Swollen Lymph Nodes for Years

[tide7279]

Ok, sounds like I’m not alone here. I too am a 30-year old male in good physical shape (that I know of) but I have had swollen lymph nodes appearing all over my body for the past 10 years or so. I first noticed the ones in my groin area where I can feel 5-6 almond-sized ones on each side of my groin when lying down. I was told by my general physician that this is normal in “thin” people.

I admit that I might be a bit of a hypochondriac, always checking myself out for irregularities. But, a few years ago I started noticing all these other lymph nodes which feel to me to be enlarged. I can easily feel one in the middle of my chest about the size of a small almond, one on the back (left side) of my neck about the size of a pea, another on the back (left side) of my head about the size of a pea, one directly behind my right ear lobe (right next to the ear itself) about the size of a pea. I have had these for I would guess around 3-4 years.

More recently (about 2 months ago), the lymph nodes under my left underarm have become enlarged. They don’t hurt, they are just annoying because it feels like someone has their finger in my underarm. None of my “swollen” lymph nodes have ever hurt, but I can definitely feel them under the skin by touch. I have never had any other symptoms of illness. I never get sick, I have plenty of appetite and energy, (actually an avid weight lifter and runner). I’ve had a fever maybe twice in my life, no night sweats, nothing.

I have had multiple complete blood counts including white blood count and everything has always come back normal. I’ve also had a chest x-ray for something unrelated and nothing appeared on that I assume.

I’m baffled and of course fear the worse, HIV, lymphoma, or some other type of cancer, but again never a symptom and apparently in great health according to my yearly physical results. Should I pursue a specialist for this, or just let it go?

I should put a side note here that for roughly the same period of time (about 10 years) I’ve had 2 badly decayed teeth. Both developed abscesses on the gum in the past year and I had one tooth removed (on the left side) about 4 months ago. It is completely healed now. I still have the other decayed tooth on the right side which is scheduled to be removed in a couple of weeks. (Life lesson, always take care of your teeth!) Anywho, is it possible that having these 2 decaying teeth for so long has caused all the lymph nodes in my body to become swollen. And if my blood stream was infected that badly to cause all the swollen lymph nodes, wouldn’t that have shown up on my CBC’s?