Enlarged submandibular lymph nodes may indicate oral inflammation, respiratory tract inflammation, subacute thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid tumor, lymph node tuberculosis or malignant lymphoma, malignant tumors such as breast or nasopharyngeal cancer or lung cancer, and acute HIV infection.
1. Oral inflammation: submandibular lymph node enlargement with gingival swelling and pain often suggests oral inflammation, such as acute and chronic gingivitis.
2. Inflammation of respiratory tract: submandibular lymph node enlargement with sore throat, cough, fever, lymph node pain often suggests inflammation of respiratory tract, such as acute suppurative tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis, acute pharyngitis and so on.
3. Subacute thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: submandibular lymph node enlargement with thyroid swelling, pain, lymph node pain, often suggests subacute thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
4. Thyroid tumor: Enlargement of submandibular lymph nodes with swelling of the thyroid gland, but not accompanied by pain, often suggests thyroid tumor.
5. Lymph node tuberculosis or malignant lymphoma: enlarged submandibular lymph nodes with persistent low-grade fever, night sweating (sweating abnormally after going to sleep, and sweating stops after waking up), and unexplained emaciation are often suggestive of lymph node tuberculosis or malignant lymphoma.
6. Breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, lung cancer and other malignant tumors: enlarged submandibular lymph nodes with nasal mass, breast mass, coughing and hemoptysis, etc. often suggest submandibular lymph node metastasis of malignant tumors, such as breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, lung cancer, etc., through the lymphatic vessels to the submandibular lymph nodes.
7. Acute HIV infection: submandibular lymph node enlargement with fever, skin rash, sore throat often suggests acute HIV infection.
If patients have related symptoms, they should consult the doctor in time to find out the cause of standardized treatment.