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KISS · Dec 22, 2007, 04:19 PM

The Lymph nodes that are located slightly below the ear are swollen most of the time. Doctors don't seem to be concerned. Any ideas?

I have allergies to ragweed and tree pollen and am on ongoing immunotherapy. I also have Asthma.

peggyhill · Dec 22, 2007, 04:44 PM

I have a few questions.

How long have they been enlarged for? Did you see a specialist? Did you get a 2nd opinion? Do you have any other medical conditions other than asthma and allergies? Have you been ill or had any infection recently? Are the nodes sore and tender?

KISS · Dec 22, 2007, 09:52 PM

They have been swollen for a long time. Sometimes they are more noticeable than others, like now. They don't hurt, but I know they are there without touching them and you can see them when looking at them. Sore: no. Tender: No.

I had an allergy shot and had a reaction to it the next day. Chills, sweats, fatigue. This was my first reaction to a maintenance dose. There is a component of oak, birch an maple and cat and mouse with ragweed being the strongest and cat and mouse being the weakest.

Well, an internist, an endocrinologist, an allergist and an ontalarogist (sp?) don't seem to be concerned. I can't remember if I mentioned that to my dentist or peridontist. I also have a dental implant. Dentist mentioned that my mouth is a little dry.

Other Medical conditions: Weather triggered migraines, Type II insulin dependent diabetes with complictions but stable (Blood pressure, hyperlipedemia, ED) requiring lots of meds. Peridontal problems: some deep pockets, probably all less than 5 mm, everything is stable. Blepharitus (stable), acne (stable), seboreheic dermatitus (stable).

peggyhill · Dec 26, 2007, 01:25 PM

Hmm. Well, I'm not a doctor or nurse or anything, so I can't really say. Guess no one can say over the internet anyway, lol. It sounds like the doctors all seem to think the same thing. Did you ask if lymph node swelling is common with the allergies and medical conditions you mentioned? Did the swelling start when you started getting the allergy shots?
I can tell you that I have had problems with lymph nodes two times this year, and in both cases, there was nothing major wrong with me. I had swollen nodes on the back of my neck and recently, I had a swollen node in my underarm area, which was a great concern, but turned out to be nothing.
The nodes on the back of my neck were due to infection because I was sick. I believe this is how the underarm node started, and then I kept poking at it so it didn't go away. I finally got worried and went to a doc. (wanted to make sure it wasn't breast cancer) and turned out it was nothing. It went away after a month or so of leaving it alone.
So my point is that swollen nodes don't necessarily mean something serious is going on in your body. However, they can be warning signs of other conditions, so I think it is good that you are getting it all checked out.
Are you concerned about lymphoma or something like that? If so, maybe your doctor could do some blood work and other tests just to put your mind at ease. You might also want to ask if this could be a side effect of any medications you are taking. (I don't know if nodes can swell from medicines or not, but it's worth a shot asking I suppose) I wouldn't worry too much, but the next time you see your doctor, ask him about blood tests and possible causes. If the doctor blows you off, find a new one. Even if the doc. Doesn't think it is important, remember, he is YOUR employee and should answer any concerns you have in as much detail as you need.
Let me know what you find out and good luck! I'm sure some other people on here who know more about medical things can probably help you more than I could, so you'll probably get some good answers from them too.

skunkman44 · Jun 19, 2008, 12:45 PM

Sorry to say that's why I went to a different doctor. I had trouble with swollen glands under my jaw and for years. Some one finally figured out it was cancer. It had gone so long they gave me 6 weeks to live. I went for years taking antibiotics when it flared up. One doctor finally did a biopsy. 6 years later I'm still here. But it took 37 radiations, chemo, and 12 surgeries. Find out what is going on. Don't be afraid to switch doctors or see a Ears, Nose, Throat Specialist.