Swollen lymph node on left side of groin. Possibly lymphoma or leukemia?

**liz-e** · 06-09-2011 09:14 PM

For starters, I'm seventeen. I'm healthy aside from the cold I've had for a couple of weeks. Lymphoma and leukemia don't run on my mom's side of the family, but I don't know about my dad's.

Last month (at the end of my period week) a lymph node in the left side of my groin swelled up to the size of a large grape and was tender to the touch, and I started birth control last month. When I went to my doctor, she told me not to worry about it but to come back if it hadn't disappeared in three weeks. Next week is my period week with birth control. Is there somehow a correlation?

Anyway, I'm going to go to the doctor if it doesn't go away in a week or so. I'm just getting kind of freaked out because this is the second time this has happened; the lymph nodes in my neck have been swollen before because of strep throat or bronchitis, but I have no clue what causes the nodes in my groin to swell.

What are the causes of this? Please help if you have any knowledge of what's going on. Thanks!

PS. I'm on Lo-Ostregel and the only problem I've had with it is a little weight gain. Also, I have been bitten my many mosquitoes so far this summer, so maybe my nodes are just fighting that infection or something.

Thanks again!

**ItsASecret** · 06-09-2011 09:44 PM

Next week is my period week with birth control. Is there somehow a correlation?

No.

Lymph nodes swell if there is an infection going on in the body, like an infection from the common cold virus which you said you already have. They can also swell from inflammation in the surrounding area, that can be caused by daily stress. They swell quite frequently but it does not mean it is a terminal disease like leukemia or lymphoma. Mosquitoes have nothing to do with it unless you are allergic to mosquito bites...and having the regular red bump from a bite is not an allergy.

**liz-e** · 06-09-2011 09:50 PM

So the no is to the correlation? Something that irks me more than anything about this whole thing is that it's only the left groin lymph node, not any other ones. I have been stressed lately, but I didn't know that'd causes my lymph nodes to swell. Has this ever happened to you? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just nervous.

**ItsASecret** · 06-09-2011 09:56 PM

Yes, the no was for no correlation. Lymph nodes only react if there is some sort of stress in the body, like an infection. Starting birth control would not cause lymph nodes to swell up unless you started birth control while you were sick and therefore give the impression that it was the pill and not an infection causing the swelling.

Lymph nodes do not all need to enlarge when battling an infection in the body, could be one or two or all. Stress causes a multitude of problems to health, it can contribute to you actually getting sick and feeling down which results in your body sending signals to the lymph nodes to go nuts. Again a swollen lymph node to a doctor will indicate that you are sick, since you have a cold that is going to cause your lymph nodes to swell in the first place, but it does not mean cancer.

**liz-e** · 06-10-2011 08:08 AM

Well, I think I might know what's caused this. Last month when my lymph node swelled up, I had an ingrown/infected hair on my bikini line, and I coincidentally have another one right now. Could that be the culprit?

**ItsASecret** · 06-10-2011 04:27 PM

I had an ingrown/infected hair on my bikini line, and I coincidentally have another one right now. Could that be the culprit?

That is really too small for the body to even care about. Lymph nodes swell when an infection occurs, like the cold you have. Infections happen everyday all day because we are always being exposed to microbes that make us sick, our immune system (part of which involves the lymph nodes) deals with those infections on a daily basis and not all infections result in the typical 'sick' symptoms. It is not uncommon for lymph nodes to swell when you are sick with anything.

**Shell86** · 06-25-2011 05:46 PM

ItsASecret is right. It would be an infection in the body that will make the lymph nodes swell, like your common colds, flu, tonsillitis. Those types of things. They swell because they are fighting the illness that is happening in your body.

It would still be worth while getting it checked out though, it is concerning you a fair bit I can see. So I would say it would be best to consult with your Doctor. At least it will put your mind at rest