COVID-19 with Swollen Lymph Nodes in the Neck:

 

The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes a respiratory infection called COVID-19. Common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, trouble breathing and coughing but they may vary from person to person, and sometimes they may cause swollen lymph nodes in the areas of the lungs and neck. Swelling of lymph nodes is very common in infections, such as colds, ear infections, flu, etc.

Common symptoms of COVID-19

According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) provided an official list of COVID-19 symptoms, swollen glands are not included.

But CDC also mentioned that this list doesn’t include all possible symptoms like swollen lymph nodes.

As of Oct 2022, common symptoms of COVID-19 are

• Fever

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

• Cough

• Fatigue

• Nausea or vomiting

• Headache

• Muscle or body aches

• Diarrhea

• Runny nose or congestion

• Loss of smell and taste

• Sore throat

What are lymph nodes?

The lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures, also known as glands, and they are considered a part of the immune system. They are responsible to filter foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. Hundreds of lymph nodes present throughout your body include:

• Armpit

• Chest

• Neck

• Groin

• Abdomen

What is exactly swollen glands?

Typically, lymph nodes look like rigid peas, but when they get infected, they produce more lymphocytes or white blood cells to eliminate the foreign substances (germs) that come through lymphatic fluid as a result they get swollen, soft to touch, and enlarged. In medical terminology, this condition is called lymphadenopathy. However, swelling of lymph nodes under the jaw or in the neck is not common in COVID-19.

Are swollen glands in the neck a sign of COVID-19?

As research shows swollen lymph nodes are not a common symptom of COVID-19. However, several cases reported COVID-19 with swollen lymph nodes.

For example, in 2020 two studies found that patients with COVID-19 ended up with swollen lymph nodes in the area of the mediastinum (a space in your chest that holds your heart and other important structure such as the trachea, great vessels, and essential nerves). However, the researchers of these studies found that seriously ill patients with COVID-19 presented with swollen lymph nodes.  

According to another research in 2020, scientists found that three patients with COVID-19 presented with swollen lymph nodes. They also found throat inflammation that the SARS-CoV-2 virus might cause, and due to this inflammation immune system triggers near the lymph nodes area including the neck.  

Another 2020 case report showed that a young lady with mild COVID-19 symptoms presented with a swollen lymph gland in the neck. 2020 case report showed a young man presented with lymph nodes under the jaw and in the neck with positive COVID-19.

These sequences showed that the formation of lymph nodes in the neck with COVID-19 may be possible, but it’s uncommon. And it is not important that symptoms may vary greatly from person to person. Health experts are still finding out how COVID-19 is affecting differently.   

Association between COVID-19 and 

swollen lymph nodes

How swollen glands linked with COVID-19?

You might wonder if COVID-19 ends up with swollen glands like the flu and colds. When you have these infections it’s pretty normal to get swollen glands, maybe in COVID-19 near the areas of the lungs and the neck. However, it’s possible to get swollen lymph nodes you need to know about the association between swollen glands and COVID-19 because there has been research to support this association.

Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

COVID-19 disease also ends up with cervical lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes) in the neck. In a study in 2021, health experts stated that the swollen lymph nodes in the neck are part of the distinctive symptoms of COVID-19 associated with the nose, throat, and ears.

Swollen lymph nodes around the lungs

Several research has been followed about swollen lymph nodes in the mediastinum (aka, mediastinal lymph nodes). Your mediastinum is a space that keeps your lungs and other chest structure such as the windpipe, esophagus, and heart, separate.  

For instance, two studies in 2020 found that COVID-19 patients ended up with swollen lymph nodes in the mediastinum area. However, experts found that swollen lymph nodes come out in seriously sick patients with COVID-19.

Another study found that patients with COVID-19 experienced more severe pneumonia having swollen mediastinal lymph nodes. These lymph nodes

(mediastinal lymph nodes) also linked with a higher risk of admission to an ICU (intensive care unit), though it was not connected with more in-hospital deaths of COVID-19 patients. 

Swollen lymph nodes in other areas

COVID-19 not only ended up with swollen glands in the neck and surrounding the lung areas, but it can also cause elsewhere in the body.

The studies discussed above all ears on swollen lymph nodes in the neck and surrounding the lungs. However, COVID-19 can lead to swollen glands elsewhere in the body.

There is a possible chance that COVID-19 may start with swollen lymph nodes in several places of the body immediately that are not connected. This condition is called generalized lymphadenopathy, which can occur with infectious or inflammatory diseases.

Conversely, only case studies show, it’s possible to have swollen lymph modes come out in other or several places at once with a COVID-19 disease. Further research on a bigger scale is required to find out how often these types of effects from COVID-19 may occur or have occurred.

What to do if I have swollen glands?

It’s better to get yourself checked out if you experience your lymph nodes being enlarged. As Dr. Russo says it’s similar to many things with COVID-19, if anybody experiences swollen glands, despite it, it would be critical to have them evaluated to make sure it’s not in distress.

It’s really important to know that swollen glands would be caused by several factors, and all of these require a thorough check-up by a health expert.

Swollen lymph nodes appearance is not only happening in colds and flu, it can also swell up with aka mono (mononucleosis), STIs (sexually transmitted infections), rheumatoid arthritis (an inflammatory disease of the joints), or skin infections. Furthermore, keep in mind that swollen lymph nodes may also be a sign of cancer, so it’s crucial to get a thorough medical evaluation done as soon as swollen lymph nodes are identified.       

What are the Other reasons for causing swollen lymph nodes in the neck other than COVID-19?

Other possible reasons causing swollen lymph nodes in the neck comprise:

• Cold or flu

• Ear infections

• Mononucleosis(mono)

• Tonsillitis

• Strepthroat

• Tuberculosis

• Lupus

• HIV infections

• Herpes infections

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Hyperthyroidism

• Some medication

• Hodgkin’s disease

• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma