# Swollen Lymph Nodes around ear - quick help please!



## BasicLiving

My ear felt fine yesterday, but before I went to bed last night, I felt a small lump just outside my ear, on my face. It was very sore and I think it's a lymph node. This morning I woke up and I have another very swollen and painful lymph behind and under my ear. I have no other pain. Now my ear hurts when I pull on it, but I don't know if it's actually because the ear in infected, or the pain is because of the swollen nodes around it.

At any rate, I just went to the Dr. for an annual checkup and all tests came back fine (although I'm not sure what all they looked for). I also had my teeth cleaned and checked a couple of weeks ago, and that went well with no problems. I'm thinking I must have an ear infection, as I get them on a regular basis (otitus).

I have 2 questions - can you direct me to something natural I can get to treat otitus (from the health food store as I need it right away and have no other place to find natural remedies) AND something natural that acts as an antibiotic? I can go to the Dr. on Monday, but don't won't to ruin a weekend feeling poorly because of this. I'm really hoping that what y'all recommend takes care of it all together!

Many thanks,
Penny


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## chris30523

Sometimes viral infections can cause swollen lymph nodes.I have the crud now myself.Drink plenty of water and rest.I usually try to give my body a chance to fight it off before I head for the Dr. and antibiotics. If you start running a low grade temp. and the bumps get red and swollen I would have it checked out.


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## Paula

Freshly squeezed garlic oil mixed half and half with olive oil. lightly warm it and fill your ear canal with it. I always let it soak in there for about 15 min. Turn head over and drain it out. You smell like a salad but it works like a charm. 
I usually do it twice a day for a couple of days.


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## rannie

have you considered mumps?


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## BasicLiving

It was one of my first thoughts - but I had them as a child - TWICE! Once on each side at different times.


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## BasicLiving

Today it's much worse. I wonder if there is a virus going around that involves hugely swollen lymph nodes around the ear? My ear really doesn't feel infected. I'm miserable with this. I don't feel bad really, other than a little run down. But the lymph nodes are really swollen and they hurt - they throb a little and are painful anytime I move my neck. They are much more swollen today. Anyone know of a virus like this going around?


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## swampgirl

I suspect this could be related to having disturbed some organisms when your teeth were cleaned. See the doc as soon as you can. Until then you might try this garlic tea, as it does filter through the lymph system. 
Peel a whole pod of garlic(should be at least 8-10 toes). Bring 1 pint of water to boil in small pot with tight fiting lid. Once boiling, take off stove & using a garlic press, press all the toes into the hot water & even add back the pulp. Cover pot & let sit overnight or at least a few hours. Next, strain this garlic water through a small strainer or piece of cheesecloth. Squeeze in juice from 1/2 a lemon, add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, stir, and drink straight down. Don't stop for much of breath, just down the hatch.
Don't breathe on anyone you care about for a couple of days. You'll also sweat this out. This is a very old remedy. Also good for colds & flu.


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## BasicLiving

I do not have a garlic bulb tonight. I could get one tomorrow. Will minced garlic in a jar do the trick?

I had my teeth cleaned about 2 weeks ago. I know that can cause problems with the bacteria that is dislodged, but 2 weeks seems like a long time before seeing symptoms. But what do I know? I am at a total loss. Nothing else seems wrong with me. I'm just feeling pretty run down, but otherwise fine.

It's a long story, but earlier this year (Feb) I was on about 4 rounds of antibiotics. After that, in June, my dentist told me I had a bad case of thrush. I had no idea, but looked in my throat with a flashlight, and sure enought, completely white. I'm positive it is from all those antibiotics and I had thrush for quite sometime without knowing. The dentist prescribed Diflucan (sp?) and I'll admit I didn't take it as long as I should have. The symptoms left so I quit taking it. Several months later, I used a flashlight out of curiousity, and of course, the thrush was back. I took the meds for about a week and then just forgot about it. Well, a few hours ago I looked and sure enough, the thrush is back. Not bad at all, but it's there. About 8 white dots. Do you think the thrush could cause these swollen lymph nodes? It's apparently never really gone away since around Feb. 

Either way, I now have thrush to deal with on top of everything. Any suggestions for that one?

Penny


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## longrider

i get swollen Lymph nodes there sometimes, but usually on the back of the neck or under an arm. its just the way my body deals with bad stuff in my body- they usually go away after a couple of days.


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## BasicLiving

longrider said:


> i get swollen Lymph nodes there sometimes, but usually on the back of the neck or under an arm. its just the way my body deals with bad stuff in my body- they usually go away after a couple of days.


I've actually been wondering about this all day long. Maybe it's just my body dealing with something. I wish I knew what it is. Like I said, other than feeling run down the past 2 days and the pain of the swollen nodes, I really feel just fine. It only concerns me because the nodes are so swollen, I've never had nodes swollen this big except for mumps, and I have NO obvious infection anywhere. I am normally VERY healthy. So it does make me fret a little. And it makes me seek an answer.

I've actually talked to a couple of people today who said the same as you - they occassionally get swollen lymph nodes for no apparent reason and it goes away. That is really what I'm hoping happens. If it gets no worse, I think I'm not going to worry about it. If it gets worse or persists for 4 or more days, I'm heading to the doctor's office. 

In the meantime, I'd like to do anything I can do to speed the recovery and/or build my immune system. Something is out of whack - that's obvious to me between the swollen nodes and the thrush. I'm not convinced they are related, but I kind of hope they are. That would explain it! But I really don't think they are. 

Maybe I'm just getting old and my body is showing it. That would really ---- me off. :Bawling: 

Penny


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## longrider

for me, i get swollen lymph nodes when i dont take my vitamin and get plenty of rest. it comes on when i am just run ragged. i guess my system gets tired and has a tuff time fighting infection. 

i do know that the lymph system is supposed to get "infected" when the body has something its trying to kill. it gets full and is a little painfull because its full of bad stuff. eventually it will kill the bad stuff and filter it out. I get them behind my ears, on the neck, back of my shoulder blade and under my arm. i even got one once in my inner thigh which was really sore. but they go away within a few days.

however, if you feel at all suspicious or if the family history suggest you see a doctor then just go on in. i cant tell the difference between a regular infection and a suspect cancerous node but a most doctors can. I do believe that most cancerous nodes typically begin in the breast or under the arm though- i am not absolutely sure about that. 

a few days i think tell the story. after a week- go on in and get some advice from somebody that knows their stuff.


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## chris30523

Thrush is a type of yeast infection.You need to treat this. alot of people have real trouble with yeast.I know there are some natural remedies for yeast read up on this as it can infect your whole system and cause some problems.Also people with diabetes and a weakened immune system are more prone to re-occuring yeast.


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## BasicLiving

I got the thrush from 3 rounds with antibiotics from a tooth implant that didn't "take" in February. It's a long story, but I had a heck of a time convincing the oral surgery that something was not right. I finally got mean with him as I have NEVER experienced the type of pain I experienced with that. He FINALLY listened to me when I told him I was not leaving his office until he took me seriously and throroughly looked at the implant. He was not pleased and not nice about it, but finally REALLY looked at it and said "It didn't take. It needs to come out." Well, duh! He took it out and the bottom line is that the bone was totally distroyed from the infection in that area. It has finally started growing back, but that's a whole 'nother story. At any rate, because of all the antibiotics, I developed thrush and have had a hell of a time getting rid of it. I remember taking an "All flora" product with antibiotics and it seemed to prevent any type of yeast infection. I think I need to get that again. I didn't even know it was back until I decided to check my throat yesterday because of the swollen nodes. What a pain in the patooty.

On the upside, the nodes are still quite swollen, but I believe they have gone down a bit. Even my husband commented that I don't look quite as swollen.

Penny


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## Lannie

Swollen lymph nodes just mean you've got a low grade infection of some sort - that's what the lymph nodes do - they try to isolate the infection until your immune system can whack it out of existence. One thing you might try is some olive leaf extract. You should be able to pick up a bottle fairly inexpensively at the HFS. Olive leaf is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal, so no matter what the infection is, it should knock it down. I used it about 6 months ago for an "iatrogenic" (caused by the freaking dentist) jawbone infection which was quite bad. He wanted me to take antibiotics, but I refused (that's what got me into that situation in the first place), and it took about 2 days for the swelling in my jaw to go down and another 3 or 4 days before the pain was completely gone. I continued the olive leaf anyway for another week after that, just to be sure. That was a very bad infection, so it shouldn't take very long at all for that little bit of thrush in the back of your throat and the swollen lymph nodes.

~Lannie


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## BasicLiving

Lannie - that is perfect info and what I was hoping for. We are headed for the hfs this morning. I'm also going to pick up some more of that All Flora stuff. I am determined to kick this thing - my immune system is apparently out of whack and I need to get it back on track. The Olive Leaf sounds like the boost it needs. The hfs is in a very small town, but it's the closest to where we are. I really hope they have Olive Leaf.......


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## tinetine'sgoat

Not sure if this helps, but my nodes swelled up horrible last year when I was coming down with mono. The dr had no idea what it was until I did some checking on line and had him run an epstein barr test. My nodes were swollen for about a week before I started feeling bad with it. Just a thought, maybe it will help.


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## BasicLiving

Thanks tinetine'sgoat - the most worrisome part of this is that I don't know what is causing it. If it does not get better, I will definitely go to the doctor.

But today it seems to be getting much better. The swelling is down and I don't feel near as exhausted tonight. I did go by the hfs and get some Olive Leaf extract, which I took immediately. I'm not sure if it's the OL extract, or it's just running it's course, or if it's all in my head, but I feel better tonight than I have felt in days. The swelling is still there, but I definitely feel better. I'm going to stay with the OL extract and have PMed Lannie for dosage info. I also got some more of the All Flora Probiotic for the thrush. 

Thanks to all for the info. I knew this was the place to find the info I needed.

Penny


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## tinetine'sgoat

I just caught this, but you mentioned thrush, do you have white dots all over the back of your throat? Not trying to push the mono theory but I had those all over my throat with it. Let me find you an online pic to look at. I'll be back...


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## tinetine'sgoat

OK, I didn't have much luck being able to copy a pic over here, but if you put mononucleosis pic in your search engine it will probably pull up the same ones I found. I just know how incredibly miserable I was with it and want you to have an advantage of resting early if possible.


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## BasicLiving

Little tiny white dots every where....... But they are almost gone tonight..... let me go google up some pics. I'll be back......

Edited to add: OK I looked - I am really relieved to report it doesn't look like my throat at all. My white dots are very very tiny and sprinkled about. Tonight they are almost gone. Whew - while I'm not thrilled with thrush, I would be less thrilled with mono.......


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## tinetine'sgoat

I'm glad for that, it might rule out mono, mine stayed there for a week or better if I remember right. Best of luck to you. I'll say a little prayer.


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## BasicLiving

Thank you very much. I feel I could use a prayer or two. I've always been very healthy - rarely even get a cold. But the past couple of months it seems it's one thing after another. I hate to think it's a sign of getting old - I'm too young to get old!

Penny


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