Swollen Lymph Nodes Symptoms

• The symptoms of swollen lymph nodes depend upon both the location and cause of the enlargement.

• Patients may experience symptoms of an upper respiratory infection (runny nose, sore throat, fever) and feel slightly tender nodes under the skin around the ears, under the chin, or on the upper part of the neck.

• Sometimes there may be a skin infection, redness, or a sore throat, and one may feel an enlarged node in the vicinity tracking toward the heart.

• Swelling of a lymph node located deep inside the body may have different consequences from swelling of those just under the skin. The blockage in the flow of lymph from swelling in a deeper node may cause a swelling of a limb or, for example, a chronic cough, even though you would not be able to feel a swollen node.

• Some infections (mononucleosis or "mono," HIV, and fungal or parasitic infections) may cause generalized swelling of lymph nodes throughout the body.

• Some immune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, may also cause generalized lymph node swelling.

• Rarely, a person may have a node or group of nodes that grows rapidly and becomes hard and can not be easily moved around under the skin.