Patient's question:
The past two weeks, I had a sore throat and pain in both armpits. During this period, I drank alcohol twice. Then, recurrent swelling of multiple submandibular lymph nodes appeared, one of which was the size of a jujube, slightly hard, and tender. I also had low-grade fever, bone pain, and headache. I have been taking amoxicillin for three days, but there has been no improvement. When I went for a follow-up, the doctor said there are two reasons why these symptoms might recur. One is lymph node inflammation, and the other is a thyroid gland cyst. If the medication does not show improvement after three days, the latter is more likely, and a biopsy and removal may be necessary. What are the symptoms of lymphadenitis?Doctor's answer:
Lymphadenitis can be classified as acute or chronic based on the onset speed. It is a bacterial infectious disease that occurs when bacteria enter the lymph or bloodstream, leading to infection of the lymph nodes. The common bacteria involved are typically beta-hemolytic streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. The main clinical manifestations include local lymph node enlargement, pain, tenderness, and palpable swollen lymph nodes with clear boundaries, appearing round or oval. The surface skin may remain normal, but some swollen lymph nodes can fuse together to form clusters. In some cases, suppurative infection may develop, leading to the formation of skin sinuses, often accompanied by systemic inflammatory reactions such as fever, loss of appetite, and fatigue.