Sudden enlargement of lymph node in neck, 1 inch.very painful. low grade fevers are also present. possibly serious or just fighting something minor?

May need antibiotics: If a lymph node in the neck suddenly increases in size to one inch, over a time period of 1-2 days, there may be an infection such as strep throat, or there may be a bacterial infection in the lymph node without strep throat. In either case, the doctor may want to prescribe antibiotics if his evaluation suggests a bacterial (meaning not viral) infection.