Have a whole line of swollen painful occipital lymph nodes.. behind my ear in the hairline and down my neck ? neck is very painful?

Infection: Your lymph nodes are a line of defense against infection and sometimes allergic reactions in your body. When they swell, they are fighting the infection. In your case, they are probably overworked and probably need the assistance of an antibiotic. If they do not respond to treatment, blood tests may be helpful to determine other causes.