You wake up and find there’s a lump on the side of your neck or in your armpit. Your neck under your jawline feels sore. Because the symptoms coincide with a sore throat, cold, or viral symptoms, you don’t think anything of it.
Your lymph nodes are on the side of your neck, under your armpit, and in your groin. They’re essential to your body’s immune response and handle abnormal cells, bacteria, and viruses by releasing white blood cells. When they do so in a hurry, they often expand to accommodate this production activity, causing temporary swelling and discomfort.
Persistent swollen lymph nodes are not something to ignore. When the swelling occurs regularly or lasts for more than a week, it can be a sign that something is wrong. It’s time to see a doctor.
Causes of Persistent Lymph Node Swelling
Many cases of swollen lymph nodes are linked to viruses such as the common cold, COVID-19, or the flu. If it’s been more than two weeks, doctors will look for other causes, such as the following.
Autoimmune Disorders
An autoimmune disorder like Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis causes the immune system to see healthy tissue as an invader. It attacks the healthy tissue, causing the lymph node to continue activating white blood cells.
Chronic Infections
Some infections are quieter and don’t present with common symptoms like a fever, nagging cough, or sore throat. These infections can last for weeks, causing your body to continue fighting them for much longer than normal. These infections include:
- Cat Scratch Fever: A bacterial infection transmitted through a cat’s bite or scratch.
- Dental Infections: Hidden infections can cause the lymph nodes near the jaw to stay swollen until the infection is treated.
- Mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr Virus): A virus transmitted through saliva that causes swollen lymph nodes and extreme fatigue.
- Tuberculosis: An airborne bacterial infection characterized by a cough, extreme fatigue, and night sweats.
Malignancies (Cancers)
Cancer is a leading reason why you shouldn’t wait out chronic swollen lymph nodes. Enlarged lymph nodes could be the site where cancer has spread to other areas of the body, or it might be the originating site. Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Metastatic Cancer are the most common.
Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Diseases (The Foothills & Oak Woodlands)
For residents of Fresno, spending time in the Foothills and Oak Woodlands also puts you at risk of certain tick- and mosquito-borne diseases.
- Anaplasmosis: A tick-borne disease carried by a black-legged tick. Symptoms include a high fever and muscle aches.
- Lyme Disease: Also carried by the black-legged tick, this bacterial infection is more common if the tick remains attached for more than a day. A circular rash that looks like a bullseye is a key sign, but extreme fatigue and joint pain are also common.
- Tularemia (“Rabbit Fever”): The American dog tick transmits Tularemia. Very painful, swollen lymph nodes are the primary symptom.
- West Nile Virus: Infected mosquitoes spread West Nile Virus. Symptoms are often silent, but some people experience body aches, headaches, a fever, and a rash.
Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis)
People in Fresno and the surrounding valleys are also at risk of Valley Fever. This disease is tied to a fungus found in the soil. When area farms and orchards till the soil, they can stir up these fungal spores. If you inhale them, you could develop Valley Fever.
Symptoms of Valley Fever include:
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Extreme fatigue
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
Know the “Red Flag” Symptoms
How can you tell if your swollen lymph nodes are concerning or normal? Learning the “red flag” symptoms helps with this. First involves the lymph nodes themselves.
Duration: Over two weeks is a concern.
How They Feel: Soft and pliable is normal; hard or firm is not.
Movement: If they don’t move when palpated, see a doctor.
Pain Level: Painless and growing is a concern, or severe pain that keeps you awake.
Size: Small is normal, but if they’re larger than a centimeter, it’s time to go to urgent care.
There are also accompanying symptoms to watch for. If you notice any of the following, go to urgent care if you cannot see your primary care doctor quickly.
- Continued itchy skin without a rash
- Night sweats
- Persistent low-grade fever
- Unexplained weight loss
When to Go to Urgent Care vs. the Emergency Department
When you can, your primary care doctor is ideal for looking into chronic swollen lymph nodes. Your doctor knows your medical history and has a wealth of information available to them. However, urgent care is also helpful, especially if it’ll be weeks before you can get an appointment.
Urgent care doctors communicate with your PCP, so any tests they run are shared with your doctor. If it’s the weekend and your lymph nodes are swollen and so sore that you can’t stand it, head to urgent care. Urgent care is best when you’re experiencing:
- A high fever accompanies swollen lymph nodes.
- Signs of a skin infection over a lymph node.
- Sudden, rapid enlargement of a lymph node that occurs within a day or two.
- Throbbing pain that keeps you awake.
Sometimes, you should head straight to the emergency room. If you find you cannot breathe because the swelling is so bad it’s pushing against your esophagus or trachea, go straight to the hospital.
What to Expect During Your Urgent Care Visit
Once you’ve checked in and are in an exam room, your doctor will start by gathering as much information as possible about your medical history. After this, expect these assessments.
- Questions about the bump, whether you’ve been scratched or bitten by an animal, whether you’ve traveled recently, and whether you’ve been sick.
- A physical examination that includes the doctor feeling your lymph nodes in their various locations.
- Blood tests to look for signs of infection, such as high white cell counts.
- Possible imaging studies like an ultrasound.
- Possible biopsy to take a small amount of tissue from the lymph node.
Listen Closely to Your Body
Make it a point to listen to your body. When something isn’t normal, you’ll know. It’s best to head to urgent care and learn it’s nothing to worry about than to ignore the signs and discover you’ve waited longer than you should have.
Pay attention to the level of pain, swelling, and duration of the swollen lymph nodes. Think about the days leading up to the discomfort to narrow down what may have triggered your immune system. If two weeks pass and the swelling hasn’t resolved, it’s time to go to urgent care. All of this information is essential to urgent care doctors.
Premium Urgent Care’s multiple locations make it easy to get care on your schedule. Check in before you arrive and print out and complete the registration forms before you leave your home. It saves time and gets you into an exam room quicker than you’d expect.