The lymphatic system consists of channels and nodal points - lymph nodes, constantly producing macrophages. It serves as a biological filter against the spread of infection in the body, which can penetrate inside with injuries of the skin, through natural pathways - with a sick nasopharynx, tonsils, oral cavity.
If the body of an adult human or child does not cope with the neutralization of the pathogenic microbial flora penetrating and developing in the organism, the lymph nodes nearest to the source of infection react in response to an increase in size( swelling) and painfulness upon palpation( palpation).
If there is inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear in children or adults - you need to look for the reasons, urgently begin treatment of pathology to prevent undesirable consequences. After all, many useful substances and enzymes are transferred to the lymph, and also the neutralized bacteria that have got into our body are removed.
It is impossible to allow the spreading of bacteria and viruses by lymphatic flow throughout the body!
The code for this pathology according to ICD-10: R59 "Enlargement of lymph nodes".The disease is called "Lymphadenitis", which almost always is not an independent disease, but accompanies serious pathological processes in the body.
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Why the lymph nodes behind the ear become inflamed: the causes of the bony lymphadenitis
In addition to behind-the-ear lymph nodes in the human body, there are several hundred more. They are small and large - in size from 0,5 to 50 mm round, oval or bean-shaped. Basically, they are located in groups, and lymph from each organ enters certain( regional) lymph nodes.
The lymph nodes located behind the ears( parotid) are concentrated along the posterior ear vein. In a normal healthy state, they are soft and not detectable when feeling. But with inflammation they increase in size, become denser and clearly feel.
In most cases, inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear is a consequence of the disease of the organ that is closest to the site. First of all, these are various inflammatory processes in the ears:
- otitis media,
- eustachiitis,
- auditory nerve inflammation,
- furuncle of the external auditory canal
- Further go the oral cavity and throat:
- tooth caries,
- flux,
- tonsillitis,
- pharyngitis,
- inflammationsalivary glands or tonsils.
A common cause of inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear is a cold and acute respiratory viral infections( ARVI) with a strong cold. In addition, this inflammation can be a symptom of infectious diseases - mumps( mumps) or rubella.
If the lymph node enlargement is not accompanied by pain and suppuration, and the cause of it lies in one of the above diseases, then after its treatment everything quickly comes back to normal.
But in cases of reduced immunity and large penetration of infection, there is a strong inflammation of the nodes, which is accompanied not only by their swelling, but also by the sensation of pain - then it is lymphadenitis.
That is, the inflammation of the lymph node itself, caused by its infection with infected cells from other inflamed foci. There may be an increase in body temperature, and the appearance of suppuration in the area of the lymph node.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear: symptoms of lymphadenitis
The main symptom of inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear is an increase in its size and pain during palpation, which gives into the ear and submandibular region. Quite often, redness and swelling of the skin above the knot may appear.
With lymphadenitis, which has passed into the stage of suppuration, the patient experiences general symptoms of intoxication. He complains not only of a painful "bump" behind his ear, but also a general malaise. There is a headache, lethargy, fever( from subfebrile to 38 degrees), a decrease in appetite and a deterioration in sleep. Sometimes in the area of the lymph node there are pustular eruptions.
With a purulent process that affects the lymph node, firing or throbbing pain comes, it can be strong and continuous. These symptoms of inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear should be an occasion to immediately consult a doctor.
Inflammation in the head area is life-threatening. And it must be remembered that delay in the treatment of purulent lymphadenitis is fraught with a common infection of blood( sepsis) or, at best, adenophlegmon, in which a suppurative lymph node breaks and pus enters the surrounding tissues.
Diagnosis of BTE
As already noted, lymph nodes behind the ear( and also in the neck) may increase with any acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract and inflammatory processes of the ENT organs. Therefore, the data of anamnesis of the disease( information about the development of the disease, transferred diseases, etc.) are very important.
Enlargement of lymph nodes may be insignificant - the size of a pea, and can reach the size of a walnut. In any case, when diagnosing inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear, the doctor carefully examines the inflamed node and conducts his palpation. By probing, not only the degree of increase is revealed, but also the level of the patient's pain.
In this case, occipital and cervical lymph nodes, as well as other nearby glands are subject to examination: salivary glands, tonsils, lacrimal and thyroid glands. In many cases of inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear, data of anamnesis and examination is enough to determine the diagnosis and the purpose of treatment.
Again, in this case, treatment of the underlying disease that caused lymphadenopathy leads to a normalization of the size of the lymph node. But when the antibacterial drugs prescribed by the doctor did not bring a positive result, and the inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear did not pass, but increased in size to 3-4 cm, it became hard, and the surrounding tissues are involved in the inflammatory process, then a blood test is performed. And then, on the basis of ESR and the content of leukocytes, the scale and intensity of the inflammatory process becomes clear.
If the analysis is unsatisfactory, the doctor will prescribe an X-ray, an ultrasound scan or a tomography( CT) scan. The fact is that inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear can be a symptom of the primary malignant tumor of the lymph nodes( lymphoma) or metastases in them. So there is a need for a biopsy.
To which doctor you need to contact: a child or an adult - to a pediatrician, a therapist, an infectionist, a surgeon.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear: treatment of lymphadenitis
With inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear due to a cold, flu, otitis and other pathologies, treatment of the primary infectious focus will bring the lymph node back to normal.
It should be borne in mind that in order to reduce pain and eliminate other symptoms of inflammation of the lymph node behind the ear, thermal procedures should never be used. In order not to harm your health and not get more serious diseases, you should contact specialists - for the proper diagnosis and the appointment of an adequate treatment.
In the treatment of acute forms of inflammation of the lymph nodes behind the ear, antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action, sulfonamides, antihistamines and fortifying agents are used. Anesthetic and analgesics are used to relieve pain. To reduce puffiness, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed.
In the treatment of acute purulent lymphadenitis, complicated by phlegmonous or necrotic process, antibiotics are also used, and abscesses are performed with subsequent medical therapy of inflammation.
Do not try to treat yourself at home, if the nodes of the lymphatic system have increased and become painful, then you are doing something wrong.
How to cure your illness from a doctor, take care of your health and your child's condition. Set up food, walk in the fresh air, moderate physical well-being.
Do not forget about the causes of ill health, and everything will become clear to you as a day:
- decreased immunity;
- inflammatory diseases of the hearing organs( eustachitis, otitis media, inflammation of the auditory nerve, boils, tubo-otitis);
- inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx( rhinopharyngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis);
- infectious lesions of the throat and oral cavity( pharyngitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, salivary gland diseases, purulent gum lesions, stomatitis, caries);
- acute viral respiratory diseases, colds, accompanied by a strong cold;
- specific infectious processes( mumps, brucellosis, rubella, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, mononucleosis);
- trauma to the face with soft tissue damage( cat scratches, wounds, abrasions, infected skin rashes);
- fungal infections;
- allergic reactions;
- neurological pathologies, accompanied by increased blood supply to the brain;
- is a tumor injury of the behind-the-neck lymph nodes, neck and head.
Etiological agents of the disease are conditionally pathogenic microflora, specific pathogens, intracellular parasites and anaerobes. The most common cause of enlarged lymph nodes in children is a viral infection.
Treatment at home with folk remedies
After treatment of lymphadenitis, use home-strengthening agents and methods of treatment.
Do not forget about preventive measures:
Inflammation of the lymph nodes is a secondary disease caused by pathological processes occurring in the body, therefore recommendations for the prevention of possible inflammations of the lymph nodes tend to general provisions to prevent infection and the development of diseases.
- control of general health;
- timely sanitation of the oral cavity;
- increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases;
- prevention of trauma to soft tissues of the head and neck;
- immediate treatment with antiseptics abrasions and wounds;
- a full-fledged diet;
- active way of life;
- timely treatment of inflammatory diseases;
- consult a doctor at the first signs of soreness or swelling of the lymph nodes.
For sanitation of the oral cavity, improve the quality of immune protection, you can use some folk remedies for mouth and throat rinsing and ingestion, or better if you first rinse the throat with solution of furcillin ( 2 tablets per 200 ml of water, if noton it allergies):
- Grate on a fine grater horseradish, squeeze the juice, mix in half with water, let stand and strain. Dilute with water, rinse throat.
- Mix carrot juice diluted in half with water, with 1 tablespoon of honey. After rinsing the throat, take it inside. Good restorative means.
- Rub 8 large cloves of garlic to a consistency of homogeneous mass, then add 8 teaspoons of wine vinegar, mix thoroughly and leave overnight in the refrigerator. Next day add 2 tablespoons of warmed dark honey to this mixture and mix again.2 teaspoons of the mixture to keep in the mouth as long as possible, until completely dissolved, then slowly, in small sips swallow. Immunomodulating action.
- Put 250 g of chopped garlic in a liter jar, pour almost to the top with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and distilled water, taken in equal parts. To insist in a dark warm place in tightly closed dishes for 4 days, periodically shaking the contents. Then pour 100 ml of glycerin and again insist 1 day, several times a day shaking well. Strain the infusion through a multilayer gauze, add 100 g of honey and mix everything thoroughly. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day with meals. Health will be strengthened.
- To grind 2 heads of garlic, add 2 tablespoons of dried ground black buds and 3 tablespoons of honey, pour 3 cups of boiling water, pour, wrap, 1 hour, strain. Drink 0,25 cup every hour.
- To prevent sore throat, inflammatory diseases of the mouth and throat, place a clove of garlic on the cheek and occasionally gently bite it until burning occurs.
- Gargle with an infusion of onion husk: 3 teaspoons per 0.5 liters of water.
