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You should be paying more attention to swollen lymph nodes, Entity reports.

Friends come and go, but best friends are foreva. Interestingly enough, so are your lymph nodes.

And just like best friends, lymph nodes have a lot to tell you… and you can’t get rid of them. So, paying attention to them can help you avoid those dramatic scares garnered from late nights WebMD-ing.

So, let’s get familiar with our new BFF.

Name: Lymph Nodes

Background: A gland located throughout our bodies. Definitely more prominent in certain areas and could be used to find out if something is abnormal.

Location: Most prominent in locations such as the neck, under the chin, underarm area and near the groin.

Affiliations: The Lymphatic System, known for carrying fluids throughout the body in order to provide nutrients and remove waste. Most importantly this is the defense system against disease.

Why should we listen to the lymph nodes?

You should be paying more attention to swollen lymph nodes, Entity reports.

Image via GIPHY

Doctors use lymph nodes as indicators of infection, whether it’s a sinus problem, imbalances within our bodies or even more serious infections (Gingivitis, Strep throat, HIV, etc.). So, we can avoid a trip to the doctor by doing little tests and being knowledgeable about the location of the node.

For example, if you feel a lump under your chin, this may be an indicator of a small infection such as a cold. However, if these lumps are very prominent and last longer than a week, it can be a more serious infection requiring a doctor’s visit. 

What to do if your lymph nodes are acting up:

You should be paying more attention to swollen lymph nodes, Entity reports.

Image via GIPHY

The main reason to love your lymph nodes — they will show us when it’s time to make a change or get some help. If your lymph nodes are swollen or inflamed, this could mean an infection or a virus has arrived within your body.

Eating healthy and cleansing your body of toxins will help decrease the size of swollen lymph nodes when infections occur. If they are not going down fast enough, a cold compress sometimes can diminish the swollen appearance.

Remember, if the area is still swollen after a while, GO TO THE DOCTOR. It’s the best thing for both of you.

So, before dishing out some tea with your IRL best friend, check on this new one – your lymph nodes! – to find out what’s really going on.

Edited by Kayla Caldwell
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