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Swollen Lymph Glands (cont.)

When to Seek Medical Care

Inflamed nodes themselves are generally not a major concern, but if you have symptoms of another condition along with enlarged lymph nodes, consult your doctor.

Call your doctor:

If the swelling of the nodes lasts for more than two weeks or you have symptoms such as weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, or prolonged fever

If the nodes are hard, fixed to the skin, or are growing rapidly

If you can feel swelling close to your collarbone or in the lower part of the neck

If the overlying skin is red and inflamed and you suspect an infection

The diagnosis of swollen lymph nodes rarely requires emergency hospital treatment. The exceptions to this include a growing infection of the skin that requires treatment, a severely infected lymph node that needs to be drained, or severe pain.