Neck Swelling
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Hoarse voice
Sore throat
Throat pain
Throat hurts to swallow
Difficulty swallowing
Swollen neck glands
Neck swelling
Neck pain
Lymph nodes in neck
Neck mass
Lump on neck
Shortness of breath
About the Symptom
Neck swelling is fluid buildup in the neck tissues or inflammation in the neck.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Neck swelling
Possible Causes
Generally, Neck swelling can be related to:
- Subacute Thyroiditis
Inflammation of the thyroid gland which causes high levels of thyroid hormone in the body. It usually occurs after a viral infection. It presents as pain in the neck because of the swollen and inflamed thyroid gland. Can also have difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, fatigue and fever. It can also go on to cause symptoms of high thyroid hormone such as weight loss, increased bowel movements, palpitations, sweating.
- Malignant Lymphoma
A malignant lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the body's lymphatic system cells and can spread to other body parts. There are dozens of different kinds of lymphomas which are broadly categorized as "Hodgkins Lymphomas" and "Non-Hodgkins Lymphomas" (NHL). The different types are also classified by the cell type the cancer comes from and each different type of lymphoma has its own patterns of spread, treatments, and prognosis The most frequent symptom is swollen lymph nodes. Fevers, night sweats, itchiness, and fatigue can also be seen with lymphomas as can difficulty breathing or abdominal pain. Risk factors include age, family history, a weakened immune system from medications or illness, prior cancer treatments, viral infections such as Epstein-Barr and HIV.
- Thyroid Tumor
A tumor in the thyroid gland. Most are non-cancerous, but some may be malignant. The primary symptom is a lump in the front of the neck along the thyroid gland. Workup includes ultrasound, biopsy, blood tests, and sometimes other scans.
- Graves' Disease
- Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
- Neurofibromatosis
- Acute / Chronic Tracheitis / Bronchitis
- Lung Cancer
- Hyperthyroidism
- Common Cold (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection)
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Is your neck swollen?
- How long have you had neck swelling?
- How is your neck swelling now?
Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Jan 29, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Roland N, Bradley PJ. Neck swellings. BMJ. 2014 Jan 23;348:g1078. doi: 10.1136/bmj.g1078. PMID: 24458704.
https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g1078