Anxiety, Stiff Neck, Lymph Node

Dear all,

for the last 3 months I am suffering from a stiff neck. Sometimes it's rather moderate, sometimes severe. The pain radiates from the back of my head to both sides of the neck, sometimes also where I suppose my thyroid. Sometimes it rather feels like a soreness. Sometimes I feel it in my ears, not really painful, more like a slight pulling. The ears then often start to crack and pop. I also have pain in and under my right shoulder which gets better after a hot shower.

2 months ago I also had a sudden hearing loss in my left ear. I think it could be related to my neck symptoms as before the loss I also had these cracking sensations. The hearing loss lasted for three months. At the end I could feel some fluid in my ear. So I assumed that it is rather caused by a tube dysfunction than a SNHL.

As I suffer from extreme anxiety for quite a while I thought it could be related. But last week I discovered a little bump on the left side of my neck which I suppose is a swollen lymph node. It's located on my neck muscle which feels not very relaxed. It has the size of a pea, is soft, moveable and actually non-tender. Although I sometimes have the impresssion that the area around this node is more sore than other parts of the neck.

I know that you guys are no doctor. But any idea or similar experience would be very much appreciated!!

Thank you so much!!!

[darlingdivatx]

I'm not totally familiar with labyrinithis (sp?) but this is a problem with the ear and is known to cause anxiety and panic attacks. If you read up on it you can learn why. Have you been evaluated by and ENT???

[Insina]

Thanks for your relpy. From what I learned labyrinthithis causes dizziness as a main symptom which I fortunately don't have.

I've been evaluated by a ENT. Well, he was busy and didn't spend much time on me. Short diagnosis was tube dysfunction probably due a cold which I actually didn't have... The neck problems would be coincidence and related to stress...

Nothing that I really believe in as stress don't cause swollen lymphnodes as far as I know. And as I said, I didn't have a cold. Well, I had one after my hearing loss and long time before the node appeared.

[Zak_Han]

Hi,it seem just muscle lump due to neck soft tissue injury.Don't worry.

[Insina]

Muscle lump? I didn't know that there is something like this. I will follow up with a doctor. Thank you very much for your opinion. It seems that you are very experienced in this field.

Btw: Best regards from Shanghai ;-)