My lymph nodes hurt a little, what's going on?

Lymph nodes are an important part of the lymphatic system, which is the body's immune organ. Once lymph nodes become painful, serious consequences may occur. Lymph nodes are spread all over the body, and the causes of pain are different in different locations. We need to have a comprehensive understanding of the possible causes of pain and figure out our condition as soon as possible for treatment. My lymph nodes hurt a little, what's going on? Let’s take a look below.

Causes

1. Infection

Acute and chronic inflammation caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, etc., such as acute cellulitis, purulent tonsillitis, gingivitis, infectious mononucleosis, scrub typhus, tuberculosis, etc.

2. Tumor

(1) Lymphoma;

(2) Various types of acute and chronic leukemia;

(3) Plasma cell tumors: multiple myeloma, primary macroglobulinemia;

(4) Tumor metastasis: lung cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, etc.

3. Reactive hyperplasia

(1) Necrotizing hyperplastic lymphadenopathy;

(2) Serum sickness and serum sickness-like reactions;

(3) Allergic subsepsis;

(4) Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism, etc.

4. Abnormal cell proliferation and metabolism

(1) Langerhans histiocytosis (histiocytosis X);

(2) lipid storage disease;

(3) Sarcoidosis.

diagnosis

1. Enlargement of lymph nodes in one area is called localized lymphadenopathy, which is often seen in nonspecific lymphadenitis, lymph node tuberculosis and metastasis of malignant tumors. The primary lesion should be found according to the lymphatic drainage area. If lymph nodes are swollen in more than two areas, it should be considered as systemic lymphadenopathy, which is more common in acute and chronic lymphadenitis, infectious mononucleosis, leukemia, lymphoma, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, brucellosis, serum sickness, connective tissue disease, etc.

2. Associated symptoms can provide important clues to the cause of swollen lymph nodes.

(1) Patients with swollen lymph nodes accompanied by infection foci in the corresponding drainage areas, such as swollen submandibular and submental lymph nodes accompanied by tonsillitis and gingivitis, swollen axillary lymph nodes accompanied by mastitis, swollen postauricular lymph nodes accompanied by scalp infection, and swollen left inguinal lymph nodes accompanied by erysipelas of the left lower limb, can be diagnosed with nonspecific lymphadenitis.

(2) Lymph node enlargement accompanied by pain is usually caused by acute inflammation, often with local redness, swelling, heat and other inflammatory manifestations; while painless lymph node enlargement is common in malignant tumor metastasis, lymphoma, etc. Local lymph node enlargement accompanied by low fever, night sweats, and weight loss may indicate lymph node tuberculosis, malignant lymphoma, or other malignant tumors.

(3) Lymph node enlargement accompanied by periodic fever is often seen in malignant lymphoma; systemic lymph node enlargement accompanied by fever is seen in infectious mononucleosis, leukemia, lymphoma, etc., and occasionally in systemic lupus erythematosus.

(4) Lymph node enlargement accompanied by rash is often seen in certain infectious diseases or allergic diseases, and one should also be alert to lymphoma.