What Are The Symptoms of Mesenteric Lymphadenitis?

Lymph nodes are scattered throughout the body and are useful in helping your body fight against diseases. One part where you can find lymph nodes is in the mesentery, which is a fold of tissue that attaches the small intestine to the abdominal wall. They are usually small and oval-shaped organs that are packed with white blood cells known as lymphocytes. Inflamed lymph nodes are most common in children and teenagers who are sixteen years and below. Regardless, even adults can develop the condition, and both male and females have equal chances of developing the condition. In most cases, mesenteric lymphadenitis is caused by infections in the intestines such as gastroenteritis (stomach flu). When one is experiencing such an ailment, then the lymph nodes closest to the mesentery are implicated, causing them to swell.

What symptoms are you likely to experience with mesenteric lymphadenitis? In less severe cases of mesenteric lymphadenitis, one may lack any substantial symptoms to indicate the existence of the disease. As a result, one may not seek medical attention immediately, which can worsen the condition, if it continues to prevail without symptoms. Generally speaking though, mesenteric lymphadenitis causes symptoms such as;

• Abdominal pains normally felt in the middle of the abdomen or lower right part of the abdomen. Pain can also be widespread throughout the mesentery, depending on the extremity of the condition.
• High temperature (fever).
• Diarrhea.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• Loss of appetite which can lead to weight loss.
• General feeling of illness, known as malaise.
• Sore throat or cold symptoms prior to abdominal pains.
• Change in bowel movements.
• Reddened overlying skin above the area of infection.
• Tenderness in the abdomen region.
• Extremely low energy.

• If the abdominal pain becomes frequent and worsens over time as well as high fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pain in the lower right part of the abdomen should be investigated further as it is linked with appendicitis. That is the inflammation of the appendix, which is a more serious condition compared to mesenteric lymphadenitis.
• Recurrent abdominal pains over a long period of time which means that the condition is reoccurring.
• Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease or bowel infestation.
• Prolonged mesenteric lymphadenitis. Since this disease isn’t serious, it is believed that it will go away on its own within a few weeks with or without treatment. So, if the symptoms persist over a few months, then something else must be the problem.

If you are suffering from any ailment, you need to take better care of yourself. Rest is important for your body to heal and thus, if you are suffering from mesenteric lymphadenitis, you should take a few days off work to improve your situation. The same applies to your child, a few days off school will be beneficial in ensuring that they get enough rest while at home and you can keep an eye on them. Other than that, ensure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. This especially applies to individuals who experience vomiting and diarrhea. Abdominal pains are among the most prevalent signs of mesenteric lymphadenitis. As much as you may take painkillers to relieve the pain, you can also apply heat pads on the lower abdomen to achieve the same results. Alternatively, you could use a warm cloth, soaked in hot water. When given antibiotics, you should ensure you take the whole dosage and do not stop taking them when the condition alleviates.

It is important to seek medical attention if you exhibit similar symptoms to those of mesenteric lymphadenitis, as they may indicate a serious illness, such as appendicitis. There is little knowledge about the etiology of mesenteric lymphadenitis, also known as mesenteric adenitis. However, certain factors such as bacterial or viral infections can attribute to the development of the condition. In addition to that, the swelling of the lymph nodes can be associated with these infections, whereby they try to fight the bacteria and viruses or other harmful substances in the body. Mesenteric lymphadenitis will clear up once the swelling on the lymph nodes starts to go down, and the consequent symptoms will also go away with time.

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Also Read:

• Are There Any Alternative Treatments For Mesenteric Lymphadenitis?
• How Is Mesenteric Lymphadenitis Diagnosed?
• Is Mesenteric Lymphadenitis Dangerous?
• What Are The Complications Of Mesenteric Lymphadenitis?
• What Are The Risk Factors For Mesenteric Lymphadenitis?
• How Do You Treat Mesenteric Lymphadenitis?
• Is Mesenteric Lymphadenitis Cancer?