vs1988
05-03-2004, 07:04 PM
Hi
Just checking back, and I have another question. This forum has been very useful to me in the past months.
A question about the "feel" of lymph nodes:
Are they supposed to feel "rubbery"? I have a couple of lymph nodes in my neck that I discovered back in December, which are still there today. Blood tests came back normal. The nodes feel firm and "rubbery" when I press on them hard. When I touch it gently, it feels like a round lump. They are not very large; the biggest one is probably about a centimeter. Should this be of concern? I've already been to the doctor's, but still need some backing up in my mind.
Just checking back, and I have another question. This forum has been very useful to me in the past months.
A question about the "feel" of lymph nodes:
Are they supposed to feel "rubbery"? I have a couple of lymph nodes in my neck that I discovered back in December, which are still there today. Blood tests came back normal. The nodes feel firm and "rubbery" when I press on them hard. When I touch it gently, it feels like a round lump. They are not very large; the biggest one is probably about a centimeter. Should this be of concern? I've already been to the doctor's, but still need some backing up in my mind.
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ysco
05-03-2004, 09:57 PM
In general, non-reactive lymph nodes should be soft, small (about pea-size) and hardly palpable if at all.
On the other hand, the most worrisome lymph nodes are typically large (>1.5cm), firm, rubbery, nontender, painless, fixed, plus those in conjuction with systematic symptoms (e.g. fever, night sweats, itching).
One of the most important factor as emphasized is whether the nodes have changed in size. If they come and go they are usually not cancer. If they persist and continuously enlarge then they may indicate cancer.
In your case, if they did not change in side then I wouldn't be too worried, even if they are firm and rubbery. This is pretty much uncompelling, they are most likely reactive lymph nodes due to previous infection and such (scalp irritation and even acne can cause nodes to enlarge in the neck too). Even thugh reactive lymph nodes typically clear up after several weeks, some can still take months and even years to completely clear away.
It's always not a bad idea to keep track of enlarged nodes to see if they change in size, just as safety precaution. It is much more worrisome if they grow further rather than not decrease in size in a given time.
This advice applies to you as well.
On the other hand, the most worrisome lymph nodes are typically large (>1.5cm), firm, rubbery, nontender, painless, fixed, plus those in conjuction with systematic symptoms (e.g. fever, night sweats, itching).
One of the most important factor as emphasized is whether the nodes have changed in size. If they come and go they are usually not cancer. If they persist and continuously enlarge then they may indicate cancer.
In your case, if they did not change in side then I wouldn't be too worried, even if they are firm and rubbery. This is pretty much uncompelling, they are most likely reactive lymph nodes due to previous infection and such (scalp irritation and even acne can cause nodes to enlarge in the neck too). Even thugh reactive lymph nodes typically clear up after several weeks, some can still take months and even years to completely clear away.
It's always not a bad idea to keep track of enlarged nodes to see if they change in size, just as safety precaution. It is much more worrisome if they grow further rather than not decrease in size in a given time.
This advice applies to you as well.