any suggestions for swollen neck glands?

[KathySkes]

This is not a new symptom for me but I am new to PR and I just thought someone on here might have some suggestions. Does massage work? Heat? It feels like a tennis ball in my throat!

 

[mellster]

If you want to reduce the swelling, ice is pretty much the only way to do that. Instead of heat you can try to move around and improve your circulation (if you can exercise at all) or try lymphatic (drainage) massage. Best to find the source (bacterial/viral infection)and target it, but usually docs are no help on this quest. All the best.

 

[KathySkes]

Thanks Mellster! Do you have any links for lymphatic massage you can forward? My swelling is left over from a toxic reaction I had after I took an antibiotic in December, which caused me to crash pretty severely. It's like my immune system is looking for something to fight which isn't there (I was taking the antibiotic as a preventative when my kids had pertussis). The weird thing is the swelling is not visible on the outside, I just feel it in my throat. I also feel slight ear pain/fullness. This is the lymph glands, isn't it?

 

[mellster]

Sorry, I don't have any links for practitioners as they are hard to find, but you can google for Perrin massage or lymphatic drainage massage. If you can't feel it on the outside but you can feel it in your throat you might be able to palpate it when you swallow and then "trap" it with you fingers while it is close to the jawline by putting pressure on it. Otherwise you can always go for imaging to get it better defined (always a good option if you have access). Also as to the cause it may or may not be a reaction, there is the theory that there is an autoimmune component to this i.e. the immune system overreacting or fighting invisible enemies, but that has not been proven. You could as well have a localized chronic bacterial infection (or viral infection). cheers

 

[KathySkes]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[heapsreal]

Could be from reactive herpes viruses like ebv/cmv, ebv mono is commonly called glandular fever because of the swollen painful glands.

 

[justy]

Hi, i have had slighlty swollen glands in my neck behind the ear for three years - occasionally they go down a little. I also have one gland on the neck at the back of my head which is always swollen and palpable - again for three years. Mine tends to be more swollen in the morning and evening and sometimes goes down a bit in the day. I havent found anyhting to help with it - the GP didnt even want to look at them. He said (and i quote) 'We're not bothered about THOSE glands'

They went down slightly with McTimony Chiropracty for a while, and in general it was a good treatment although at times it made me feel worse. Like Perrin i think its only available in the UK.

All the best, and welcome! Justyx

 

[taniaaust1]

When i used to have that issue.. I couldnt find anything to help it. Massage and heat didnt work on my swollen neck glands. (I had the issue for quite a long time).

Looking back.. I think my body was fighting something...

 

[xchocoholic]

This can be a reaction to food too. Keep a food diary. Then eliminate the suspect for
2 - 3 weeks and add it back in to verify.

I say this because I'm having a reaction to the beets I used in my homemade juice. I noticed this before but
it's not until I've od'd on beets that I get this. And THEN I remember. Duh !

Soy causes me to get phlegm in my throat immediately so we can react much quicker. Tc .. X

 

[KathySkes]

Thanks everyone! Justy, I had a similar reaction from docs, who have said, "I've seen worse." Not exactly helpful!

xchocoholic, I have done elimination diets before and I have wondered about soy, thanks for the suggestion I think I will keep an eye on the soy and possibly other triggers.

Ironically, when I had "mono" (more likely a crash) three years ago it wasn't this bad. I also have the feeling of phlegm in the back of the throat that the mono folks talk about. These symptoms appeared during my current crash/illness.

 

[taniaaust1]

Reactiving EBV?? Not sure how that is tested. If it was that.. antivirals may be the go.

 

[heapsreal]

Reactiving EBV?? Not sure how that is tested. If it was that.. antivirals may be the go.

One way to tell is a full blood count that any doc can order and this will test your total lymphocytes which can indicate a posiible viral infection, then hopefully your doc would test it further for titres or lymphocyte subsets.

 

[KathySkes]

Anyone know for how long an "active" infection of EBV would last if someone has CFS and has a "relapse"?

 

[taniaaust1]

Anyone know for how long an "active" infection of EBV would last if someone has CFS and has a "relapse"?

Ive no idea but I know that when I got EBV when a teen.. I had it very bad and in bed due to EBV for 10 weeks.

 

[xchocoholic]

Are you having post nasal drip / waterfall with this ? I used 1/2 - 1 tsp of children's die free liquid benadryl
yesterday and it worked great for about 30 mintes each time but left my nose and sinuses feeling too dry. It was super soothing on my throat tho.

I hate to do it but I think I'm going to have to take more allergy meds to stop the histamine cycle my body is in.
I had some phlegm today .. Tmi ..

Have you tried this ?

 

[KathySkes]

Thanks xchocoholic, I do not have post nasal drip but I do think it could be allergy-related because it has been hot here and the days it was rainy my symptoms were better (pollen washed out of the air, I guess). I will definitely think about trying something like that if it gets worse. Only two more months of summer ?!