slightly swollen glands

[fi]

Hi guys, been a wee while since I made my first post as to be honest as things stand this disease doesn't really effect my life, except for to make me freak out from time to time with anxiety about health, but I've found that by ignoring things I do better....one thing that does generally really freak me out though is that I can pretty much always feel little glands in my neck, have been been able to for years......they are tiny, less than a CM but there's quite a few. Several doctors have had a look at these over the years and said they are fine but I just want to get the opinion of folk on here, is it normal to have these if you've got an autoimmune disease, particularly SS? I have one quite low down on my neck, Id still say its my neck, but it is low down, and I did find on a google search once that ones not on the neck can be more'serious' .....any advice gratefully received.....

[alwaysimproving]

Hi fi, thanks for your post on my thread earlier. When you say "glands on neck", do you mean small round moveable lumps under the skin on the sides of your neck?

Those would be lymph nodes (slightly different than a gland). Lymph nodes become swollen during any inflammatory process like an infection, or in our case, an autoimmune condition. I have it too. In fact I hallyreally large lymph nodes under my jaw that I should show my doctor soon. As long as yours don't get too big (like very obviously visually noticeable)  and remain MOVEABLE ur likely fine.

[fi]

thanks! Yes they are completely movable, I'm sure they are lymph nodes. I figured it would be normal for someone with an autoimmune disease. As for the things under your jaw bone,do you mean like you cant see/immediately feel them but if you 'fish about' you can find these kind of slightly harder but still movable lumpy things? I have them too, I think that the saliva gland, but anyhow I know that's nothing to worry about as I've been able to do that since I was literally 9. I also had an x ray recently on my jaw, as I needed wisdom teeth extracted (yesterday as it happens, now my face is swollen up like you wouldn't believe lol) but the dentist assured me if there was anything sinister it would have showed up on xray......

[irish]

When we have autoimmune diseases we always need to make sure that we keep track of the lymph nodes that swell up more than is normal. We can have them under our arms and in our groin also. Sometimes they can swell up in places we don't even think to check on.

The docs always need to be informed of any lump also as we often need to have scans done of these. I had a swollen lymph node in one breast a few years ago. I didn't notice it but it showed up on the mammogram and I had to have a really good checkup. It is always something to keep us in the doctors office. Good luck. Irish