Description:

Swollen glands

Swollen glands are a sign the body is fighting an infection. They usually get better by themselves within 2 weeks.

Check if your glands are swollen

Swollen glands feel like tender, painful lumps:

Glands (known as lymph glands or lymph nodes) swell near an infection to help your body fight it.

Sometimes a gland on just one side of the body swells.

You might also have other symptoms, such as a sore throat, cough or high temperature.

Swollen glands should go down within 2 weeks.

You can help to ease the symptoms by:

resting
drinking plenty of fluids (to avoid dehydration )
taking painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16)

your swollen glands are getting bigger or they've not gone down within 2 weeks
they feel hard or do not move when you press them
you're having night sweats or have a very high temperature (you feel hot and shivery) for more than 3 or 4 days
you have swollen glands and no other signs of illness or infection
you have swollen lymph glands just above or below your collar bone (the bone that runs from your breastbone to each of your shoulders)

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .

Swollen glands are:

often caused by common illnesses like colds, tonsillitis and ear or throat infections
sometimes caused by viral infections such as glandular fever
rarely caused by anything more serious, like cancer of the blood (leukaemia) or lymph system (lymphoma)

Do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.

A GP will be able to recommend treatment depending on the cause, which might include antibiotics (antibiotics do not work on viral infections).

Page last reviewed: 25 September 2020
Next review due: 25 September 2023