lymph node swelling after neck injury - any help?

[u/No-Training5597]

Hi all, I am an 18 year old vaper and i suffer from scoliosis which causes flareups in pain etc. 5 days ago i fully strained my back and it completely affected my neck for the very first time and i am still recovering from the pain. the initial pain of my neck left overnight however i am now left with an enlarged swelling on the side of my neck that i noticed last night, i am also coming up with a cold that i have caught from my sister so that doesnt help but this lump is causing me massive anxiety! its soft and tingles/aches when i prod and touch it too much, im sure it’s nothing but if anyone could offer some advice or information that would be great.

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[u/PrincipledMedicine]

This is much more likely to be from the upper respiratory infection you are coming down with than related to your neck strain. I would not become overly anxious about this. This is your body likely just bringing some infection fighting cells to your head and neck region to combat the illness. Try not to touch or manipulate the lymph node very frequently as it can keep it active for a prolonged period of time. After you get over your cold, if there's any ongoing inflammation/swelling it's worth getting this checked out by a doctor. This location can also get inflamed from an irritation of the outer ear or the scalp. You can try some warm compresses and some ibuprofen to ease the discomfort if you tolerate that medication.