Lymph nodes They are nodular structures that are part of the lymphatic system and form clusters in the form of clusters. They are an important part of the immune system, since they help the body to recognize and fight germs, infections, among other foreign substances.
Summary
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- 1 Location
- 2 Function
- 3 Considerations
- 4 External links
Location
Common areas where lymph nodes can be palpated (with fingers) are, inter alia, groin, armpit, neck (there is a chain of lymph nodes on either side of the front of the neck, on both sides of the neck and below each side of the back of the neck), under the jaw and chin, behind the ears and on the back of the head.
Function
The lymph nodes act as filters, having an internal structure of fine connective tissue, in the form of a network, filled with lymphocytes that collect and destroy bacteria and viruses, so the lymph nodes are also part of the immune system.
The lymph comes through the afferent vessels, empties the lymph, filters into the node, and the humoral or cellular immune response is formed upon contact with the active immune components. Once the lymph is filtered, it leaves the efferent lymphatic vessel, spreads the immune response and reaches the blood .
Considerations
Lymph nodes can become inflamed from an infection, inflammatory conditions, an abscess, or cancer . Other causes of enlarged lymph nodes are rare.
Infection is by far the most common cause of this problem. When sudden, painful inflammation occurs, the cause is usually an injury or infection, but if the enlargement is gradual and painless, it may be the result in some cases of cancer or tumor.
