Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsInfectious CausesAutoimmune CausesMedication CausesCancerous CausesWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderDiagnosis and Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Infectious Causes
Autoimmune Causes
Medication Causes
Cancerous Causes
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Diagnosis and Treatment
Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, armpit, head, and other parts of the body often occur when your body is fighting an infection or disease.Also known as lymphadenopathy, it can also sometimes be due to a drug side effect, autoimmune disease, or, in rare cases, cancer.
Lymph nodes are tiny organs that filter fluids from the lymphatic system. If the immune system recognizes something harmful in the lymph node, it will trigger an immune response in the form of lymphocytes. Thesewhite blood cellshelp fight infection and disease. The inflammation associated with the immune assault will cause the lymph nodes to swell.
Swollen lymph nodes often return to their normal size after your body fights off an infection. They usually aren’t a cause for worry unless they stay large over several weeks or if they feel hard or irregular. You should also see a healthcare provider if you have accompanying symptoms like fever, night sweats, or weight loss.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Swollen lymph nodes may be localized to one part of the body (such as due to a local infection or early-stage cancer) or affect multiple parts of the body (such as with asystemic diseaseor advancedmetastatic cancer).
They may be palpable (meaning that you can feel them), while others are non-palpable (meaning you cannot). The swelling may beacute(meaning sudden and severe) orchronic(meaning persistent). These features can help your healthcare provider narrow the possible causes.
In the absence of palpable bumps, a person may only experience fever, body aches, fatigue, or no symptoms at all.
Infectious Causes of Swollen Lymph Nodes
Bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections are common causes of swollen lymph nodes. Some infections, like an upper respiratory infection, may cause localized swelling, while systemic (whole-body) infections can cause generalized swelling.
Some of the more common infectious causes of lymphadenopathy include:
Certain infections can lead to the formation of a lymph nodeabscess, particularly those that are severe or prolonged.Abscesses are inflamed and often painful pockets of pus that may requiredrainageandantibiotic drugsto clear them.
Swollen lymph nodes are common with certainautoimmune disorders. These are diseases in which the immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissues with inflammation.
Autoimmune causes of lymphadenopathy include:
Autoimmune lymphadenopathy can be difficult to distinguish from infectious lymphadenopathy and may only be identified after early testing fails to uncover an infectious cause.
Certain medications can also cause swollen lymph nodes. In such cases, lymphadenopathy can be reversed if the drug can be stopped or substituted.
Among the drugs that can cause swollen lymph nodes are:
When Are Swollen Lymph Nodes a Sign of Cancer?
Swollen lymph nodes are rarely a sign of cancer. However, painless swelling of one or more lymph nodes is a sign that your condition is not infectious and warrants immediate investigation.
Among the cancers for which lymphadenopathy is common, include:
Swollen lymph nodes are usually a sign that your body is fighting an infection. If symptoms are mild, they may resolve on their own once the infection is cleared, such as with the flu.
Lymph nodes should return to normal within two to three weeks following an infection. If the swelling doesn’t go down or the lymph nodes still feel tender, see your healthcare provider.
To diagnose swollen lymph nodes, your healthcare provider will review your medical history and perform a physical exam. You’ll be asked when your symptoms started and if the swelling was sudden or if it is persistent. The location and accompanying symptoms can often provide clues as to the underlying cause.
Additional tests may be ordered to help narrow the causes, such as:
Summary
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Swollen lymph nodes.Gru AA, O’Malley DP,Autoimmune and medication-induced lymphadenopathies.Sem Diagnostic Pathol.2018;35(1):34-43. doi:10.1053/j.semdp.2017.11.015Mount Sinai.Swollen lymph nodes.Gaddey HL, Riegel AM.Unexplained lymphadenopathy: evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(11):896-903.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.National Library of Medicine.Lymph node abscess.West H, Jin J.Lymph nodes and lymphadenopathy in cancer.JAMA Oncol.2016;2(7):971. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3509National Health Service (UK).Swollen glands.Additional ReadingBassiouni M, Kang G, Olze H, Dommerich S, Arens P.The diagnostic yield of excisional biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy: a retrospective analysis of 158 biopsies in adults.Ear Nose Throat J. 2023;102(10):645-649. doi:10.1177/01455613211023009Shin M, Prasad A, Arguelles GR, et al.Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of neck masses in children.J Paediatr Child Health. 2021;57(6):803-809. doi:10.1111/jpc.15516
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Swollen lymph nodes.Gru AA, O’Malley DP,Autoimmune and medication-induced lymphadenopathies.Sem Diagnostic Pathol.2018;35(1):34-43. doi:10.1053/j.semdp.2017.11.015Mount Sinai.Swollen lymph nodes.Gaddey HL, Riegel AM.Unexplained lymphadenopathy: evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(11):896-903.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.National Library of Medicine.Lymph node abscess.West H, Jin J.Lymph nodes and lymphadenopathy in cancer.JAMA Oncol.2016;2(7):971. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3509National Health Service (UK).Swollen glands.Additional ReadingBassiouni M, Kang G, Olze H, Dommerich S, Arens P.The diagnostic yield of excisional biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy: a retrospective analysis of 158 biopsies in adults.Ear Nose Throat J. 2023;102(10):645-649. doi:10.1177/01455613211023009Shin M, Prasad A, Arguelles GR, et al.Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of neck masses in children.J Paediatr Child Health. 2021;57(6):803-809. doi:10.1111/jpc.15516
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Swollen lymph nodes.Gru AA, O’Malley DP,Autoimmune and medication-induced lymphadenopathies.Sem Diagnostic Pathol.2018;35(1):34-43. doi:10.1053/j.semdp.2017.11.015Mount Sinai.Swollen lymph nodes.Gaddey HL, Riegel AM.Unexplained lymphadenopathy: evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(11):896-903.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.National Library of Medicine.Lymph node abscess.West H, Jin J.Lymph nodes and lymphadenopathy in cancer.JAMA Oncol.2016;2(7):971. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3509National Health Service (UK).Swollen glands.
MedlinePlus.Swollen lymph nodes.
Gru AA, O’Malley DP,Autoimmune and medication-induced lymphadenopathies.Sem Diagnostic Pathol.2018;35(1):34-43. doi:10.1053/j.semdp.2017.11.015
Mount Sinai.Swollen lymph nodes.
Gaddey HL, Riegel AM.Unexplained lymphadenopathy: evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(11):896-903.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.
National Library of Medicine.Lymph node abscess.
West H, Jin J.Lymph nodes and lymphadenopathy in cancer.JAMA Oncol.2016;2(7):971. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3509
National Health Service (UK).Swollen glands.
Bassiouni M, Kang G, Olze H, Dommerich S, Arens P.The diagnostic yield of excisional biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy: a retrospective analysis of 158 biopsies in adults.Ear Nose Throat J. 2023;102(10):645-649. doi:10.1177/01455613211023009Shin M, Prasad A, Arguelles GR, et al.Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of neck masses in children.J Paediatr Child Health. 2021;57(6):803-809. doi:10.1111/jpc.15516
Bassiouni M, Kang G, Olze H, Dommerich S, Arens P.The diagnostic yield of excisional biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy: a retrospective analysis of 158 biopsies in adults.Ear Nose Throat J. 2023;102(10):645-649. doi:10.1177/01455613211023009
Shin M, Prasad A, Arguelles GR, et al.Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of neck masses in children.J Paediatr Child Health. 2021;57(6):803-809. doi:10.1111/jpc.15516
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