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Hard lymph nodes for years

Posted , 20 users are following.

aaron95045
aaron95045

Hi everyone,

I am a 28 year old male. I first noticed I had 2 hard lymph nodes over 10 years ago when I was in high school. One is directly below my left ear and is less than a centimeter. The other is by my left clavicle and is about 1 cm. Back then I had bronchitis at least once a year and twice had very slight pneumonia. I've always had a slight case of asthma that causes wheezing at night and coughs when working out. Other than that I've been healthy. Anyways, about 6 years ago I finally decided to get my 2 lymph nodes checked out by a GP. He first put me on antibiotics, then, when they didn't go down, ordered a CT scan that was clear. He told me I had nothing to worry about and sometimes people just get this. He told me to watch them and make sure I don't get more and the ones I have don't change in size or shape. Fast forward to today and the 2 lymph nodes are still there, exact same size, shape, and texture as before. Absolutely no change in them in 10 years. Is this something I should be concerned about? It is something that stays in the back of my mind because I was never told what exactly caused them. I'm hoping that because there has been no change its nothing to worry about. Has anyone experienced the same or similar things? Thanks in advance.

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • ivanman
    ivanman aaron95045

    Posted

    Hey Aaron,

    The short answer is that this is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Nodes can remained enlarged after an infection permanently and have done with me, exactly the same as you. I'm often posting on here reassuring people about their nodes as google searches do nothing but increase anxiety. If you click on my username it should give you a list of my previous posts to people with nodes like yours which will give you a much more in depth idea of what's going on!

    All the best smile

    • aaron95045
      aaron95045 ivanman

      Posted

      Fisrt, thanks a lot for your input. It did ease my worries some. I had already made an appointment with an ENT for today, so I kept it and got it checked anyway. What he said was basically what you said. He checked me out well and did an ultrasound on my neck. My biggest worry was this one lymph node behind my left ear that is rock hard. It turns out that there is a bone behind your ears called your styloid process. In my case, my styloid process on my left side is slightly elongated, which is entirely normal. What it did was push my lymph node there forward and is causing it to protrude, making it hard and immovable. Entirely fine and benign. I'm posting this here for other people like me who feel a bump, Google it, and get freaked out. I'm very glad I got mine checked and would encourage anyone else to do the same, but if you're like me and have had something for years with no changes and no symptoms, it's probably nothing. If you're still anxious about it, get it checked for peace of mind. I feel like a 10 year weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
  • tatiana93233
    tatiana93233 aaron95045

    Posted

    Hi Aaron, I'm going through something similar. One day I realized that I had 2 hard lymph node in my neck. I went to the doctor and got blood test, x rays and neck ultrasound done. The doctor told me that I shouldnt worry about them since all the test came negative (blood tests) and the sice of the nodes is 1cm, but it is still in the back of ny head. Im constantly worried and I waiting anxisly for my 6-minth follow up next month. Idk I guess since the doctor never gave me an explanations as to why they were swollen and they are still the same size I worry. I had asthma as a child and I would constally get sick, so the doctor said that he thinks the nodes just stayed swollen.
    • lynn14639
      lynn14639 tatiana93233

      Posted

      Hi I noticed mine are directly on my jaw line underneath, they are both hard but the one on the right side is bigger and sometimes it sticks out, sometimes it's hard to find, I went to doctor my lab was good I had a sonogram 2 weeks ago and it was hard to see so now I have to get a ct scan with and without contrast I'm really scared I am pretty sure I will have to get a biopsy 

    • tristan65938
      tristan65938 tatiana93233

      Posted

      Hi Tatiana, I am actually in the exact same situation as you, to the last detail. Other than the fact that I was only given (luckily) a six week waiting period. They are assuming mine is related to my contaction of glandualr fever a few years back. I would love to hear what news you've recieved or the process you've gone through since then, just to give me some sort of idea as to what to expect. Thanks.

    • Luna15
      Luna15 tatiana93233

      Posted

      Hi Tatiana,

      Did you have the follow up ?. My daugher (13 y) has a sligthy firm lymph node in the lower neck area. We are waiting for the biopsy results. The ultasound said it was probably just bening reactive node but they wanted to check anyway. it is about just over 1cm in size.  I am so worrid and scared. Hope you are well too.

      xx

    • Luna15
      Luna15 lynn14639

      Posted

      Hi Lynn,

      How did your CT scan go? Hope all went well.

      x

       

    • mij007
      mij007 lynn14639

      Posted

      hi lynne, i know its a old post but what was your results? hope you're well. regards

  • nikki00708
    nikki00708 aaron95045

    Posted

    So I've been searching the web for some answers as I'm going through the same thing. I have a 1cm lymph node under my chin that is hard. I haven't been sick or anything and it literally appeared overnight. I had an ultrasound, and the radiologist just said it was an inflamed hard mass, and that in a few weeks I could get it drained or come back in a few months to do another ultrasound. I have been feverish lately, but I was told to just pop some Tylenol.

  • daran19010
    daran19010 aaron95045

    Posted

    Ok, so here's the flip side. I was a healthy former competitive weight lifter, bodybuilder and martial arts instructor with strict eating habbits. I had a hard pea-sized lymph node in my neck, just below my chin and to the left @ 1/2". For 2 years, my doc (young and only a few years out of Med School) said it was nothing to worry about. It grew to the size of a golf ball and still the same response, even after an ultrasound. I developed strep throat and went in to see him, but he was on vacation. An older doc saw me and imediately ordered a fine needle biopsy. The result: Stage 4 cancer. But what was worse, the cancer in the node was the metastasis from a different type of cancer that had spread and originated from my throat. Surgery, followed by 6 weeks of chemo, followed by 7-1/2 weeks of radiation, I'm 85 lbs lighter, but 7 years later...I'm cancer free. The lesson is not always to trust an untrasound. If you're worried (and your gut is rarely wrong) ask for a biopsy or a second opinion. My wife and I were so worried about offending our doc, that we didn't push the issue. The same type of cancer took my sister 3 years later. She wasn't healthy and it took her in 4 months. This isn't meant to scare anyone, just advising to push the issue until you are absolutely sure it's nothing.

    • Deedee81
      Deedee81 daran19010

      Posted

      Random question after reading your post. First sorry for the loss Of your sister, and congrats to fighting and winning your battle. Ok so by chance did you and your family live near hydro towers or anything like that? Because the chances Of both of you developing cancer. Just a question
  • deborah1053
    deborah1053 aaron95045

    Posted

    Hi...  I've had a similar ongoing issue as many of you describe. I too have had asthma since childhood but it only flares when I get sick or overdo exercise. I also tend to get a lot of upper respiratory & chest colds/infections. At about 17 I started having migraine headaches as well. Somewhere in my late 20s/early 30s I noticed that whenever my migraines would flare up, the area near/just under my mastoid behind my left ear would swell up. Over the years, especially through my 40s, that node or area or whatever it is stays constantly swollen & irritated now, regardless if I'm having a migraine or respiratory issue. It's always painful. Last year I also started with chronic swelling on the left side of my body only. My left leg, left arm, left side of my back - etc...  I have been to a neurologist, a general practitioner, an allergist, a chiropractor, gone for massage therapy & even tried acupuncture. No one can figure out how to fix this. Would love thoughts from anyone who might have a similar story. Neurologist thought Occipital Neuralgia but only one nerve block helped. Second actually made me far worse so I'm not entirely convinced. 

    • daran19010
      daran19010 deborah1053

      Posted

      Wow, Deborah, it sounds very similar to a Lymphedema attack. That's what I'm dealing with 7 years after treatment. Like you, I've also dealt with asthma since early childhood, which can cause additional issues, especially when you want to stay active. I live in Houston, and there is a Womens' Lymphedema Clinic that specializes in this that people rave about. My advise is to contact someone similar in your city that does nothing but treat lymphedema and wound issues. I'm a former Life Flight Paramedic and I can tell you, we did not study the lymph system in college nor did I learn about it during by intern days in the ER. Big Parm doesn't make money on Lymph related issues and surgeons typically don't operate on the Lymph system, so it receives little attention. I've had to go through classes on how to effectively drain excess lymph fluid from parts of my body, since treatment.

  • daran19010
    daran19010 aaron95045

    Posted

    Hi DeeDee, for some reason it's not letting me answer you directly. Yes, we grew up within a few hundered yards of the Vermillion River in Lafayette, LA. Less than a 1/4 mile away was a water treatment plant. My family often talks about that.

  • caitlin98824
    caitlin98824 aaron95045

    Posted

    I have lately been really worried about 2 small hard lumps about an inch behind my right ear, I first noticed this about 4 months ago. Im 14 and I haven't had any ear infections any time recently but i am just getting over bronchitis and I currently have the flu. I need advice about wether or not I should go to the doctor about the lumps behind my ear after reading your post because I know that my two ears are different from eachother and if the right one is longer then maybe its just pushing out the nodes and also i used to get alot of ear infections when i was younger and maybe it could be left???

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