Painful lymph node on back of neck
If cancer is suspected, a biopsy may be done to confirm the diagnosis.Īny swollen lymph nodes that don't go away or return to normal size within about a month should be checked by your doctor. For example, a bacterial infection may be treated with antibiotics, while a viral infection often goes away on its own. Treatment for swollen glands focuses on treating the cause.
Which lymph nodes are swollen can help identify the problem.
Lymph nodes often swell in one location when a problem such as an injury, infection, or tumor develops in or near the lymph node. Most lymph nodes in the body cannot be felt. Lymph nodes generally are not tender or painful. Groups of lymph nodes can be felt in the neck, groin, and underarms.
And they may be as small as the head of a pin or as large as an olive. Lymph nodes may be found singly or in groups. The lymph nodes filter lymph fluid as it flows through them, trapping bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances, which are then destroyed by special white blood cells called lymphocytes. The lymph system is an important part of the immune system, the body's defense system against disease. They are part of the lymph system, which carries fluid (lymph fluid), nutrients, and waste material between the body tissues and the bloodstream. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped glands throughout the body.