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Lymph nodes - each of us has thousands of them. When we are he althy, we are not aware of their existence. Only when something begins to happen, we can easily feel the enlarged lymph nodes with our fingers. Usually it's nothing serious, but you need to be vigilant. Sometimes swollen lymph nodes can signal a serious illness. What do you need to know about the structure, distribution and role of lymph nodes?
Lymph nodesare part of the lymphatic (lymphatic) system that protects the body from infection and balances body fluids. They are usually bean-shaped, 1 to 25 millimeters long, and are scattered throughout the body.
Lymph nodes play a very important role in the body: they protect us from disease.
Lymph nodes appear singly or in clusters, most of them on the neck, supraclavicular pits, groin, armpits, lower jaw and knees. Some lymph nodes are located shallow under the skin (in the neck, armpits, groin), others in the area of internal organs (abdomen, chest). They are all connected with each other by a network of lymphatic vessels through which the lymph (lymph) is transported.
Lymph node: guardian of immunity
The knot is surrounded by a connective tissue capsule, in the middle it has numerous partitions separating the reticulated flesh. There is a cortical part, i.e. lymphatic papules, and a core part, i.e. core strands (fibers). The lumps form lymphocytes - cells that produce antibodies. Lymphocytes are deposited on the strands and stored there.
Lymph nodes filter the lymph, cleansing it of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and cancer cells that are collected from the space between the body's cells, and then destroy any intruder who wishes to enter the bloodstream.
Enlarged lymph nodes: check the cause!
As a result of the presence of germs, there is a significant increase in blood flow through the affected nodes, which, combined with the ongoing inflammatory reaction in them, leads to their significant enlargement (lymphadenopathy). The knots can then be the size of an olive or a walnut. A slight inflammation is enough to make them noticeable - they are soft, move freely, sometimes they hurt.Even the trivial irritation of the hair follicles during epilation can cause the nodes located nearby, in the armpit or on the leg to make themselves felt. Nine out of ten cases of enlarged lymph nodes indicate a systemic viral infection. Enlarged nodes may also signal an autoimmune disease (e.g. lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), allergic or zoonotic disease (toxoplasmosis), or warn of cancer.
ImportantConsultation is required for any enlargement of the nodes over 1 cm, especially when they are hard, painless and cannot move freely. If it is accompanied by weakness, weight loss, lack of appetite, it may be a symptom of cancer. In order to confirm or rule out the diagnosis made on the basis of blood tests and visual inspection, ultrasound of various parts of the body, e.g. lymph nodes in the neck, is performed, but most often it is done to assess the condition of the abdominal cavity (the doctor then looks for enlarged lymph nodes, changed liver, spleen) , X-ray of the chest, which allows you to assess the presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum. In certain cases, a biopsy or the entire node must be taken for histopathological examination.