Swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)

Neck | General Practice | Swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) (Disease)


Description

Lymphadenopathy reflects a pathological process that affects the lymph nodes, shown by their increase in size. Lymph nodes are small spheroid formations located in the line of lymphatic vessels, consisting of a cluster of lymphoid cells. Have a role in immunity.

Causes and Risk factors

Many of us have felt lymph nodes first hand in the direct sense, when, after a local virus or bacterial infection, have noted the appearance of the affected region of formations, usually small, spherical, elastic on palpation through the skin - lymph nodes. Typically, in adults, the lymph nodes are not palpable. They only increase their size in certain situations, we will report below. There are two main groups of diseases that are accompanied by increase in size of lymph nodes, as follows:

Malignant disease of lymph nodes, malignant lymphoma (limfogranulomatoza - Hodgkins) lymphoma nehodgkiniene; damage to lymph nodes in leukemia; metastatic cancer in lymph nodes.

Benign diseases of the lymph nodes: reactive hyperplasia (increase in size) of lymph nodes, following a local disease of the skin, mucous membranes; bacterial infection (scarlet fever, diphtheria, syphilis, tularemia, fever, brucellosis, anthrax); viral infection (infectious mononucleosis, acute benign lymphocytosis Carl Smith, HIV / AIDS, acute viral respiratory infections); parasitic and fungal infections (toxoplasmosis, leishmaniasis); collagenosis (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus system); tuberculous lymphadenitis; Lymphadenopathy after vaccination; lymphadenopathy drug; Amyloid (very rare).

Diagnosis and Treatment

The physician should specify that the party first appeared is indeed a lymph node. Lymphadenopathy in the cervical region (neck) can be simulated by a salivary gland increased in size (in case of mumps gland tumors). Described cases of different people living in the thyroid gland located more aberrant, making difficult the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy. In case of bacterial infections, in addition to regional lymph nodes increase in size, there will be basic signs of infectious disease . Lymphadenopathy can cause some drugs: anticonvulsants, antibiotics, sulfa drugs. But in these cases patients may experience symptoms of allergy.

Swollen lymph nodes caused by a virus may return to normal after the viral infection resolves. Antibiotics are not useful to treat viral infections. Treatment for swollen lymph nodes from other causes depends on the cause. ...