Swollen glands

Check if your glands are swollen

Swollen glands feel like tender, painful lumps:

• on each side of the neck
• under the chin
• in the armpits
• around the groin

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 fever.

Things you can do yourself

Swollen glands go down in 2 or 3 weeks when the infection has gone.

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)

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

If you see a GP, they'll recommend treatment depending on the cause, which might include antibiotics.