Swollen Glands
By the AllHealth UK editorial teamLast reviewed Next review due Compiled from published NHS and NICE guidance. Not reviewed by a clinician.
Key facts
Swollen glands (lymph nodes) are usually a sign that your immune system is fighting an infection. They're most commonly felt in the neck, armpits, or groin. Most swollen glands return to normal within 2 weeks.
Most often affects:ChildrenPeople with active infectionsThose recovering from illness
What commonly causes swollen glands
- Common cold, flu, or upper respiratory infection
- Throat infection or tonsillitis
- Ear or dental infection
- Glandular fever (Epstein-Barr virus) — common in teenagers
- Skin infections near the affected lymph node
- Normal immune response to any infection
- Rarely, something more serious such as leukaemia or lymphoma — see a GP if a gland is getting bigger, has not gone down within a week, feels hard or does not move, or you have night sweats
What helps at home
- Rest and stay well hydrated — your body is fighting something
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain and discomfort — do not give aspirin to children under 16
- Eat soft foods if swallowing is painful
- Gargle with warm salt water if your throat is also sore, then spit it out — do not swallow it, and children should not try this
- Give your body time — most cases resolve in 1–2 weeks
When to get help
These three levels are different. Getting the level right is the single most useful thing this page can do for you.
Non-urgent advice: see a GP if
- Swelling has lasted more than 2 weeks without shrinking
- The glands are getting bigger, or feel hard and fixed in place
- You have night sweats, unexplained weight loss or persistent fatigue
- Glands are swollen with no obvious cause such as a cold or sore throat
- Glands in more than one part of your body are swollen
Urgent advice: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if
- The gland is very painful, red and hot to touch
- You have swollen glands with a high temperature and feel very unwell
- The swelling came up quickly over a day or two
- It is becoming uncomfortable to swallow because of the swelling
Immediate action required: call 999 or go to A&E if
- Rapidly enlarging neck swelling causing difficulty breathing
- Swollen glands with signs of severe infection (high fever, confusion)
What to do next
Not sure whether swollen glands needs a doctor? These are your options, cheapest and fastest first.
Questions people ask about swollen glands
Reducing the chance of it coming back
- Practice good hand hygiene to prevent infections
- Stay up to date with vaccinations
- Treat infections promptly — don't 'push through' illness
Conditions this can be part of
Listed alphabetically, not by likelihood — this page does not tell you which one you have.
- Glandular fever
- HIV
- Lymphoma
- Tonsillitis
Sources and further reading
This page was written from the following published guidance. All links checked 26 August 2026.
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