Swollen Lymph Glands Causes
Swollen Lymph Glands Causes
eMedicineHealth
Several mechanisms can cause the lymph nodes to enlarge.
* Infection: This can increase the number of white blood cells, which multiply in response to stimulation with a foreign substance (antigen)
* Virus: Immune reaction to a generalized infection in the body such as viral infections that can occur with the common cold as well as more serious infections such as HIV
* Inflammation: Infiltration with inflammatory cells during infection or inflammation in a region of a given lymph node
* Cancer: Infiltration with malignant cells (metastases) brought to the node with the lymph flowing from an area of a certain type of cancer
* Cancer of the Blood: Uncontrolled, malignant multiplication of lymphocytes as in lymphoma or leukemia
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