What Antibiotics Are Used To Treat Swollen Lymph Nodes?

The definition of lymphadenopathy is the enlargement of the lymph nodes anywhere in your body. The lymph nodes are a part of the immune system where immune cells mature to fight infections and other foreign substances.

Swollen lymph nodes often indicate an infection or disease that affects the tissues. The most common lymph nodes that can be felt are in the groin, neck, armpit, behind the jaw and behind the ears. An enlarged ganglion can be painless or sensitive and can be firm or soft, be fixed or move, depending on the cause.

Lymphadenopathy is quite common and can occur even with mild infections. Cancer is another common cause of a swollen lymph node. The lymph nodes may grow due to the presence of lymphomas or secondary due to metastasis that has spread to the lymph nodes of other parts of the body. A biopsy is required to determine if an enlarged lymph node is due to cancer.

There is no specific treatment for swollen lymph nodes. The treatment must be done once the cause is known. Although it is a relatively common practice, antibiotics should not be administered (unless there is a bacterial infection). Corticosteroids should not be administered as a symptomatic treatment because, due to their lymphocytic effect, they can hinder some diagnoses of hematological diseases or activate an underlying infection.

They are one of the main causes of inflammation of the lymph nodes of the neck, occurring because the body is acting to attack the infection caused by the influenza virus such as H1N1 or H3N2 or the cold. In these diseases, lymph nodes can appear anywhere in the neck. A general practitioner should be consulted to indicate appropriate treatment, which usually consists of the use of analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and medications to treat symptoms such as a cough and fever, causing the nodules to disappear when the virus is eliminated.

Although a sore throat may arise in cases of influenza, it can also occur due to bacterial infections such as in tonsillitis, for example. In these cases, the lymph nodes become inflamed due to the overwork of the immune system to fight the infection.

In addition to the lymph nodes, which usually arise on the side of the neck, it is also possible to have other symptoms such as pain in the throat, especially at swallowing, fever and bad breath.

It is advisable to consult a general practitioner to assess the cause of a sore throat, which in case of bacterial infection can recommend the use of antibiotics such as amoxicillin or azithromycin for treatment.

Ear infections are similar to a sore throat; it can activate the immune system and make the lymph nodes swell, especially in the region behind the ears.

This type of infection still causes symptoms such as ear pain, difficulty at the hearing, itching, bad smell or pus production.

You must go to the otolaryngologist to evaluate the symptoms produced by the infection and indicate the treatment that usually consists of the use of antibiotics such as amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Generally, the lymph nodes disappear when the infection is treated.

In these cases, the nodules can appear in various parts of the body besides the neck, which usually does not develop other symptoms.

If the presence of an autoimmune disease is suspected, it is recommended to go to the general practitioner, to be evaluated and indicate the performance of examinations that help identify the problem and then initiate the most appropriate treatment according to the case.

The different types of cancer require a very large work by the immune system and this is why it is common for lymph nodes to appear in various regions of the body. In addition, the most common types of cancer that originate this are lymphomas and leukemia. When all other causes have been excluded, but the lymph nodes remain swollen, it is necessary to perform blood tests to identify tumor markers or other tests that help diagnose the presence of cancer or tumor in the body, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance.

Also Read:

• Enlarged or Swollen Lymph Node: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Diagnosis
• 10 Causes of Swollen Lymph Nodes Behind Ears
• When Should I Be Concerned About Swollen Lymph Nodes?
• How Do I Treat Swollen Lymph Nodes By Myself?
• Are Swollen Lymph Nodes Common?
• How Do You Check For Swollen Lymph Nodes?