Swollen Lymph Nodes Including the Symptoms of COVID-19?

This is where things get a little tricky. There is a small number of studies showing that COVID-19 can cause swollen lymph nodes in some patients who are positive for COVID-19, but it was not found in those with mild COVID-19, nor was it found in lymph nodes in the neck, so it is often associated with other respiratory diseases.

Two 2020 studies, both published in the journal The Lancet: Infectious Diseases, not only found that swollen lymph nodes were more common in severely ill patients, but the main lymph nodes found in COVID-19 patients were in the mediastinum (aka, lymph nodes of the mediastinum), which are located in the area between the lungs which includes the heart, esophagus, and trachea.

“Mediastinal lymph node enlargement is not something you or your doctor will feel during a physical exam,” says Raymond Casciari, MD, pulmonologist at St. Hospital. Joseph in Orange, California, to Health. Instead, any abnormalities are usually detected on a CT scan.

So technically, “Research says that COVID-19 can cause swelling of the glands, but maybe not what you think and that also applies to what doctors see in their own COVID-19 patients.” I’ve never seen swollen glands in COVID-19 patients. , “says Dr. Casciari. So is Dr. Russo, or Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease doctor in Akron, Ohio, and a professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

What should you do if you think you have swollen glands during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Although doctors have not seen the typical picture of swollen glands in patients with mild cases of COVID-19 (only looking at the swollen glands that can be detected by CT scans in COVID-19 patients who are seriously ill), it would still be wise to see a doctor. Especially if you feel that your lymph nodes are enlarging.

“It’s like any other case of COVID: If someone notices a swollen gland, it’s very important to have it checked to make sure it’s not a problem,” said Dr. Russo.

It is also important to note that swollen glands can be caused by several things, all of which need to be thoroughly examined by a doctor. It’s not limited to cold and flu infections, but also mononucleosis, sexually transmitted diseases, skin infections, rheumatoid arthritis, and even certain types of cancer. Overall, if there is swelling of the lymph nodes, especially those that have persisted for some time, “it is necessary to do an assessment to see what happens,” says Dr. Russo.

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