Lymph node at the back of the head: what is happening?

It's no secret that children are often sick. However, even a completely healthy baby can experience completely inexplicable symptoms from time to time. This includes the lymph node on the back of the head. It is important for parents to keep in mind that this is not an independent disease, but only one of its symptoms. In order to find out

what kind of disease has occurred (or is about to occur) in a child, you will have to consult a doctor.

Lymphadenitis

By the way, do you know that for enlarged lymph nodes there is a special term - lymphadenitis. In this case, large size can vary as one lymph node, and the whole group. As a rule, the increase is due to the ingestion of a microbe or virus. This is a kind of “protective reaction” of the body, because the lymph node on the back of the head is a kind of thin filter that passes the lymph, but retains foreign particles. These particles come in contact with lymphocytes; thus, an immune response is formed. Therefore, this does not always indicate the presence of a disease - perhaps the pathogenic object was safely rendered harmless.

How does this happen

Are the lymph nodes on the back of the head inflamed ? This indicates, first of all, that viruses that penetrated the skin or mucous membrane “swam” to the lymph nodes through the capillaries. Then the process of combating the pathogen begins. If this microbe is already known to the body, it will be quickly neutralized. With an unfamiliar pathogen, general mechanisms are activated. Thus, a large number of cells accumulate in the lymph node, and the more active the process, the larger it will become. He can respond to touch with sharp pain. If the lymph node on the back of the head is constantly enlarged , this may indicate that the infection has lingered for a long time and the inflammation has become chronic.

Infection

How to understand that lymphadenitis is a symptom of an acute illness? In this case, you must carefully monitor all the signs of the disease. If the lymph nodes on the back of the child’s neck are swollen and very painful, the baby’s temperature is high, he coughs, refuses to eat, you should not try to self-medicate. It is strictly forbidden to apply compresses to the affected area. Doctors advise giving the patient an antipyretic and going to the hospital.

Blood diseases

An enlarged lymph node on the back of the head can be one of the signs of a blood disease or even an oncological process, as well as toxoplasmosis. The lymphatic system tries to prevent the spread of the malignant process throughout the body. That is why, when removing a tumor, specialists indicate the advisability of removing all nearby lymph nodes. This procedure significantly reduces the risk of recurrence of the tumor. The same applies to radiation - it should be subjected not only to the neoplasm, but also to the regional lymph nodes.

Mononucleosis

Often, an inflamed lymph node on the back of the head indicates the presence of a mononucleosis in the child. In this case, the lymph nodes can reach one centimeter in diameter and are distinguished by a soft consistency. When they recover, they quickly return to their normal state.