
Top 5 Important Precautions Before Starting The Tom Platz Leg Workout!
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Swollen glands are nothing to fear. When our lymph nodes swell, it typically means that they are working to fight a bacterial or viral infection. Lymph nodes are small glands located throughout the body. They are responsible for detecting bacteria and blocking them from moving further along the lymphatic system.
When lymph nodes swell, they puff out. Although small, it can be alarming! The causes of swollen glands are listed below.
There are a lot of causes. Lymph nodes are small glands with a big responsibility. They frequently swell up since they are working. There are two specific groups of causes:
One group of causes is listed under “infections.” As the lymph nodes detect an infection in the liquid that moves through them, they block and fight it. During this stage, the small glands swell and can be painful to touch.
Infections that cause swollen glands are:
Not all cases, however, are infectious. Lymph nodes are glands that are sensitive to change. Any change in the body can have them swelling up. Also, serious illnesses and conditions can trigger the swelling of lymph nodes as well.
Non-infectious causes include:
The symptoms of swollen glands are just symptoms of the underlying cause. Swollen glands are just small bumps and balls in different body parts, swelling up because they are working. Other than swelling up, the symptoms are:
Lymph nodes, when they swell, can also feel painful to the touch. This is why it may hurt to walk or swallow.
The diagnosis of swollen glands is an easy process that typically does not require additional testing. If you have noticed any of the symptoms listed above and feel a swollen gland, make your way to a doctor to get a diagnosis.
The doctor will begin by asking you questions, taking your temperature, and looking at the swollen gland. The healthcare professional will see if it is tender or hurts and proceed from there. If the doctor is concerned about the case, they may ask for others tests like blood tests and X-rays. Blood tests can tell the doctor if you have any other conditions that cause swollen glands. X-rays can better display the swollen gland.
The treatment of swollen glands completely depends on the cause. Since swollen glands are a reaction to infections most of the time, the swelling will go down on its own. Doctors may prescribe some over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If the infection does not go away soon or without help, the doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to speed up the recovery. Typically, though, antibiotics are not necessary.
If the swollen gland is swelling because of stress, the only treatment is to remove the stressor. This is another type of swollen gland that will go away on its own. For more serious conditions, like cancer, treatment is necessary. If a tumor is a reason the lymph nodes are swelling, chemotherapy and radiation can be used to treat cancer. The lymph nodes are unlikely to decrease in swelling without cancer treatment.
Once the swollen lymph node is back to its normal size, it is wise to try and prevent it from happening again. Since glands swell when they are fighting an infection, you must prevent the disease. The best way to do this is by:
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