Can lymph nodes swell infrequently ? i've been to the doc for neck swelling and arm pit pain but 4 docs have said they feel no swelling any ideas ?

Yes, and several: Lymph nodes part of our immune defense system for virus, microorganisms & cancer. About 1% of blood plasma (water) which departs arterial-end of capillaries is not picked back up at venous-end, body wide. Lymph vessels return this excess water (& whatever is in the water) from around cells back into the blood stream. Lymph nodes, full of white blood cells, remove items/cells recognized not healthy.