Lymphadenopathy of the inguinal lymph nodes is a disease in which there is a change and disruption of their normal functioning. The most common cause is infectious agents. Inflammation can be exposed to nodes located in any part of the body. Along with them, adjacent lymphatic vessels can also become inflamed.
The common cause of inflammation in women is the penetration of pathogens. In this case, the infection can enter the body internally and externally.
Many wonder where the lymph node is located in the groin of a woman. They are located in the folds of the groin, in close proximity to the organs of the genitourinary system.
Under the external route of penetration, it is customary to understand damage to the skin (scratches or wounds) through which pathogens enter the bloodstream. With the internal route, the penetration of an infectious agent into the blood occurs during unprotected sex or through the respiratory tract. ATin this case, inguinal lymphadenopathy is a reaction to another disease.
Causes of occurrence
Conditionally, all causes of lymphadenopathy of the inguinal lymph nodes can be divided into several subgroups, each of which includes certain diseases leading to this pathology.
Penetration of an infectious agent directly through damaged skin of the feet, legs and buttocks:
- Scratches or wounds resulting from an injury or bite from an animal (including erysipelas).
- Injury to the skin due to diaper dermatitis (the most common cause of lymphadenopathy in children).
- Furunculosis, which is an inflammatory process affecting the hair follicles located in the epidermis of the buttocks.
- As a result of BCG vaccination (previously such cases were often recorded, and therefore, at present, this vaccination is only allowed to be given in the shoulder). When the lymph nodes in the groin are enlarged, the reasons for this phenomenon should be determined by the doctor.
Diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms that entered the body through the mucous membranes:
- Inguinal lymphogranulomatosis.
- Erysipelas.
- Gonorrhea.
- Syphilis.
- Yersiniosis.
- Borreliosis.
- Herpes.
- Cytomegalovirus infection.
- Infectious mononucleosis.
Also, lymphadenopathy (ICD-10 code: R59) can provoke inflammatory processes in the genitals, joints,oncological diseases.
Symptomatics
Common for men and women, the symptoms of lymphadenopathy of the inguinal lymph nodes resulting from the penetration of infection through the wounds of the lower extremities are as follows:
- There is an increase in the size of the lymph node up to 1 cm in diameter.
- Sensitivity appears, sometimes pain, if the lymph node is palpated.
- In the area of the inflamed lymph node, reddening of the skin is observed.
- Local and global temperatures are rising.
Most often there is lymphadenopathy of the inguinal lymph nodes in women. The node becomes inflamed on the side on which the damage is located.
Sodoku
Sodoku, which is an infectious disease with a specific character, develops as a result of a bite by rodents, such as rats. The first symptoms usually occur 2 weeks after the indicated episode, in rare cases on the same day.
The disease is developing very rapidly. Lymph nodes can increase in size up to 8 cm, the skin over them does not change its color, palpation causes pain. Mobility of the nodes is observed, their shape is rounded, they increase on the side where the bite occurred. Body temperature during sodoku can rise significantly, up to 39 degrees Celsius.
Epstein-Barr virus
When the Epstein-Barr virus enters the body, infectious mononucleosis develops. Against the background of this disease, there is an increase not only inguinal, but alsoother lymph nodes, including occipital and cervical. Lymph nodes in the groin on both sides increase significantly in size. The growth process starts from the first day of infection. Their size can reach three centimeters.
A characteristic feature of infectious mononucleosis is the formation of a chain of several inflamed nodes. Palpation reveals a dense structure of the nodes, their mobility. In this case, pain is felt slightly. The skin located above the nodes does not change its color, however, the occurrence of slight swelling is not excluded. Such signs allow a specialist to easily identify the disease and distinguish it from other pathologies that provoke lymphadenopathy.
What is a cytomegalovirus infection? With this pathology, a picture similar to mononucleosis is found: there is an increase in groups of lymph nodes. However, the difference is still present: with cytomegalovirus infection, the lymph nodes located in the groin increase less noticeably than others. Most often they are no more than 1 centimeter in size. Palpation reveals their elasticity, while the pain is moderate. There is no puffiness, the skin retains its color.
If lymphadenopathy of the inguinal lymph nodes occurs as a result of herpes simplex type 2, then the lymph nodes increase moderately, on one or both sides. They are not dense to the touch, their consistency resembles dough, their mobility is preserved, and moderate soreness appears. Suppuration and signs of inflammation on the skin are not observed.
Borreliosis
With borreliosis, unilateral inflammation of the lymph node occurs more often if the tick bite occurs on the thigh or lower body. Enlarged lymph nodes are up to two centimeters in size, and therefore they are easily detected during a routine examination.
Palpation of inflamed nodes allows you to detect their mobility, pain. They are elastic in structure. The temperature and color of the skin in the area of inflammation retain their normal state. Borreliosis is not characterized by purulent inflammation. In parallel with the increase in the size of the lymph node, excessive redness occurs in the place where the bite fell.
Yersiniosis
Against the background of yersiniosis, lymphadenopathy develops extremely rarely. Several lymph nodes in the groin, located next to each other, are affected at once. In addition, the cervical lymph nodes become inflamed, their size is not very large when enlarged, it can reach only 1.5 cm.
Inguinal lymphogranulomatosis
Inguinal lymphogranulomatosis is a disease that is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. Against the background of this disease, the development of an inflammatory process in the inguinal lymph nodes is very often observed.
The development of the disease can go in two ways:
- With a mild infection, lymphadenitis appears after 2 months.
- With severe infection, an increase in inguinal lymph nodes in women and menobserved a week later.
When inguinal lymphogranulomatosis occurs inflammation of the node on one side. The peculiarity of this disease is that lymphadenitis develops simultaneously in several lymph nodes. Palpation at the initial stages of the disease reveals a dense elastic consistency of the nodes and their complete mobility. Over time, the changed nodes are combined into a single bumpy conglomerate with an uneven surface. When probing, severe pain is detected. The skin in the area of this conglomerate becomes thinner and acquires a red tint. In places of thinning, the skin can break through, pus begins to stand out through the resulting breaks. This is how a fistula (fistula) is formed, which becomes chronic.
Erysipelas
Erysipelas can be another reason for the development of lymphadenitis. This is due to the characteristic ability of erysipelas to affect the lower limbs. Palpation reveals an elastic consistency of the nodes, severe pain. At the same time, their mobility is preserved, there is no soldering with the surrounding tissues. The skin located above the lymph nodes does not change, their color and temperature remain normal.
Other reasons
Another cause of lymphadenitis is syphilis. If the entrance gates of the infection are the genitals, then the lymph nodes become inflamed more often on both sides. This sign of the disease is detected about a week after infection.
Maina feature of lymphadenitis against the background of syphilis is the absence of classical symptoms of the inflammatory process, that is, sharp pain, swelling, redness are not observed.
Pathological changes appear immediately in a group of nodes. However, one of them is larger than the others. Palpation allows you to detect the soreness of the nodes, their densely elastic consistency. At the same time, their mobility is completely preserved, the shape is round or oval, the size can reach 2.5 centimeters.
Lymphadenopathy (ICD-10 code - R59) with gonorrhea always occurs on both sides. There is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes up to 2 centimeters. They are dense to the touch, severe pain appears.
Lymphadenitis against the background of gonorrhea is accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process in the adjacent lymphatic vessels, which, on palpation, look like sharply painful and dense strands.
Now it is clear what lymphadenopathy of the external and inguinal lymph nodes is.
Features of inguinal lymphadenitis in women
Quite often, inguinal lymphadenitis in women develops against the background of various diseases of the gynecological sphere, such as:
- Tumor formations in the genital organs, in particular in older women.
- Bartolinitis, which is an inflammatory process localized in the glands of the labia.
- Peritonitis, which is an inflammatory process in the peritoneum that covers the appendages and uterus.
- Endometritis, which is an inflammation of the uterus.
- Adnexitis is an inflammatory process affecting the tubes and ovaries.
Most of the inflammations mentioned above occur with a small number of symptoms, have a chronic form. Most often, a woman does not even pay attention to the first signs of the disease. In this connection, the appeal to the doctor occurs at a time when the disease is already moving into an advanced stage. However, with a proper and attentive attitude to the state of he alth, pathology can be detected at the very initial stages of development. Indispensable in this case will be such diagnostic tests as comprehensive studies for infections, cytological, histological analyzes, ultrasound, vaginal examination.
Where is the lymph node in the groin, a woman may not know. In rare cases, inflammation occurs during pregnancy. It is associated, most often, with a purulent process on the skin of the legs or bartholinitis. The diagnosis can be established by a simple visual examination.
In what cases is the removal of lymph nodes performed? More on that below.
Contact a specialist
If one or more rounded formations were found on their own in the inguinal region, then you should contact a specialist. The patient may be misled by the absence of symptoms such as pain, redness, fever. Despite this, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. Doctors keep repeating that each disease develops according to its own pattern and may not have classic symptoms.
Thus, the inflammatory process in the lymph nodes is a good reason to turn toqualified specialist. However, the patient should know which doctor to visit. Depending on the reasons for the development of lymphadenitis, the help of the following doctors may be necessary:
- Gynecologist or urologist.
- Dermatovenereologist (if there are signs of a disease that could be obtained sexually).
- Oncohematologist (if there are changes in the composition of the blood).
- Surgeon (in the presence of a large visual abscess).
- Infectionist (if there are clear signs of an infectious pathology).
If the patient has doubts about the specialist to visit, and the cause of the disease remains unclear, then the safe option would be to contact the therapist. He will be able to conduct an initial examination, based on the results of which he will give a recommendation to the patient which doctor to visit.
Before starting the treatment of inguinal lymphadenopathy in men and women, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out.
Diagnosis
At the initial stages, the diagnosis is based on interviewing the patient, collecting his complaints, general examination, conducting a general clinical blood test, palpation.
A competent specialist will definitely find out from the patient information about the presence of injuries of the lower extremities, unprotected sexual contacts. Has the patient suffered recently from inflammation of the nasopharynx, has he been bitten by rats or ticks.
After the initial diagnosis is established, it mayadditional specific studies are required to identify the nature of lymphadenitis. Among them:
- Study of culture of purulent discharge.
- Biopsy.
- PCR diagnostics.
- A blood test for the presence of antibodies.
- Smears from mucous membranes.
Ultrasound of the inguinal region is also an effective study that gives an idea of changes in the tissues of the affected lymph nodes, the nature of these changes. If there is a suspicion of inguinal lymphadenopathy in women and men, first of all, the specialist should exclude such an emergency surgical pathology as an inguinal hernia. If the latter is confirmed, then the patient is shown immediate surgical intervention.
Therapy of inguinal lymphadenitis
How to treat lymph nodes in the groin in men? Therapy can be general, specific, surgical.
General therapy refers to the relief of the symptoms of the inflammatory process. The patient in this case should adhere to the following recommendations:
- Bed rest is important.
- Dietary, light food should be preferred. High-calorie and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet.
- It is recommended to take antibiotics that will eliminate the infection. Until the exact cause of the disease is identified, broad-spectrum antibiotics may be used.
In addition, may be assignedpainkillers, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamin complexes. It is strictly forbidden to warm the affected area.
Under specific therapy understand the elimination of the cause of lymphadenitis. The specialist prescribes treatment after receiving the results of laboratory diagnostics and confirming the diagnosis.
Most often, specific therapy involves taking highly targeted antibacterial drugs, immunoglobulins, antiviral drugs.
Surgical therapy to remove lymph nodes is prescribed extremely rarely, it is indicated if there is purulent lymphadenitis, necrosis of the node and nearby tissues. An autopsy can also be performed with bartholinitis, which has passed into the abscess stage.
Forecast
In inguinal lymphadenitis, the prognosis is positive if the cause of inflammation is accurately determined and treatment is started in a timely manner.
The increase in nodes persists for a long time with infectious mononucleosis, erysipelas, inguinal lymphogranulomatosis (if it is complicated by a purulent fistula), venereal diseases.
For other reasons, timely therapy can eliminate the signs of lymphadenitis quite quickly.
Prevention of inguinal lymphadenitis suggests:
- Protected sex.
- Activities to improve general immunity.
- Prevention of injury to the skin on the lower extremities.
- Careful, and most importantly, timely treatment of skin injuries.
Wefound out it was lymphadenopathy.
