Lymph nodes in the neck can become painful for a variety of reasons, including infectious and noninfectious. Read more below to learn about associated symptoms, possible causes, and treatment options for painful lymph nodes in the neck. The lymphatic system is an import network of organs, vessels, and glands throughout the body important for immune function. The glands of the system, called lymph nodes, function to filter and trap viruses, bacteria and other pathogens before they can spread and infect other parts of the body. They play an important role in your body's ability to fight infection and often swell in the setting of inflammatory conditions. The neck has multiple lymph nodes cervical lymph nodes that can become painful due to a variety of conditions.

What Causes a Sudden, Sharp Pain in the Chest?



Neck Pain where pulse is -Doctors Lounge(TM)
There are a number of possible causes of chest and neck pain. The discomfort you experience in either your chest or neck may be the result of an underlying condition in one of the two areas or it might be pain that radiates from elsewhere. Stable angina can result from overexertion and generally goes away by resting. Unstable angina is an emergency that involves severely decreased blood flow to the heart, often because of a rupture in a blood vessel or because of a blood clot. Angina is often diagnosed through an electrocardiogram ECG , chest X-ray , or blood tests. If you are diagnosed with angina, your doctor can determine the more specific diagnosis of stable or unstable angina. Angina is generally treated through lifestyle changes and medication, though there are surgical options.


12 cardiac symptoms women must never ignore
Your doctor will take a medical history and do an exam. He or she will check for tenderness, numbness and muscle weakness, as well as see how far you can move your head forward, backward and side to side. Your doctor might order imaging tests to get a better picture of the cause of your neck pain. Examples include:. It's possible to have X-ray or MRI evidence of structural problems in your neck without having symptoms.



If you have persistent chest pain, the Mayo Clinic recommends seeking emergency medical help, especially if the persistent pain is accompanied by:. However, there are other conditions that mimic heart attack symptoms. According to The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions , you could be experiencing:. Just because it may not be a heart attack, you should still seek emergency medical treatment.