Clinically, superficial lymph node enlargement is very common, normal people sometimes in the neck (including submandibular), axilla, groin lymph nodes can be touched, but the normal lymph node texture is soft, the surface is smooth, no pressure and pain, and can be sliding. The diameter is usually below 0.5cm, about 2 lymph nodes can be found in the submandibular lymph nodes, and 1~2 lymph nodes can be found in the neck. When determining the nature of lymph node enlargement, it is important to observe dynamically and pay attention to the changes of lymph nodes in a period of time, otherwise it is easy to miss and misdiagnose some early lesions, especially the enlargement of cervical lymph nodes, which is the most common and important part of local lymph nodes, and there are generally the following causes:

(1) acute and chronic inflammation: the most common are caused by inflammation of tonsillitis, gingivitis, pharyngitis, otitis media and so on, and the lymph nodes become moderately swollen. The lymph nodes are moderately enlarged, soft, non-adhesive, not fused, with pain and tenderness in the acute stage, the primary lesion can be found, and can be reduced after treatment with sensitive antibacterial drugs.

(2) Lymphatic tuberculosis: the most common site for the submandibular and anterior cervical triangle along the sternocleidomastoid muscle along the front, early in a stream of lymph node enlargement, can be strings or scattered in the occurrence, no adhesion, if the disease worsens, the lymph nodes continue to increase in size, adhesion and fusion, and later can be liquefied, can be ruptured, the effusion of caseous material, this time most of the accompanied by tuberculosis toxicity symptoms, anti-tuberculosis treatment can be narrowed down, disappeared.

(3) Lymph node metastasis of cancer or malignant lymphoma: nasopharyngeal cancer, oral cancer (lip, tongue, cheek or gum cancer), maxillary sinus cancer, thyroid cancer, pharyngeal cancer can appear in cervical lymph node metastasis; enlarged left supraclavicular lymph nodes are mostly seen in gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma or rectal carcinoma metastasis; enlarged right supraclavicular lymph nodes are mostly metastasis of bronchopulmonary and esophageal carcinoma; malignant lymphoma is also found in neck lymph nodes. Malignant lymphoma also occurs in the lymph nodes of the neck. Lymph nodes are hard, with unclear edges, no pain, no pressure, can be adhered to skin and other tissues, fixed, and can be fused with each other, and increase in size and number progressively with the development of the disease.

In summary, the neck lymph node enlargement, should be timely to the hospital, especially by antibacterial drug treatment is ineffective, it should actively search for the cause of the disease, if necessary, lymph node pathology biopsy, as soon as possible to do to make targeted treatment.