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Two swollen lymph nodes on my neck

Hello. I’m 14 years old female. About 3 weeks ago i noticed that a lymph node under my neck is bigger than the one on other side. It is always been a little bit bigger but now it’s noticable. You can see it when i tilt my head back. Two days after that, i noticed another one under my ear, next to jaw. They are moveable and painless. About a week after i noticed that I got a sore throat, runny nose, little cough, fever… I go to the doctor and she said I have virus and i got a blood test. She said the results are like that because i have a virus. That was last week. Now the sore throat is gone, but i still have some runny nose. My biggest concern is the two lymph nodes. I have really bad health anxiety and I notice every little thing. Please help.
Best Answer
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you think your cough is getting really bad then yes you should go see a doctor about having a cold virus. Do you ever feel as if you can't get enough oxygen? Is your breathing okay? Fever? Lips turn blue? Take some deep fast breaths and have your parents or sister listen for any unusual sounds from your chest.

There is a bad virus going around the world called RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It's usually in kids much younger, but anybody can get it.

About the anxiety: I have seen many people come to this group here that have bad anxiety and worry about lymphoma. It's not something that they can stop. It's natural for them to have more anxiety than the average person. I think the important thing is to realize when the anxiety is not justified. Sometimes it is justified, sometimes not.
1 Comments
No, i don’t cough often. Usually like once or twice a day and i cough up mucus. My doctor listened to my lungs and said that she can hear that i have mucus and i need to throw out mucus. I don’t get any other symptoms. Everything in my blood was normal.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
I think it was the famous psychologist Karl Jung who said that anxiety is the gateway to genius. If you focus your intensity onto learning and planning and imagining and accomplishing, then you can create and produce a lot of good things.
Helpful - 0
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
If your doctor listened and is not alarmed, then you are okay. Just be aware if things get much worse, which they probably will not get worse.

Don't drain all your mental energy with worry.

Maybe you'll be a doctor one day.

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Thank you so much. I constantly worry about all of my symptoms and every little thing that happens i google. I feel every little sensation. I also think that those lymph nodes are a little bit smaller but i cant really tell. I just worry and worry and cant get this out of my head.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, every doctor would likely say the same. They would be more concerned if the nodes were enlarged for several months, rather than just a few weeks.

You can try a new doctor and say that you worry about this all the time and you feel that the worry is ruining your health. Say that you tried very hard to stop the worrying by willpower but that doesn't work. Maybe one out of five doctors would agree and order an ultrasound for you.

If you do get an ultrasound then come back here and post the ultrasound report, and I will tell you with absolute honesty what it means. It would be especially good if the ultrasound report was very every detailed, rather than just brief.

Good luck.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Thank you. My runny nose and coughing stopped last week, but then again my sister became sick and had a cough, runny nose, sore throat. On Friday last week, my runny nose came back and i started to cough . It is whooping cough and i feel that i have mucus in my throat.  Should i be concered because i dont have any other symptoms. Just anxiety everyday.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
The immune system can do many mysterious things. It communicates with its many parts by using biochemicals.

As the immune system is first starting to fight a cold virus, then yes the immune system is releasing biochemicals and the nodes can react to those biochemicals. Nodes enlarge because they make more and more immune cells to fight the virus. Just like an army base gets bigger in war time.

Btw, immune system chemicals also cause the runny nose to happen.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hello. I’m writing again. About a week and half ago i went to doctor because 2 swollen lymph nodes haven’t got down. I did a blood work and everything was fine. She felt them and said that it is from infection. However I can’t stop thinking about them and constantly worry about them. Should I go to another doctor?
Avatar universal
Thank you. I was worried because they became bigger before i had a cold. But my doctor said sometimes the lymph nodes become larger before or after the symptoms.
Helpful - 0
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, no doctor would be alarmed by this.

It is not very rare for people to get enlarged lymph nodes that don't go down afterwards. The most common reason is that scar tissue (fibrosis) has formed inside. That is often because of an overactive immune system. I have noticed on this forum that people with overactive immune systems tend to also have lots of anxiety.

The scar tissue is not harmful.

You might see the nodes get a little larger every time that you get a common cold.

Good luck to you. I know that you can't help having the anxiety, so I won't say something useless like "stop worrying".
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Thank you. I was worried because they became bigger before i had a cold. But my doctor said sometimes the lymph nodes become larger before or after the symptoms.
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