There is a foreign body sensation in the fossa between the clavicle

It is now popular to be thin enough to show your collarbone. Many people who are thin enough to show their collarbones keep posting pictures of themselves showing their collarbones. Normally, people don’t pay much attention to the collarbone. In fact, there is a lymphatic system in the middle of the clavicle. If you have bad living habits for a long time in your life and have swollen lymph nodes, you will feel a foreign body sensation in the middle of the clavicle, as if something is stuck inside.

Which swollen lymph nodes are most dangerous?

1. Malignant lymphoma

It can occur at any age. The lymph nodes are usually painless and progressive, ranging in size from soybeans to dates, and are of medium hardness. Generally, there is no adhesion to the skin, and they do not fuse with each other in the early and middle stages, so they are movable. In the later stages, the lymph nodes may grow very large or fuse into large masses with a diameter of more than 20 cm, invading the skin and taking a long time to heal after rupturing. In addition, it can invade the mediastinum, liver, spleen and other organs, including the lungs, digestive tract, bones, skin, breast, nervous system, etc.

2. Lymph node metastasis

This type of lymph node is very hard, non-tender, and immobile. Especially in patients with gastric cancer and esophageal cancer, enlarged lymph nodes above the clavicle can be felt. Rarely, there is generalized lymphadenopathy. Breast cancer patients should frequently palpate the axillary lymph nodes to determine whether the tumor has metastasized.

3. Acute leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The lymph node enlargement of leukemia is systemic, but it is most obvious in the neck, armpits, and groin, especially in acute lymphocytic leukemia, which is common in children. Clinically, the disease develops rapidly, often accompanied by fever, bleeding, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly, sternal tenderness, etc. Hematological and bone marrow puncture examinations can confirm the diagnosis and differentiation.

Causes of swollen lymph nodes

1. Inflammation of lymph nodes

One is a non-specific infection, such as tonsillitis. The other is a specific infection, the most common of which is tuberculosis of the cervical lymph nodes.

2. Caused by malignant tumors

One is that the lymph node itself develops a tumor. The characteristics of lymphoma are that it is painless and itchy to the touch, its location is fixed, and its texture is hard. One is a metastatic tumor, where a malignant tumor from elsewhere metastasizes to the lymph nodes. If the lymph nodes are not painful or itchy to the touch and have poor mobility, they may be malignant tumors. It is recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible.