Download Lymph Node Locations There are many locations throughout the

Lymph Node Locations
There are many locations throughout the body that lymph nodes can be found. They are small and beanshaped that are located in groups that filter lymph fluid throughout specific areas of the body. Normally
people will notice lymph nodes in their neck because of their locations and that they help fight some of
the more common illnesses, infections and deceases.
When a location in the body doesn’t have lymph nodes due to a Lymphadenectomy it can cause fluid to
collect in the area where it was removed.
Groups and Functions
The regions of the body have specific lymph node groups that are dedicated in maintaining the cells in
that region. The lymph will provide nourishment for the cells in the body while removing debris and
pathogens as it travels to different groups. These are some of the groups and locations that they maintain:
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Cervical – this group is located in the head, neck, and jaw, they include nodes that are deep along
the blood vessels, they filter the areas located above the shoulders
Mediastinal – found in the chest by the lungs, bronchi, and windpipe and will circulate in that
location
Axillary – located in the underside of the arm and circulates lymph in the breast, chest, and upper
abdomen
Inguinal – found in the groin area and take care of genitals, lower limbs, and abdomen
When lymph nodes are located near nerve endings it can cause pain and effect function in that area of the
body. When they are near organs they may cause pressure, possible causing the organs to stop
functioning. If a group of lymph nodes are swollen for longer that a couple of weeks, they should be
checked by a medical professional. This will help prevent any serious conditions be undiagnosed.
Though there may be just a few groups of lymph nodes that draw attention
like along your neck, under the arm and around the groin; however, there are many more location
throughout the body adding up to roughly 500-700 of them. They start from the head all the way down to
the knees, ready to fulfill their function to fight any pathogens, trap debris or even in rare cases battle
cancer cells while the fluid is filtered throughout the body. Some are located near the surface and others
are deeper, which aren’t noticed when they swell up from disease or infection. Each location distributes,
filters and drains lymph fluid from various regions of the body.
Common Causes for Swelling
Of the hundreds of lymph nodes located throughout the body, as stated before, not all of them are near the
surface and will be notice when swollen. Keep in mind, the common cold and flu will cause ones along
the neck to swell during the battle against the viral or bacterial infection. They swell when they start
producing special white blood cells, called and macrophages to destroy the bacteria or virus. Also, when
they filter more than they can destroy or more than what can be carried away in the lymph, they will
become enlarged. The following are some of the common ailments that can cause this to occur:
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Chicken pox
Skin infection
Cavity or abscess
MRSA
Sinus infection
Strep throat
Abscess
Injury to the face, head, or scalp
Some medications can cause the cervical lymph nodes to swell up, become tender, and be painful. The
ones located under the arm can swell in response to breast cancer that was not diagnosed early and spread
to the lymph nodes. An infection in the chest can also cause these nodes to swell. When there is a
diagnosis of cancer, the nodes in the area will be removed and a biopsy performed.
Lymphadenectomy Effects on the Body
To do a biopsy of a lymph node it must be removed. To minimize the number of them to biopsy, the
sentinel lymph node is removed because if there are no cancer cells then there is little to no risk that the
cancer has spread to other nodes. Any surgery comes with risks and complications but operations that are
specific with the removal of the lymph nodes include the following:
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Weakened immune system
Seroma – build up of lymph fluid in the area
Lymphedema – lymph fluid collection in limbs
The fewer nodes removed the better because the location where they are removed will be without a filter
for the lymph and it will interfere with the flow. This can cause side effects that are evident immediately
or may not appear for months and even sometimes years after the surgery.
The risk of not knowing cancer has spread is greater than the risk of a lymphadenectomy even though
each location plays an important role in the flow of lymph and the immune system.