Swollen glands
When to see your GP
See your GP if you have swollen glands and: they haven't gone down within a few weeks or are getting bigger theyfeel hard or dont move when you press them you also have a sore throat and find it difficult to swallow or breathe you also have unexplained weight loss , night sweats or a persistent high temperature (fever) you don't have an obvious infection and don't feel unwell If necessary, your GP may request some tests tohelp identify the cause. These can include blood tests , an ultrasound scan or computerised tomography (CT) scan , and/or a biopsy (where a small sample of fluid is taken from theswelling and tested).
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on
Introduction
Swollen lymph glands are usually a sign of infection and tend to go down when you recover. However, they can sometimes have a more serious cause.
When to see your GP
See your GP if you have swollen glands and: they haven't gone down within a few weeks or are getting bigger theyfeel hard or dont move when you press them you also have a sore throat and find it d
Common causes of swollen glands
Swollen glands are usually caused by a relatively minor viral or bacterial infection, including: a Cold tonsillitis glandular fever a throat infection an ear infection a dental abscess
Less common causes of swollen glands
Less often, swollen glandsmay be the result of: rubella a viral infection that causes a red-pink skin rash made up of small spots measles a highly infectious viral illnessthat causes distinctive
Could it be cancer?
Occasionally, swollen glands can be a sign of cancer that has started elsewhere in the body and spread to the lymph nodes, or atype of cancer affecting the white blood cells, such as non-Hodgkin lymph
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