Swollen lymph nodes for 7-8 years

I also have a collection of firm spots on the lymph nodes under my chin for over 13 years. I have seen an ENT as well as 2 general care doctors, they all reassured me that it was fine. One doctor said that it was caused by a previous infection which caused the nodes to swell and they simply never returned back in size.

I too have anxiety so it is frustrating to feel like doctors do not have a solution or say with certainty why it occurrs. The largest spot does bother me when I poke it or when I am sick. I think any friction causes irritation which is exacerbated by pressure caused by swelling of the nodes. I'm not a health care professional so this is only my opinion.

I did read some of your responses and they ask if you have sudden weight loss or night sweats because those can be indications of lymphoma.

I'm a 25-year-old woman and the lymph node on my left side of my neck (slightly above my collarbone) has been swollen for the last eight months. When I first found it back in January I was freaking out and went to an urgent care doctor right away as my primary care physician couldn't see me soon enough. After 3 trips over the course of 3 months to the urgent care doctor, along with blood work, he kept telling me I was fine and that since I'm a thin person I can feel more on my body than someone who's larger than me. He also said that since it's so tiny and hadn't changed sizes that it shouldn't be a concern. I started developing anxiety related to this issue and have had multiple panic attacks because of it. I just wanted answers! Finally I went to an ENT who actually diagnosed me with acid reflux. I thought the problem was finally being treated, but I woke up yesterday morning with a very stiff neck. Even though giving attention to my lymph node gives me anxiety, I knew I needed to feel it to see if this is where the pain was coming from. When I touched it I noticed the lymph node had doubled in size, was noticeably protrudding from my neck and was hurting. I immediately called my primary care doctor and said it was an emergency and needed to be seen right away. They got me in for an appointment and were able to do an ultra sound and chest x-ray on me. I was fortunate enough to get the results back from both and everything looked FINE. I was shocked to hear this. Honestly, for the past 8 months I've been thinking I had cancer. Now I just know that my left lymph node in my neck is prone to getting swollen and that's pretty much it. And now I get to join the rest of you fine folks in having this issue as well! 

Hello

I have read that if the size hasn't changed it shouldn't be alarming. I would definitely check with a doctor for sure. If you have regular checks and blood work has been fine your probably fine.. It's when you start having symptoms with No explanation. (Fevers, Chills, Night Sweats, appetite changes,weight changes, etc.....)

Hi, I've been reading over this thread a few times over the past few months (mostly because it gives me peace of mind) but i thought I'd add in my story about my swollen lymph nodes.

Back at the beginning of January of this year I came down with probably the worst cold/infection I've ever had. I had the fatigue for about 2 days then the usual blocked nose, cough and just feeling crappy until around the end of January. Then came the sore throat, which started on the right side at the tonsil area then 2 weeks later moved to the left side, then went away. Then a couple weeks later I got a case of tonsilitis which i got prescribed a 10 day course of penicillin which cleared the infection in my tonsils aways in 2 days. Since the beginning of all this I noticed my right and left submandibular glands were swollen, including both of my tonsils(they have always been large though). In March I had blood work done which came back all normal levels(white cells and lymphocites were in the high end of normal) so i then got referred to the ENT. April came and i went to my first dentist appointment in 8 years and was told I had 7 cavaties, all of which got filled in over the course of the next month and a bit. Both glands were still swolen, no smaller or larger. Then finally at the end of June i had my appointemt with the ENT(who just so happened to specialise in cancer of the head and neck, which due to being a bit of a hypocondriact, I was convinced i had). So I went to my appointment and got and ultrasound on my neck, which showed large lymph nodes, all off which had the characteristics of being benign, which I was relieved about. I got discharged with both the ENT consultant and radiographer both saying it was a "boring ultrasound". Now this brings me to present and both my glands are still swollen, the left one seeming to have gone down slightly. I've been to over 10 GP appointments since the beginning of the year, the ENT appointment and 2 different dentists, all of which have told me it's nothing serious. They are both around 1.5/2cm and the one on the right is noticable in the mirror if i tilt my head a certain way, especially if there is light casting a slight shadow to make it look bigger. Since january I have touched and played with them every single say which i think could be why they have stayed so enlarged, especially in the earlier months when I would roll the around and try and push them back into my neck. I've probably done permanent damage to them. I can't see them going down anytime soon, though i hope they do as they don't do my anxiety any good but it's something that doesn't seem to be getting any worse. No night sweats, recently started gaining weight, no fatigue. I do have undiagnosed sinus issue, bad eczema and chronically inflammed tonsils with occasional stones so either of these could be causing it i suppose. Reading all of the posts on here really help my anxiety so hopefully this my post will do the same for someone else. If anyone wishes to have a discussion about stress of swollen nodes, I would be more than happy to!

Hope all you guys are doing well and I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue.  

I'm 13 and I've had 1 swollen lymp node on the back left side of my neck for 4 months. I don't think it moves around, it's hard to tell. And it doesn't hurt at all, I don't think I have any symptoms either. I haven't seen a doctor about it but my dad's one and he says its normal. He says that about everything though.. Like The two times when times I sprained my foot.. And I've sprained my wrist now.

Hello, I'm an 18 year old male. I play baseball and I'm currently a freshman in college I've had a couple of semi-swollen lymph nodes and one swollen one in my neck for a little over two years. I first noticed when I was 16. I never went to the doctor for it but have had them checked at every physical since (3). Every time, it hasn't been mentioned when felt and I asked the doctor a few weeks ago and he said he didn't feel anything to worry about. He asked if I had night sweats or weight loss and I replied "No" and then he told me not to worry.

I have recently found my armpits to be swollen with two bumps on my left and one on my right. I had an MRI for problems with my right shoulder and it revealed two tears in my labrum and an inflamed rotator cuff. Nothing was mentioned of this when given my results. I underwent surgery and am four weeks out as of now. I have asthma so I occasionally have breathing problems but there's been nothing severe. I don't have many if any of he symptoms described when talking about the C word. I have health anxiety and am really freaking out.

Over the two years since I've played sports and have had no problems with continuing athletics. I feel pain in the areas at time, usually when I mess with them. I'm a little worried but don't know what to do. I felt my younger siblings neck and he seemed to have the same thing as me on the right side of his neck. I'm a hypochondriac and I'm very worried about what is going on. My thinking is that it's been over two years so if something was seriously wrong I would know by now. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one dealing with this and it makes me feel relieved.

Any advice, concerns, or answers would be greatly appreciated

Im so glad I found this forum. I too found a swollen lymph node at the side of my neck about 2 months ago now. a few days later my throat felt sore and I got ear ache ect..but it wasn't bad, I just felt like it was lingering and wasn't that ill. I then found another behind my ear. I've had 2 blood tests, seen 5 doctors and I'm told everything is fine. I've always been paranoid about getting a serious illness but this has given me serious anxiety! Im just fed up of it all. The lymph nodes are still there too although the one behind my ear seems smaller some days then more swollen on others. They don't hurt at all either. From what I've read it can take ages for swelling to go down and sometimes they won't go down at all. Still doesn't stop me worrying though 🙄

Hopefully this discussion is still active. A few months ago I noticed that the left side of my throat was felt as if it was closing (kind of contested I guess) especially when breathing. Then I realized there was a small lump by my left collarbone at the bottom of my neck which I believe is a lymph node. It hasn't gone away which I see a lot of you have this issue of swollen lymph nodes but the only difference is that my neck on the left side feels kind of stiff and I feel like my left side, my ear and nose are kind of congested. And that side of my thoat still feels like it's tightening. It's kind of hard to exactly explain the feeling. I won't see my doctor for a few weeks and trying to do my own research is scaring the heck out of me. I'm a 22 year old female. Has anyone else experienced these issues as well?

Yes Hannahi!

It was still active!

Mine, right neck sore for almost 6 month now... My lymph node is swollen..had a CT scan and result turn out to be normal. Anxiety are hunting me since. Till today it still sore until my shoulder. Stress out too!

Well my response will make someone on this thread feel better. After 31 years of very swollen very lymph nodes and regular physicals and blood tests, I'm still alive and well.

I had mono as a teen and my swollen lymph nodes never went away. My doctors don't seem too concerned. My lymph nodes in my neck are large and I have 5 or 6.

Yes, I still imagine one day I'm going to wake up and be sick and find out i have lymphona. But, honestly it has been 31 years and these moveable, large hard nodes are still here.

I am not suggesting you don't see the doctor. Go see a doctor. I have discussed my lymph nodes with doctors dozens of times and have had tests. Just thought I'd post in case someone is freaking out and wants to hear about someone with the same problem forever. Best wishes to all who read this .

There seems to be a lot of health anxiety in this thread. Which is completely normal for something like lymph nodes(especially with the internet only showing worst case scenarios) but remember lymph nodes that have been swollen for a substantial amount of time can actually increase in size and remain palpable for life a lot of people have nodes like this. If it is small and hard and does not grow then it is most likely fine. Nodes will swell when you touch them so they can often feel like they are growing but if left alone for a a while will go back to the size they were. Even if the classical malignant characteristics are there it is about a 0.4 to 1 percent chance that they are actually a problem although these should always get cheeked just to be safe. But remember malignancy is definitely the exception and not the rule. It is advised if you are worried about a node get it cheeked out as it is much healthier to have the what if taken out of the back of your head but be rest assured that it is normal to be able to feel small nodes and there is no point worrying when a dr can get tests done and rest assure you within a week.

Hi all,

Like most of you, I've been reading this thread for a while now to ease my mind. I've recently fallen back into some serious medical anxiety because of new symptoms that have come on. To sum it up, I'm a 30 yr old female, I noticed a large lymphnode on my upper right neck years and years ago. I honestly can't remember when first noticed. Maybe college or before? Never thought anything of it. Then around Feb/March of this year a chain of swollen nodes popped up on the other side of my neck. Painless unless I touched them, but my neck was pretty stiff and sore too on and off. I went to the doc and they dismissed them after normal blood results and said to come back in a month or two if they don't go away. No other symptoms at the time other than occasional post nasal drip. Well, I tried finding my own reason for the swelling just to ease my mind, and kept telling myself it could be my TMJ issues I was having at the time. June rolls around and they haven't gone down. I scheduled an ultrasound and all nodes were "enlarged" and all looked normal except one that didn't have a "distinct fatty hylem" so they ordered an immediate CT. The CT came back normal, although many swollen nodes. "Level II" Results recommended I just follow up later and continue testing in the future if nodes don't go down. Well, they haven't gone down, and here recently I've found small lumps in my left armpit, then a deep pain soon followed (it is on and off), and recently the pain comes and goes in my elbow and knee on the same side. A node on the same side in my groin area has become larger as well and there is occasional pain around it, as well as faint pains throughout my abdomen. These pains aren't unbearable and don't last long. I know it's not in my head either. But I do know that some lymphomas will show symptoms like this and it does terrify me. The ONLY thing that is reassuring me right now is the normal CT results a few months ago, and my breast mammogram and ultrasound (also of my pained armpit) recently that came back normal. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38 so I needed to start mammos early. All that to say, my Dr referred me to an ENT to discuss my options and I am going to push for a biopsy on one of the nodes. I will be seeing him in 5 days, and I'm really hoping a biopsy could happen ASAP after that. Have any of you also had clear CT and ultrasound results but still had pain in some of your joints/abdomen?