Gland / lymph node pain?

[bookgirl]

Ever since I was young (I'm 31) I've always had painful gland problems. For years through grade school and high school if I ate anything extremely sour the glands behind my ears would be so painful I would have to tense up for a few seconds until it went away, I couldn't even swallow. I stopped eating anything sour. I was a vocal music major in college and all through college I would get achy glands below my jaw, and what felt like air bubbles under my tongue. I would try to feel if I had swollen glands and while nothing felt swollen, it would be really achy and hurt. I now have the same feeling under my tongue and in my neck under my jaw as well as in front of my ears and behind my ears. I don't feel any bumps or lumps. I have one bumpy spot on the skin of the inside of my left cheek and my dentist just said it was an opening of my gland, but it is not like that on the other side. He also said I have some TMJ issues, but would that cause my glands to swell and hurt? I also have had a metallic taste in my mouth for a couple of months now. Since I've kind of always had these problems, is this something I should be seen for? I also have anxiety problems, so I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I'm making it worse in my head or if it's something I should really call a doctor about, b/c I call the doctor about a lot.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Difficult to say without examination.  Sometimes referred TMJ pain can lead to glandular pain.  You may want to ensure there is no abnormality with the glands first.  An ultrasound of the affected area, as well as consideration of a biopsy can give a more definitive diagnosis.  

Blood tests to evaluate the blood count should also be part of the evaluation.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patients education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com

[BrewJay]

Nutmeg, especially with coffee, can raise those symptoms in me. I avoid nutmeg, now, but the symptom was disconcerting to me, because that's my immune system if I'm not mistaken -- lymph nodes. It took me a while to put two and two together. One thing can increase lymph circulation, and that's deep breathing. Whether you get it from exercise or intention is up to you. bookgirl fits. Heavy breathing probably scares bookgirl.

[BrewJay]

On more thing. With nutmeg, some swelling was in me, and I don't see that in bookgirl's post, but it's the same tissue -- below my jaw. Sour? That covers a lot of fruit. Let's see. Not Cucumbers, not pumpkins, not tomatoes, not avocadoes, not bananas, not peppers, maybe apples, not _exactly_ pears? She can eat pears, right? But everything in a bottle or a can probably contains citrate that she can't stand. You would think it was a vitamin.
Bottom line: If you can't find or afford a guru, then learn to breathe deeply on you own.