![]() When you have swollen lymph nodes throughout your body, your doctor will ask for a CBC, a chest X-ray, and an HIV test. ![]() And even if it is cancer, you should still be able to treat it effectively. Since the swelling will often go away or another cause will be found while you’re waiting to do a biopsy, the delay prevents people from getting procedures they don’t need. If these tests don’t show another cause and the swollen nodes don’t go away in 3-4 weeks, your doctor will probably do a biopsy. Depending on your other symptoms and your history, your doctor may want additional blood tests or x-rays, too. Otherwise, you’ll usually start with a complete blood count (CBC) to get a picture of your general health as well as more detailed information about your white blood cells, which fight infection. The sample gets sent to a lab so a specialist can check it with a microscope for cancer. They’ll take either a sample of cells from a node, typically using a needle, or remove a whole node. A scan called FDG-PET, which stands for fluorodeoxyglucose with positron emission tomography, can help find lymphoma and other cancers. Based on where the cancer might be, you could get a chest X-ray, an ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI. If your doctor thinks your swollen lymph nodes could be cancer, tests and imaging can confirm the diagnosis or point to something else. Other symptoms are also a reason to make an appointment: You should see your doctor if your lymph nodes appear abnormal.” And the swelling should go away within a couple of weeks. The skin over them should not be red, irritated, or warm. They shouldn’t feel hard or rubbery, and you should be able to move them. Lymph nodes that are around 1/2 inch or bigger aren’t normal. If you can’t come up with an explanation, it may be time to get checked out. You’ll often have a good idea why a lymph node is swollen - you’ve got a cold, your tooth is infected, or you have a cut that isn’t healing well. It could be something like chickenpox, HIV, or a cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma. When several areas of lymph nodes are swollen, that suggests the problem is throughout your body. Shingles will cause swollen lymph nodes in the area where the rash breaks out.Women who have breast cancer may get swollen lymph nodes in their armpit. When you have strep throat, lymph nodes in your neck may swell. Often, swollen lymph nodes will be close to where the problem is. Swelling usually signals an infection of some kind, but it could also be from a condition like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or rarely, cancer. More immune cells may be going there, and more waste could be building up. Swollen lymph nodes are a sign that they’re working hard. These store immune cells and act as filters to remove germs, dead and damaged cells, and other waste from your body. There are more than 600 small, kidney bean-shaped lymph nodes in clusters throughout your body - under your neck, in your armpits and groin, and in the middle of your chest and belly. Your doctor can help you figure out what’s causing the changes in your body. ![]()
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