Doing their job: Allergy is an unlikely cause of a swollen lymph node. Lymph node swelling is the result of a local infection or irritation and occasionally cancer. They are very common where you describe, the post auricular lymph chain and since it comes and goes very unlikely to be bad. It's most likely doing it's job of limiting and fighting a localized viral or bacterial infection or irrit (uri, ear, or scalp).
Answered 5/31/2013
5.6k views
Monitoring Centers: Lymphatic system absorbs/carries things too big to go into the arteries/veins like bacteria eaten by white cells/digested food. Lymph nodes "taste" the lymph everywhere for bad stuff like bacteria/viruses/cancers, etc. When it detects a problem, it alerts the immune system and your body reacts. They enlarge in response to the inflammation they create when they react. They shrink when all is well.
Answered 8/31/2013
4.9k views
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