Hi, diesel. The way it works is that a node has a "drainage area". It's like having a net stretched across the mouth of a stream to detect what is coming from upstream.
Nodes on the back of the neck wouldn't be directly connected to the lips and nose. But the cold sores might result in immune signalling chemicals being in circulation in the head area generally, and that could contribute to the nodes being always enlarged. It's possible, anyway.
marhaba Ken_PA
hope all is good, I forget to ask if you don't mind asking again lol )) I always have hsv 1 or cold sore outbreak on my lip or nose and it has been coming and going more frequently and is on the right side of my neck same as those two nodes that are locate on the back side of my right neck
do u think this is the reason why they are always there?
thx
Marhaba, diesel! Here's what happens: when an infection gets right inside a node, the immune system can build up 'fibrosis' which is like scar tissue. That can take a very long time to go away, but it is harmless. Some people are just more prone to making this fibrosis than other people.
Btw, cervical nodes are also the ones that are most likely to enlarge from infections of all kinds.
Hey, I hope you enjoy your trip home :) Feel free to post an update whenever you feel like it.
Hi ken
I just wants to update u and have ur opinion on this matter
i didnt go for the uktrasound today becoz i kinda felt the nodes are reducing by size
I was thinking to give it one more week before i go for the sonogram
What do u think?
Thx man i get u fully
Appreciate ur help
You're not posting too much, diesel.
Yes, ultrasound is the same thing as sonogram. But you do not want the thyroid or the carotid ultrasound. They would be useless for this.
What you do want is an ultrasound of the two nodes on the back of your neck. You must be sure that they look for the "internal architecture" of each node. You must be sure that they look to see that the part called the "fatty hilum" is seen by the ultrasound - especially in the new node that popped up.
Let me explain: when you cut open a tomato, you see that it has a normal structure inside. That is the same as with a normal non-cancerous lymph node, it has structure inside.
But when you cut open a potato, there is no structure inside. That is the same as with a lymphoma lymph node, because all the normal structure has been replaced by cancer cells which are all alike. Does that seem clear to you? Are you familiar with the inside of a tomato versus a potato?
What you do *not* want is an ultrasound where they only tell you the size. That would be completely useless at this point.
All of that above is done with a "gray scale" ultrasound. Tell the tech that is doing the ultrasound that you are interested in the "internal architecture" and especially the presence of the "fatty hilum".
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One more thing: see if you can maybe get the images of the ultrasound given to you (in electronic format like a disk or an email). That way you can always ask for a second opinion if you in the future want to give the images to another radiologist to interpret. This step is not necessary, but it might come in handy in the future.
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Yes, please post the *report* of the ultrasound (not the images themselves) when you get it. I will be happy to help you understand what the report means.
Good luck, diesel :)
Hi sorry for posting too much
I called a radiology hospital and found that they have sonograme but they asked me to choose what type..as they have Tyroid scan or Carrotid doppler scan
So which one should i choose..thx
By the way i scanned my head , neck , chest, and abdomen not only neck ...
By sonogram do u mean ultrasound??
Thx for ur support ))
"All thoses test i dont would not eliminate the lymohoma ??"
No, diesel, those tests don't help much on whether those two nodes are lymphoma. But there is not much reason to think that you do have lymphoma. As you know, the size and shape are okay. A biopsy can know for sure, but there is a risk to having the biopsy from infection and from the anesthesia. If you have a sonogram and it shows "fatty hilum", that is almost 100% sure that you do not have lymphoma in that node. There is also a "needle biopsy" which has less risk than a surgery biopsy..
Otherwise, the CT shows that you don't have other enlarged nodes inside the areas that were scanned. Your normal CBC shows that you don't have cancer cells in your bone marrow. No cancer in liver or kidneys. The ESR and CRP are for inflammation.
Check your neck, underarms and groin only once a month or so. I wouldn't worry unless there is a change in size or numbers of bumps.
And keep up with the weight control and your fitness :)
Hi ken
Thx for ur reply ...yes since i was 18 years after i finished my chicken oox infection it was there and since that time i always felt it didnt give it any attention ...but it was not that obvious when i felt it maybe because i used to have a fat neck ...but now i can feel anything in my neck specially those two nodes
I remember like in first of may i was coming from my holidays i had a very bad cough with pain in chest i didnt see a doctor and didnt took antibiotics i just stopped smoking and exrcised and took some cough medicine ...the cough persist for some weeks and went away later on
it was recebtly i felt one of that additional node in my neck
I dont know if it was also there before or not
All thoses test i dont would not eliminate the lymohoma ??
I still need to do additional test??
Hi, i wouldn't worry since they are relatively small. The 2nd one might have been there the whole time?
Only worry if they grow or multiply. They are probably filled with scar tissue (fibrosis) from previous infection. Pressing on them a lot can make them grow a little from irritation.
If you remain worried, you can get a sonogram instead of a biopsy. The presence of a 'fatty hilum' on the sonogram would almost certainly mean: not-cancer.
Congratulations on your disciplined transformation. Bravo.