Wondering what occipital lymph nodes is?

Read On…

Lymph nodes are little kidney or oval-shaped glands in the lymphatic system that plays a vital role in the body’s immune response. They separate bacteria and other invaders before these pathogens can return to the bloodstream.

Swollen glands are a hallmark sign that your body reacts to an infection.

Lymph nodes exist everywhere in the body, including the skull’s back area, called the occipital region. Therefore, doctors apply to nodes in this area as occipital lymph nodes.

Many times, people cannot see their occipital lymph nodes. When they are standard in size, they are challenging to identify.

At this point in the pandemic, you’re relatively familiar with the list of possible COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, body aches, chills, a dry cough, shortness of breath, and a loss of taste or smell.

Lymph node swollen flu shot

Swollen lymph nodes are an immune response to vaccinations and can occur after getting the flu shot or HPV vaccine. The swelling falls within a few weeks and occurs on the body side where the vaccination was administered.

I also wrote a tutorial on Is The Flu A Coronavirus Type? that you can follow.

Are swollen lymph nodes a symptom of COVID-19?

If you have swollen lymph nodes, we recommend focusing on other symptoms, such as fever, chills, headache, or body aches.

If you have other symptoms apart from neck swelling, recommend isolating yourself and getting tested. However, if the lymph nodes are your single symptom, please reach out to the healthcare provider for a complete examination.

Swollen glands are caused by several things, including cold and flu, mononucleosis, sexually transmitted diseases, skin infections, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain types of cancers, all of which deserve a check-up.

My recommendation:

For better Lymph Nodes, I recommend using Lymphatic Drainage Patch. This Lymphatic Drainage Patch promotes lymphatic drainage and helps to relieve pain and reduce swelling, especially for the neck lymph node. Use each patch for at least 8 hours, 2-3 times per week.

Here I am sharing all important details related to swollen lymph nodes. This will be a detailed discussion, and we will cover it in the upcoming sections.

Must read: Constant Headache And Fatigue Every Day: How To Cure?

Causes of swelling

You all are just wondering why occipital lymph nodes swell. So here I have pointed out the causes of swollen occipital lymph nodes.

A variety of skin infections can harm the scalp, which can cause the occipital lymph nodes to swell. In a few cases, the swelling of these lymph nodes can be a sign of cancer.

The common causes of swollen occipital lymph nodes include:

Bacterial infections

A person has an open cut or turns on their scalp, bacteria enter the skin and produce an infection. If a person scratches the skin or hits their head on something and cuts the scalp, they can do this.

The occipital lymph nodes can swell as they collect the bacteria. Other signs of a skin infection include:

Redness around the injury
Red streaks in the skin
Swelling, pain, or warmth
Blister-like sores
Yellow drainage or crust
Fever

Head lice

Those tiny insects attach to a person’s hair and hurt the scalp. They spread smoothly, usually direct contact with the hair of someone who has head lice.

If a person gets head lice, they may notice intense scalp itching. However, extreme scratching can cause open sores and bacterial infection, spreading swollen lymph nodes.

Many cases of lice respond correctly with over-the-counter medications. A doctor can give information about effective treatment options.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a very contagious fungal infection. When it affects your scalp, it is called tinea capitis. It can cause swelling of the occipital lymph nodes.

Bald patches on the scalp
Rashes
Itching

According to the Centres for Disease Control, ringworm on the scalp requires a prescription oral antifungal treatment for 1–3 months.

These causes might lead to a very common question:

How to diagnose if I have swollen lymph nodes?

So don’t be too aggressive to deal with the situation.

To learn more, you can read:

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Diagnosis

If the person has swollen occipital lymph nodes, a doctor tries to find the cause. They can also check the scalp for signs of infection or cancer.

In some cases, a physical exam can be sufficient. However, if a doctor needs to check for cancer, they can perform a biopsy, take a small skin test sample, and send it to a lab for examination.

Are you looking for reliable and effective treatment of swollen lymph nodes? Let’s see the answer in the next section.

Treatment

The treatment for swollen occipital lymph nodes depends on their cause. For example, minor skin infections can only need home care during a prescription for complex infections like ringworm.

Occipital lymph nodes go back to normal after treatment for the underlying cause.

We already had enough conversation about swollen lymph nodes; Anyhow, I don’t want to disappoint my readers, so here I found a great product for those who are suffering from swollen lymph nodes.

I extremely recommend Ownest Ginger Massage Oil as it’s very refreshing, and I believe it reduces swelling.

There are many ways you can treat yourself, but I recommend not overwhelming yourself, instead of seeing your doctor is very important. So let’s see when you should see a doctor.

When to see a doctor

Swollen occipital lymph nodes are a sign of an infection on the scalp. You have to visit a doctor if the swelling does not disappear after some days or occurs besides other symptoms, such as fever.

When the lymph nodes swell, this may signify a body-wide illness, such as mononucleosis, or an immune system condition like lupus.

Here, I have answered frequently asked questions related to swollen lymph nodes to make things easier for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do your lymph nodes swell when you have Covid?

After receiving the COVID-19 or flu vaccine, temporary lymph node swelling is a normal, expected reaction. Lymph nodes are bean-shaped glands that are part of your immune system.

What does a swollen lymph node tell you?

The swollen lymph node is a sign that they’re working hard. But, on the other hand, more immune cells may be going there, and more waste could be building up. The swelling usually signals an infection of some kind, but it could also be from a condition like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, rarely cancer.

What does a swollen lymph node feel like?

Swollen lymph nodes feel like soft, round bumps, and they may be the size of a grape. It may be tender to the touch, which indicates inflammation. In some cases, the lymph nodes will also look larger than usual. This is because lymph nodes appear parallel on both sides of the body.

Are swollen lymph nodes serious?

No, swollen lymph nodes aren’t a serious problem. Alone, they are simply a sign that your immune system is fighting an infection or illness. However, in rare cases, swollen lymph nodes can point to serious conditions, such as cancer of the lymphatic system, potentially fatal.

Conclusion

Swollen occipital lymph nodes are generally not a cause for alarm. Instead, they are a sign that the immune system is fighting off an enemy.

However, people should talk with the doctor if their lymph nodes do not return to normal within a few days. A doctor can help manage severe conditions and prescribe treatment if necessary.

Swollen Occipital Lymph Nodes Covid

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