what do they feel like? Are they hard lumps, movable, soft lumps, not movable. TIA

By Kaye on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 10:38 am:

a lymph node is movable and hard. Like the idea of a kidney ben under the skin (swollen it can be much larger)

By Anonymous on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 10:50 am:

thank you. That is a perfect description. Unfortunately.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 11:17 am:

Anon,
I get swollen lymph nodes fairly often, I've had them swell to the size of a ping pong ball before. I'll ask DH when I see him later what a hernia feels like (he had double hernia surgery as a kid), but I *think* hernias are usually different spots than lymph nodes. If your nodes are swollen, it's usually sore, but it doesn't always mean something serious. For example, the nodes in my groin were HUGE (and felt like it was made of rubber), I could barely walk. I thought I was really ill, but it turned out to be from razor burn on my bikini area. I've had the nodes in my chin area swell from acne and sinus problems, nodes under my arms from blocked milk ducts, etc. So, whatever it is, just get a call in to the doc, but DON'T get too worried.

By Kaye on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 12:05 pm:

Where is the node swollen? When I was a kid I got "cat scratch fever" and the nodes in my neck swelled. Really anything can cause it, it is a signal that your immune system has kicked in, often you will need an antibiotic to get rid of what ails you though.