Modern medicine has a whole arsenal of diagnostic methods. However, not always new methods are available and appropriate. Therefore, many diseases are investigated thanks to standard diagnostic methods: auscultation, percussion, palpation. Palpation of the lymph nodes is one of the most necessary methods for diagnosing many diseases.
The lymph nodes
Lymph nodes - round or oval formations. They are located along the path of lymph through the human body. They are located in clusters (up to 10 pieces), next to blood vessels or veins. In total, a person has about fifteen such groups. They are divided into two parts. Superficial (they can be seen if they are enlarged, they can be felt) and deep (they are located inside the body, they are not visible visually, and they cannot be felt). Carrying out palpation for the purpose of medical research, it is necessary to take into account which groups of lymph nodes are palpated normally, which are those with a deviation from the norm. The name of the group of lymph nodes is determined by the place where this group is located: sublingual, subclavian, occipital, inguinal, etc.
Lymph entering the node brings antigens. In response to this, an immune response arises in the lymph node. The lymph node is a barrier to the spread of infections and cancer cells, it is a filter. Lymphocytes mature in the lymph node. They protect the body from foreign cells and elements.
Target palpation of the lymph nodes
Palpation (palpation) of the lymph nodes is the main research method. It gives maximum information and is carried out with inflammation and blood diseases. For such a study, peripheral nodes are available. This diagnostic procedure is one of the components of a general clinical study of the body. When making a diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account which lymph nodes are palpated normally in adults, and which - with pathologies. The purpose of palpation is to find enlarged nodes. Enlarged lymph nodes are a warning about certain diseases. On palpation, attention is focused on size, consistency, the presence of conglomerates, pain when pressed. But the first characteristic is the size of the lymph node.
Lymph nodes are normal
A normal sized lymph node is hard to notice. Therefore, the question of whether lymph nodes are palpated normally does not even arise. Normally, the lymph nodes are palpated poorly. If you can even do this, then to the touch it is a knoll no larger than 1 cm in size. By consistency, the knot is like a dough (soft, elastic). Nodes are not interconnected (not soldered). When pressed on them, pain is not felt. What lymph nodes are palpated normally? Submandibular, axillary, inguinal.
Submandibular lymph nodes
An increase in the submandibular lymph nodes indicates diseases of the oral cavity, nose, throat, ears, and various inflammations. Their number is from 6 to 8. They are located in the submandibular triangle (front), behind the submandibular salivary gland. What lymph nodes are palpated normally in this area? Only the size of no more than half a centimeter. The nodes draw lymph from the lips, cheeks, nose, tongue, upper palate, salivary glands, tonsils. Lymph from them flows into the cervical lateral lymph nodes.
Submandibular lymph nodes in a normal person do not bother. The boundaries are felt distinctly, the texture is soft, and the skin is of a normal color. The temperature in this part corresponds to the total body temperature.
Axillary lymph nodes
They are located in the armpit. The total number is from 35 to 45. Lymph from the arms, shoulder girdle, chest, upper abdomen flows to the axillary nodes. In a normal state of health, a person does not feel the nodes in any way. But with the appearance of pathologies, they become sensitive. Anyone can feel their axillary lymph nodes. When pressed, small balls are felt that roll under the skin. If there is a deviation from the norm, then there will be pain. If the disease develops, then the nodes hurt during movement and during compression. Pain may be given to the arm or chest.
It is very important to palpate the lymph nodes in the armpits. This value is attached to their research because a deviation from the norm indicates oncology of the mammary glands. The danger is that enlarged nodes up to 3-4 cm are not always painful. A person considers himself healthy, and oncology in the body is already developing.
In addition, axillary lymph nodes become inflamed due to colds, infectious, oncological, and immune diseases. HIV infection in the body sometimes does not manifest itself for a very long time. Therefore, it can be difficult to identify. But there is a symptom due to which you can determine the presence of this infection. This symptom is an increase in axillary lymph nodes.
What lymph nodes are palpated normally in the armpits? Lateral, medial, posterior axillary, central axillary, lower axillary, apical axillary.
Inguinal lymph nodes
The nodes are located on the upper segment of the thigh, under the inguinal fold. The chain part stretches along the fold. Others parallel to the vein (safeni) on the thigh (on the wide fascia). Located symmetrically on both sides. Inguinal lymph nodes are always palpated normally. They are detected by circular movements of the fingers (small balls, roll under the skin). Their number is 3-5, sometimes it can be from 10 to 15. The normal size is no more than 2 cm. Soft, elastic to the touch.
To the nodes of the lymph comes from the legs, buttocks, abdominal wall (lower part), perineum, genitals.
Inflamed inguinal lymph nodes swell, this can be seen simply by visual inspection. Tubercles are visible on the skin in the area of the nodes. The skin turns red. There is pain when pressed. To the touch it is no longer a ball. Sizes increase to the size of beans or even a quail egg. Enlarged nodes still easily roll under the skin. But if this does not happen, then, perhaps, oncology develops in the body.
Inflammation of the inguinal nodes can occur due to sexually transmitted infections, allergies, infections, infection by the fungus candida, tumors, hernia (inguinal or femoral), cysts, arthritis, lupus erythematosus. If the nodes in the groin are enlarged, but not painful, then this is a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease (syphilis). Inflamed enlarged nodes are an indicator of the pathology of the legs, perineum, buttocks.
Lymph nodes in adults
In women, during pregnancy and lactation, axillary lymph nodes often increase. This is not always a symptom of the disease. In pregnant women, the hormonal background changes, the body is rebuilt, immunity decreases. The body as a whole is weakened. If the pregnancy proceeds normally, the lymph nodes will decrease.
During the period of feeding the baby with breast milk, the mother continues hormonal changes in the body. Often there is a blockage of the milk duct in the chest. Stagnation occurs in the mammary glands. From this, the axillary nodes increase, become painful. After the stagnation has passed, the nodes will return to normal.
Lymph nodes in children
What lymph nodes are palpated normally in children? In newborns, the lymph nodes are small, soft. Normally, in children lymph nodes are palpated weakly, practically not palpated. By 6 months, sizes are increasing, their number too. A feature of young children (up to about three years old) is that the pattern of the nodes is absolutely clear. This is due to constrictions where valves have not yet formed. Nodes in children respond to infection from about 3 months.
The axillary lymph nodes in a child may increase at the time of teething, but this does not mean disease. During this period, immunity is reduced, the nodes become larger, but they are not painful.
By year, the volume of nodes is gradually increasing. You can feel them with your fingers. In the first year or two of a child’s life, the protective function is weak, so children at this age often get sick. By 12-13 years, lymph nodes in children are finally formed. At puberty, their growth stops. They have a reverse development. By the age of 7-8, the lymph nodes acquire the ability to suppress the infection.
Lymph nodes and oncology
Lymph nodes inhibit the growth of cancer tumors for a long time. In doing so, they enable the body to cope with them. If the nodes did not stand in the way of lymph movement, the cancer cells, immediately entering the blood, would spread throughout the body and the fourth stage of cancer would occur immediately.
A cancerous tumor gives metastases to the lymph nodes. In them, cancer cells are delayed and destroyed. But unkilled cancer cells multiply, and a secondary focus of metastases occurs. The focus is growing, but the protective properties of the lymph node hold them back for some time. If the body has powerful defenses, then the cancer cells in the lymph node will be suppressed, if not, they will spread further with some delay. And so on until complete distribution throughout the body.
If a person has benign diseases, the lymph nodes are small in size, they have a soft consistency, when pressure is applied, pain does not occur. Clearly defined boundaries. If a person is affected by malignant tumors, then the lymph nodes are large, very dense, there are conglomerates. When pressed, there is no pain. Do not roll under the skin. Sometimes fused with each other.
Since the increase in lymph nodes and other deviations from the norm indicate different diseases, then you need to contact different specialists. These are infectious disease specialists, hematologists, oncologists, mammologists, surgeons, venereologists, endocrinologists.
It is very useful to periodically feel the lymph nodes. This does not require special knowledge and skills. Anyone can determine the size, pain, hardness, immobility of the lymph nodes. This is especially true for women. Abnormal lymph nodes are signs of many diseases. Timely identified symptoms and immediate medical attention are the first and main step to recovery.
So, we found out which lymph nodes are palpated normally in adults.