Why is there something on the chin

The chin is mainly composed of the jawbone and generally does not produce any abnormalities. However, in daily life, some people find that there is something on their chin, and they must be concerned about why there is something on the chin? In fact, this situation is most likely caused by enlarged internal cervical lymph nodes. We must have a full understanding of this disease and make judgments based on our own characteristics. Next, let’s look at swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

Normal superficial lymph nodes in the human body are very small, with a diameter of less than 0.5 cm. The surface is smooth and soft, with no adhesion to the surrounding tissues and no tenderness. When the body is invaded by pathogenic factors, information is transmitted to the lymph nodes. Lymphocytes produce lymphokines and antibodies to effectively kill the pathogenic factors. At the same time, lymphocytes and tissue cells in the lymph nodes reactively proliferate, causing the lymph nodes to swell. The head and neck are rich in lymph nodes, and the neck itself has many lymph nodes. Under pathological and physiological conditions, the cervical lymph nodes may swell.

Causes

Causes of swollen lymph nodes in the neck include infectious (inflammatory) swelling, tumor swelling, reactive hyperplasia and histiocytic hyperplasia.

1. Inflammatory swelling

When acute or chronic lymph node infections are caused by bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, chlamydia, fungi, spirochetes, protozoa, worms, etc., the lymph nodes may become congested and edematous, with proliferation of lymphocytes and macrophages, infiltration of neutrophils, monocytes and plasma cells, and even necrosis and granuloma formation, causing enlargement of the lymph nodes and pain.

2. Tumorous enlargement

Whether it is an endogenous tumor originating from the lymphatic tissue, such as lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia, etc., or a tumor metastasized from outside the lymph nodes, such as oral cancer metastasized to the cervical lymph nodes, nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasized to the cervical lymph nodes, gastric cancer metastasized to the left supraclavicular lymph nodes, etc., it can manifest as unrestricted tumor cells proliferating in large numbers in the lymph nodes, occupying and destroying the normal tissue structure of the lymph nodes, and at the same time causing hyperplasia of fibrous tissue and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lymph nodes, leading to lymph node enlargement.

3. Reactive hyperplasia

It includes two types: nonspecific reactive lymphocytic hyperplasia and immune reactive hyperplasia. It is mostly caused by biological factors (bacteria, viruses, etc.), chemical factors (drugs, environmental toxins, metabolic toxic products, etc.) and allergic stimulation, which cause the reactive proliferation of lymphocytes and monocytes and macrophages in the lymph nodes, manifested as enlargement of lymph follicles, hyperplasia of parafollicular lymphocytes, necrotic hyperplasia, leading to lymph node enlargement.

4. Histiocytic hyperplasia

There is a large amount of tissue cell proliferation in the lymph nodes, which is distributed in a lamellar, focal or diffuse manner, and granulomas may also form, such as Langerhan histiocytosis. In addition, the accumulation of a large number of Niemann-Pickz cells and Gautier cells in the lymph nodes can also cause lymph node enlargement.

Clinical manifestations

In addition to cervical lymphadenopathy, clinical symptoms of primary diseases, common diseases and manifestations:

1. Retropharyngeal abscess

Snoring, fever with chills, irritability, difficulty breathing, etc.

2. Hodgkin's disease in children

Progressive enlargement of superficial lymph nodes, etc.

3. Lymphadenitis

Night sweats, low fever, lymphatic obstruction, etc.

4. Mediastinal Hodgkin's lymphoma

Wheezing, night sweats, difficulty breathing, etc.

5. Thyroid cancer