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Should I Be Concerned About Swellings In The Sub Mandibular Area?

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Posted on Sat, 8 Mar 2014
Twitter Sat, 8 Mar 2014 Answered on
Twitter Wed, 26 Mar 2014 Last reviewed on
Question : Mi have something that I can feel in the sunmandibular area on the right. I can feel it when I palmate the outside. It's next to the notch in the mandible right in front of the ame of the mandible. It's soft and seems fairly large. Can't tell if it been getting larger but it seems so. It seems oblong in shape. I have seen a few doctors who said they feel something but they didnt seem too concerned about it. I am worried though. What could this be? Not painful but I do occasionally hear. Swishing sound in that ear. This had been going on since mid January. I forgot to mention that since I have seen a doctor last ( within the last week) I have had a pretty nasty cold. Would that make lymph nodes on only one side swell? I'm concerned because when we did a cephalometric X-ray with the orthodontist is showed something that looks like it could be next to or on the carotid at the C-2 area. Does this correspond with the area so close to my jaw bone? I have shown the X-ray to the doctors but they didnt seem too concerned. No referral or ultrasounds. Is this worrisome? I worry about cancer or carotid aneurism. Thank you.
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Answered by Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (48 minutes later)
Brief Answer: Have you tried a course of antibiotics Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX, You are correct in being alert about swellings in the sub mandibular area. But i want to reassure you that 90% of them are benign swellings. 1) Any infection in the corresponding area drained by those lymph nodes like tonsillitis, gum or dental infection or even gland infection can swell lymph nodes. 2) If it is a carotid aneurysm, it would pulsate which can be easily appreciated by your fingers. 3) A cancer somewhere would keep on growing with increasing pain and would have other symptoms like weight loss and anorexia (usually). Have you tried a course of antibiotics and anti histamines? if not, you should try them, wait for 1 or 2 weeks and then go for further investigatons. If you have queries, please don't hesitate to post. All the best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Vaddadi Suresh

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Practicing since :2003

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Should I Be Concerned About Swellings In The Sub Mandibular Area?

Brief Answer: Have you tried a course of antibiotics Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX, You are correct in being alert about swellings in the sub mandibular area. But i want to reassure you that 90% of them are benign swellings. 1) Any infection in the corresponding area drained by those lymph nodes like tonsillitis, gum or dental infection or even gland infection can swell lymph nodes. 2) If it is a carotid aneurysm, it would pulsate which can be easily appreciated by your fingers. 3) A cancer somewhere would keep on growing with increasing pain and would have other symptoms like weight loss and anorexia (usually). Have you tried a course of antibiotics and anti histamines? if not, you should try them, wait for 1 or 2 weeks and then go for further investigatons. If you have queries, please don't hesitate to post. All the best.