Abscess with little pain possible cause of inflammed lymph nodes?
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I'm on a quest (like many of you), with my doctor, to narrow down possibile causes of some symptoms I've been having. I'd appreciate any thoughtful input from those who may have experienced similar.
I'm a 45-yo male. I've had excellent health all my life - just Hay Fever is my only chronic condition and it's subsided some with age.
About 4 months ago, it felt like I had a small canker sore near my gum next to my furthest back tooth in the upper right. At the same time, for about 3 eeks, I found I couldn't close my jaw completely on that side. The severity came and went for those 3 weeks but it eventually totally subsided. This was in February (winter).
A few weeks later I started to feel like I had a lump in my throat. It felt like it was right below my Adam's Apple. This is a classic sign of Globus Pharygneus. And it did indeed have that feeling you get in your through like when you are nervous. This feeling has persisted for 4 months now and at times it has subsided somewhat to almost being unoticeable but has not subsided the last 6 weeks. Note that I was going through a divorce so stress/anxiety is definitely a potential cause.
However, in general, one knows one's own body pretty well. During this time I had feeling of moderate fatigue and tiredness (could be from the stress/anxiety.) But the divorce concluded in a satisfactory way and symptoms still persisted.
In additon, during most of the 4 months, at times my lymph nodes in my neck and jaw area have felt inflammed to the point I had a 4-day period I could barely turn my neck it hurt. It subsided, but I've noticed it recurs. I also had local pain in other areas of my body at times where other lymph nodes are located. However this is happening as I entered allergy season but antihistamines did not help eleviate it. This was also accompanied by headaches that felt like the top of my head and sinuses were in pain, like tension headaches eminating from my neck.
I've run blood tests and they all came back normal, although we didn't do a TSH test to see if I have subclinical hypothyroidism. This seems unlikely though, although I do have elevated cholesterol.
I took antibiotics to rule out any sort of infection, and it made no difference.
I've noticed that I've had a moderate dull ache in the tooth near where I felt like I had a sore at the beginning of all this. It would seem to me if I had a mild tooth infection that was inflamming my lymph nodes in my neck, giving me the fatigue and the lump feeling, the antibiotics would temporarily eleviate that by fighing the tooth bacteria, maybe not. I'm off to the dentist for xrays next but the tooth pain is very infrequent, very mild, and not getting any worse. I do still have my Wisdom teeth because I had 4 permanent teeth pulled when I was young to make room for braces but the dentist a year ago did recommend I get those back teeth removed as they will most likely cause problems down the road. Maybe his prediction is coming true?
At this point after two trips to the doctor with no diagnosis and lots of readying, my best guess is that it is indeed some sort of low-grade tooth infection (would explain the cause of almost all symptoms) or lymphoma. But both doctors said my lymph nodes were palatable but not that large or that hard. One also said that typically, to be honest, they can't make a diagnosis in about 50% of all patients they see! Maybe I just need to deal with getting older and not having perfect health, relax, and learn to live if a few oddities. lol.
0 likes, 15 replies
stephanie_2244 jazee
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alex0820 jazee
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I'm a 23 year old female going through the same issue. Failed root canal and an abscess that grows periodically along with pain! Over the years (yes years when I should have nipped this in the bud immediately) I developed swollen lymph nodes, post nasal drip, severe headaches and pressure alone with terrible neck pain and ear aches. I went to the oral surgeon for an apicoectomy and my infection was so bad the whole tooth and root had to come out. It hurt however now I am on antibiotics and my neck is feeling better, no headaches and starting to feel like myself. Don't ignore the dentist!
anesa55559 alex0820
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I have exactly same symptoms . Back in may my dentist told me that I have to take my widsom teeth as soon as possible because bottom teeth were fully impacted and upper one they were partially impacted . I didnt listen her because it didn't hurt me . Back in august I noticed a lump on my neck that grew up to 2 cm . I went to ENT and she said its nothing to worry about it, it's coming from my tooth . They did ultrasound as well . Now I'm having a headache, pain on that same side of neck , it's mostly discomfort, feeling pain in my ear even though I don't have ear infection, and gun around my widsom toorh is swollen but I don't have the toothache. And everything got even worst now while I'm pregnant . I'm so afraid of lymphoma, but gum around my teeth it hurts and its swollen .
Dex2 jazee
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I am having very similar symptoms to yours and I'm hoping that you found an answer. My issues started last summer with a slight cough and sporadic chest congestion which may or may not be related to my current issues. In October I had a tooth infection which started in my lower tooth then seemed to move to my upper tooth, then seemed to affect both top and bottom. I had just moved so did not yet have a regular dentist so I first went to a walk-in clinic where they gave me antibiotics. A week later I went to a new dentist who couldn't really tell where the problem was as the infection had cleared and I no longer had any pain. I don't recall the details but I think he made his best guess as to which tooth was the problem and he performed a root canal on the top tooth.
A week later I started feeling irritation in my neck glands on both sides. It wasn't pain, just a slight stinging and feeling of fullness. Off and on I would feel tired and generally unwell. I didn't connect it to my teeth because I didn't have any tooth pain and it was on both sides. I was again given antibiotics which didn't help the irritation.
Since then I have had a constant feeling of irritation/fullness in my neck and lower jaw which sometimes spreads to the front of my ears and occasionally down into my throat. Since December I wake up every morning with dark areas at the top of my cheekbones, almost like bruising; this usually dissipates after about an hour. Aside from that, I have a group of roving symptoms which ease and return regularly: nasal congestion then a dry nose, tingling tongue, and tingling face, excessive fatigue, then a period where I can't sleep, and dry mouth and dehydration. For the past couple of weeks, I also get a metallic taste in my mouth and off and on my tongue looks yellow.
Aside from that I am experiencing muscle pain and burning, especially in my upper thighs, but sometimes all over my body. I also get mottling on my legs, especially when I first get up in the morning. I'm beginning to think that these symptoms are related to the anxiety I am feeling about these other issues.
Dental x-rays show no infection and my doctor is at a loss. In December I saw an ENT. (At the time I was experiencing some shortness of breath which has since dissipated). He told me that my nose was 90% blocked and gave me a neti pot. This hasn't helped. I saw an allergist who said I had only seasonal allergies. All my blood tests have come back normal.
For the last month, I have regularly felt irritation in the tooth on the bottom of my mouth where I initially had the pain in October. It doesn't hurt (which makes sense because this tooth had a root canal 15 years ago); it just feels kind of full and irritated.
I don't know where to turn next. I have a new doctor and will ask for something to help with the anxiety in the event that it is the cause of some of my symptoms. She is also going to do a full checkup so I'll see if she comes up with anything. As a last resort, I may see if the dentist will redo the old root canal because I just have a feeling that is the problem. I have read of cases where someone has had a tooth infection that doesn't show up on an x-ray but the dentists that I have seen don't seem to think it's a possibility.
Trina42390 Dex2
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Have you gotten a diagnosis yet? I had a root canal about two months ago. I then developed an abcess on my lower back gum. The abcess drained on its own but then my neck became very inflamed. Very stiff on both sides with pain in my jaws and ears. I also describe it as a very full feeling. I have been on two rounds of antibiotic which seem to help but it comes right back when treatment is over. My doctors say that I don't have signs of infection in my labs. I don't know what else to do!!
anne14433 Dex2
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Trina42390 anne14433
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ebvreactivated anne14433
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Hi Anne, please, could you let me know how you found the infection? I have impacted wisdom teeth and I have lots of symptoms health problems going on for a year. teh panoramic x-ray didn't show anything. about 7 years ago I had 2 cysts removed from my gums with the bone. I'm scared I have something going on with my root canals.
claudia06663 ebvreactivated
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ebvreactivated claudia06663
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Thanks
Olivia222 jazee
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I'm not a doctor or a dentist but I would suggest two things. 1. Ask the oral surgeon for a CT Scan instead of X-Rays. 2. Research Actinomycosis.
denise_62913 jazee
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I have 4 words for anyone out there dealing with mysterious health issues....."GET TO THE DENTIST!" especially for people with unanswered systemic inflammation! Skin problems.. swollen lymph glands.. sore joints.. many trips to the Dermatoligist.. feeling run down.... etc.. apparently had a chronic quiet infection in an old root canal done by a regular dentist like at least 20 years ago.. my dentist today said in my X-ray.. it is showing a quiet dormant infection up in my gum.. it gave me no sign to be alarmed for years.. until I got X-rays explained to me from my dentist.. the bone started eroding from the infection that's been sitting there for many years causing alot of problems seeming like an eternity & no one had any answers.. I finally got the infection treated with a root canal redo & put on amoxacillin for a week.. its only been 3 days since the redo & I feel like a million bucks!! Good luck to anybody out there wondering what the hell is going on with me?!! The answer could be just an easy visit to ur dentist..
ebvreactivated denise_62913
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Hi. I had a panoramic x-ray which didn't show anything. But I have ongoing problems with teeth, gums, overall health. Could you advice me what to do?
heather40321 jazee
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Hi! Just curious how you all made out? I have something strange that just started 2 days ago. I’ve noticed that acidic foods can cause canker sores with me. So the other night I had some acidic foods (lemon chicken breast & teriyaki & honey bbq wings). I developed a sore under my tongue and a spot on my gum by one of my molars became irritated. The next morning (yesterday) my gum had swollen on the outer and inner area between 2 molars. My tooth didn’t and still does not hurt at all. I tried flossing to see if I had something stuck but nothing there. The inside of the gum is now purple, swollen, and looks like it has little dots all over it. Went to the doctor b/c now my lymph node in neck on that side is very sore. They can’t tell if it is viral/bacterial/or an abscess. They prescribed me Augmentin. No relief yet but it’s only been 12 hours. Anyone ever hear of a strange viral infection that causes such a strange thing? I’ve never had or needed a root canal and my tooth itself feels fine. So weird! Now I’m feeling very run down and my sore neck is awful. Not to mention the unreal discomfort in my upper right gum. Advice? Thanks!
martha1188 jazee
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