A member asked:

Three swollen cervical lymph nodes all on left side of neck some ear pain doctor hs seen one of them says wait 2 month fbc normal should i be worried?

8 doctors weighed in across 3 answers

Follow advice.: Lymph nodes enlarge for many reasons, most often from some type of infectious process. Benign lymph nodes will tend to decrease in size (not necessarily to normal though) as the infection or inflammation resolves. If there is no need for antibiotics or other treatment for infection, waiting is appropriate. Further enlargement, especially if the node is >1 cm, requires further investigation.

Answered 9/19/2018

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Lymph nodes: The lymph nodes usually enlarge as response to an infection in the vicinity.It lasts maximum 2-3 weeks and as the infection goes away (with antibiotics usually) the lymph nodes disappear. Outside this scenario, i would be worried and demand further investigation (ct is appropriate, a blood smear and CBC with differential, as well as a bmp with enzymes markers analysis) up to an excision biopy.

Answered 9/13/2018

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Dr. Michael Miller answered

Specializes in Wound care

Monitoring Centers: Lymphatic system absorbs/carries things too big to go into the arteries/veins like bacteria eaten by white cells and digested food. Lymph nodes "taste" the lymph for anything bad 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 12/13/2019

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