Question 1

i was pressing under my jaw to feel for lymph nodes (i think i was actually touching some muscle tissue that i thought was a big lymph node). since that day, whenever i turn my neck or press on it, it makes a clicking sound. no pain. what can it be?

Accepted Answer

Muscle strain: It does not seem serious and you may watch and wait. If you get restriction of movement or pain on rest, it would be prudent to see a doctor.
Have a healthy diet, exercise 30 minutes/day, drink plenty of water daily so your urine is mostly colorless, have safe sex, no tobacco alcohol weed or street drugs. For nutrition: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.
Get HPV vaccine. Wish you good health!

Question 2

can poking,squeezing,and feeling your lymph node cause it to get big?

Accepted Answer

No, but quit doing: Do not poke, or squeeze you nodes. If you think a node is enlarged, feel it no more than every couple of weeks. If the lymph gland doubles in size, becomes painful, ulcerates, your develop fever, or other nodes become enlarged, you should see a doctor.

Question 3

i've been constantly pressing on my lymph node and now it feels matted to the node next to it.  could i have caused this by touching it so much?

Accepted Answer

Yes!: But depending on where the "lymph nodes" are located and how large they are as well as other problems in the area that drains into these nodes could be a matter of greater concern! If these don't resolve soon or become worse , or orher symptoms develop the you should be evaluated by a physician

Question 4

does constantly touching/squeezing a lymph node cause it to enlarge? i've been touching it since i found it which was a year ago and it has got bigger

Accepted Answer

Enlarged node: Needless to say, if a lymph node is getting larger then you need to see a doctor. Especially if it has been there for over a year.

Question 5

how big should a lymph node be before it is considered 'swollen'?

Accepted Answer

Swollen lymph node.: Generally speaking, lymph nodes are not palpable. And if they are palpable, they are usually very small, certainly smaller than a pea or a jellybean.  So swelling of a lymph node would imply that either a small lymph node is noticeably larger or that you’re feeling lymph nodes in an area that you hadn’t felt them in previously. Obviously, clinical context is important.

Question 6

can you tell me exactly when is a lymph node considered swollen, how big does it have to be?

Accepted Answer

Subjective criteria: In the imaging(computed tomography) world a node greater than 1.0 cm was considered  suspicious for disease.Therer are 2.5 cm per inch. This enlargement could represent infection/inflammation, reactive to disease process in proximity, and tumor. Generally infectious/inflammatory nodes may be tender and tumoral nodes are firmer.This subject has a lot of variability.

Question 7

can i make lymph nodes palpable/enlarged by repeated touching in a lymph node area? do they swell from being touched?

Accepted Answer

No: Usually palpate the nods dose not enlarge the node,but if they become enlarge need evaluation to find the cause ,so be treated.

Question 8

how big should the swollen lymph node be if it was affected by melanoma?

Accepted Answer

Not possible to say!: Lymph nodes are enlarged if they can be palpated during a clinical exam. Lymph nodes can be enlarged for various reasons including infection, lymphoma and from cancer that are metastatic. The size of the node does not tell you anything about the cause. If there is any concern about a large lymph node one should get it checked by a physician. If needed a needle biopsy can be done to sample the node.

Question 9

my left supraclavicular lymph node is big hard. why only one side?

Accepted Answer

Cannot tell: A large supraclavicular node may be due to many different things, and whether it needs to be biopsied depends on whether "hard" means stony hard, whether it is fixed to underlying tissues, tender, continuing to enlarge, how long it has been there and many other things will influence decision-making.  See your doctor and get this taken care of.

Question 10

can you inflame a slightly palpable neck lymph node by touching it often?

Accepted Answer

Lymph node: .. palpation could affect the flow of lymph through the node, which could speed up an inflammatory process that is ongoing.  This is a bit of a creative stretch and thus, I would not suspect palpation when considering causes of an inflamed node

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

Touching can make lymph node bigger

A member asked:

I was pressing under my jaw to feel for lymph nodes (i think i was actually touching some muscle tissue that i thought was a big lymph node). since that day, whenever i turn my neck or press on it, it makes a clicking sound. no pain. what can it be?

A member asked:

Can poking,squeezing,and feeling your lymph node cause it to get big?

A member asked:

I've been constantly pressing on my lymph node and now it feels matted to the node next to it. could i have caused this by touching it so much?

A member asked:

Does constantly touching/squeezing a lymph node cause it to enlarge? i've been touching it since i found it which was a year ago and it has got bigger

A member asked:

How big should a lymph node be before it is considered 'swollen'?

A member asked:

Can you tell me exactly when is a lymph node considered swollen, how big does it have to be?

A member asked:

Can i make lymph nodes palpable/enlarged by repeated touching in a lymph node area? do they swell from being touched?

A member asked:

How big should the swollen lymph node be if it was affected by melanoma?

A member asked:

My left supraclavicular lymph node is big hard. why only one side?

A member asked:

Can you inflame a slightly palpable neck lymph node by touching it often?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?