Swollen glands
Less common causes of swollen glands
Less often, swollen glandsmay be the result of:
- rubella a viral infection that causes a red-pink skin rash made up of small spots
- measles a highly infectious viral illnessthat causes distinctivered or brown spots on the skin
- cytomegalovirus (CMV) a common virus spread through bodily fluids, such as saliva and urine
- tuberculosis (TB) a bacterial infection spreadthat causes a persistent cough
- syphilis a bacterial infectionusually caught by having sex with someone who is infected
- cat scratch disease a bacterial infection caused by a scratch from an infectedcat
- HIV a virusthat attacks the immune system and weakens your ability to fight infections
- lupus where the immune system starts to attack the body's joints, skin, blood cells and organs
- rheumatoid arthritis where the immune system starts to attack the tissue lining the joints
- sarcoidosis where small patches of red and swollen tissue, called granulomas, develop in the organs of the body
Click on the links above for more informationon these conditions.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Swollen lymph glands are usually a sign of infection and tend to go down when you recover. However, they can sometimes have a more serious cause.
When to see your GP
See your GP if you have swollen glands and: they haven't gone down within a few weeks or are getting bigger theyfeel hard or dont move when you press them you also have a sore throat and find it d
Common causes of swollen glands
Swollen glands are usually caused by a relatively minor viral or bacterial infection, including: a Cold tonsillitis glandular fever a throat infection an ear infection a dental abscess
Less common causes of swollen glands
Less often, swollen glandsmay be the result of: rubella a viral infection that causes a red-pink skin rash made up of small spots measles a highly infectious viral illnessthat causes distinctive
Could it be cancer?
Occasionally, swollen glands can be a sign of cancer that has started elsewhere in the body and spread to the lymph nodes, or atype of cancer affecting the white blood cells, such as non-Hodgkin lymph
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