Zhimei's friend Xiao Chen has been anxious and depressed recently, always worried about whether he has some incurable disease.
The reason was that one day when she was taking a shower, she touched a few bulging small bags in the triangle of her lower body and did not take it seriously.
Figure the location of the groin
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Occasionally chatting with colleagues, colleagues not only said that this is "a sign of cancerous inguinal lymph nodes", but also listed a few living examples, which can scare Xiao Chen not lightly.
Aren't all lymph nodes growing on the neck? Why does it grow in the groin? I quickly went to the hospital for a full physical examination, and everything turned out to be normal.
But Xiao Chen is still not at ease, now it is okay, but will these small bags grow bigger and bigger or even become cancerous?
Today, Zhimei came to "draw the key points" with everyone and deeply understand the "inguinal lymph nodes".
In layman's terms, the groin is the depression where our abdomen and thighs connect, that is, the part where the edge of our briefs is stuck.
There are many large blood vessels distributed near the groin, and the lymph nodes are mostly arranged along the blood vessels, so there are many lymph nodes in the groin.
As one of the important "relay stations" of the human body, the inguinal lymph nodes are responsible for draining and containing lymph fluid from the lower limbs, pelvis and other places, promoting the circulation of lymph fluid throughout the body.
There are many lymph nodes in the human body, distributed in the neck, subclavian bone, elbow fossa, armpits, groin, joint flexion, large blood vessels and other more "hidden" parts.
Lymph nodes are connected to lymphatic vessels and contain a rich lymphatic fluid.
They are like the body's "cleaners" and "couriers", both helping the body to remove toxins and transporting nutrients to blood vessels and promoting blood circulation throughout the body.
1. Does swollen lymph nodes imply that something is wrong with the body?
First of all, the conclusion, it is possible.
Because the lymph nodes of the human body are small and distributed in groups, they look like mung beans, which are generally not easy to touch, and can produce lymphocytes and carry out immune responses, which is the "firewall" of the human body.
The most common cause of lymphadenopathy is infection, when bacteria, toxins, parasites or tumor cells attack the body, it will stimulate the lymph nodes to produce a large number of lymphocytes, resisting foreign invaders, resulting in lymphadenopathy.
If the inguinal lymph nodes that are not usually touched are suddenly touched, there is still a little pain, which indicates that there may be chronic inflammation or damage to the genitourinary system or lower limbs (such as erysipelas), etc., and you need to go to the hospital in time.
2. What happens when the enlarged lymph nodes become smaller after a few days?
When the infection and inflammation subside, the equivalent lymphocytes have completed their mission, they will slowly "retreat", and the enlarged lymph nodes will of course become smaller.
There are also some lymphadenopathy caused by chronic inflammation, which cannot go on for a while and a half, and often takes 1 month or even longer.
At this time, the brothers and sisters should pay attention not to be infected, and they can observe closely.
3. Are lymph nodes likely to become cancerous without pain or itching?
Some of the skinnier healthy siblings are able to touch their own groin lymph nodes, which grow smaller and more mobile, do not grow bigger and do not need treatment.
If the neck, armpits and other parts of the body can feel the enlarged lymph nodes, no pain, no itch but poor mobility, touch is getting bigger and bigger, and accompanied by fever, weight loss, easy to bleed, itching, sweating at night and other uncomfortable symptoms...
These are all signs that the lymph nodes have become "unkind", and you have to go to the hospital quickly, and if necessary, you need to do a lymph node puncture or remove a biopsy to determine the cause of the lymphadenopathy.
The picture shows superficial lymphadenopathy
Therefore, the inguinal lymph nodes are not "suddenly growing on the body", but the "little knights" who have always existed and silently protected the body from external harm.
We can not ignore their presence, but also pay attention to avoid infection and reduce the "work burden" of lymph nodes.
Reviewer
Gao Pengji | Chief Physician of General Surgery Department of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital
bibliography
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