Cervical lymph nodes

Looks like

Chains of small beans down the sides and front of the neck, often felt during a sore throat.

What it does

Filter lymph from the head, mouth and throat.

Keeping it well

Nothing routine; a node over 2 cm, hard or growing for weeks needs assessment, especially in a smoker.

Its parts

• Lateral cervical nodes
• Facial nodes
• Deep parotid nodes
• Mastoid nodes
• Occipital nodes
• Anterior cervical nodes
• Retropharyngeal nodes
• Submandibular nodes
• Submental nodes
• Superficial parotid nodes
• Supraclavicular nodes

Related conditions

• African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
• Cat-scratch disease
• Head and neck cancer
• Mpox (monkeypox)
• Rubella (German measles)
• Thyroid cancer
• Tonsillitis & quinsy