your first line of offense against a swollen lymph node that is causing discomfort, although if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, again, you should seek immediate medical attention. tylenol) to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Home Remediesįor lymph node swellings caused by an infection, your doctor or ENT specialist may also recommend home remedies. This is particularly important if, as sometimes happens, swollen lymph nodes are your only symptom. Make sure to tell your doctor anything which might help them identify the infection, such as hiking in areas known to have ticks or having sex with a new partner. In some cases you may need more than one course of medication to fully resolve the infection. Bear in mind that swollen lymph nodes can be the last symptom to go away and can linger after the infection is treated, but if in doubt you can always go back to the doctor and get it checked again.
If you are prescribed antibiotics, always take the full course even if you are feeling better. In most cases, the swelling will go away with the other symptoms. Strep throat, for example, is one of the most common causes of lymph node swelling in the neck, but other respiratory and throat infections can also cause swelling. Antibiotics or AntiviralsĪntibiotic or antiviral medication is likely to be prescribed when the swelling is the result of an infection. However, this does not mean you should not seek medical attention, especially if you are unsure what is causing the swelling. Most lymph node swellings resolve when the underlying condition is treated, with surgical remedies needed only in rare cases.
In most cases, invasive treatment is not needed, however, with the exception of swelling associated with cancer. In some cases, surgical removal of the affected node may be the only way to resolve a problem affecting breathing or swallowing. Surgery may also be needed if the lymph node swelling is the result of cancer.Treatment of underlying autoimmune conditions that often cause lymph node swelling.Draining a localized point of infection.Home remedies including pain relievers, fever reducing medicine and warm compresses.Antibiotics or antivirals to treat the underlying infection.Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or under the jaw are particularly common, and generally associated with an infection in that area (in fact, they can be caused by a tooth abscess). More rarely, certain cancers, such as thyroid cancer and throat cancer can cause lymph nodes to become swollen.Īn ENT specialist can treat swollen lymph nodes in the neck in various ways.īefore treating, the doctor will attempt to ascertain what is causing the lymph node swelling.
Because of this, you may need to seek treatment immediately, which may involve draining the affected node or, more rarely, surgery. Lymph nodes in the neck can cause a problem as they can interfere with swallowing or breathing. You should see a doctor if you have swollen lymph nodes that appear to have no cause, keep growing, have been swollen for two or more weeks, feel hard or rubbery, or are accompanied by persistent fever or unexplained weight loss.
However, in some cases they may become more of a problem. In many cases, they will return to normal when you get over the infection. Generally, if you have swollen lymph nodes (known as lymphadenitis) they are a result of bacterial or viral infection. Swollen lymph nodes are a painful symptom that can come from multiple causes.