Lymph nodes (hereinafter – LN) are the guardians of the immune system. They play an important role in the body’s ability to fight disease. Functioning as filters, the lymph nodes absorb viruses, bacteria and other foreign agents that cause various diseases. 

There are about 600 LUs in our body. Some of them are located in places accessible for inspection. You can see them on the neck, under the jaws, under the armpits, in the groin.

In most cases, the causes of enlarged lymph nodes are infections, less often autoimmune diseases, even less often – tumor processes. For example, if you are worried about a runny nose, sore throat, cough and at the same time LN increases, most often this is a sign that your body is fighting a cold. As a rule, within a few weeks, their sizes decrease to their original size.

However, there are situations that require closer attention and may indicate a serious illness. Seek medical attention without fail if:

• LN increased for no apparent reason;
• they do not move when pressed;
• their appearance is accompanied by unmotivated weight loss, sweating, fever;
• an increase in several groups of LUs at the same time;
• redness, swelling of tissues, soreness in the area of ​​the lymph nodes.

In some cases, the presence of lymphadenopathy requires puncture, histological examination. Lymph nodes that are inaccessible for physical examination (mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes) are assessed using visual methods (RG, ultrasound, CT, MRI).

Here is just an incomplete list of diseases that can cause changes in LN: tuberculosis, syphilis, staphylococcal, streptococcal infections, brucellosis, tularemia, diphtheria, cat scratch disease, rickettsioses, infectious mononucleosis, HIV, herpes simplex virus, chickenpox virus and herpes zoster rubella, measles, viral hepatitis, dermatomyositis, Sjogren’s syndrome , serum sickness, sarcoidosis, Kawasaki disease, graft versus host disease; Hodgkin ‘s lymphoma , non – Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, solid tumor metastases.

Remember, every case of enlarged lymph nodes must be evaluated by a doctor.