Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side

Occipital lymph nodes
Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side

Superficial lymph glands and lymphatic vessels of head and neck. (Occipital glands labeled at center left.)

Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side

Lymph nodes at surface:

  • 1. Occipital (retroauricular)
  • 2. Mastoid
  • 3. Superficial parotid
  • 4. Deep parotid
  • 5. Preauricular
  • 6. Infra-auricular
  • 7. Intraglandular parotid

Facial lymph nodes:

  • 8. Buccinator
  • 9. Nasolabial
  • 10. Mandibular
  • 11. Anterior cervical (superficial jugular)
  • 12. Superficial cervical (external jugular)

Details
SystemLymphatic system
Drains fromscalp, occiput
Identifiers
Latinnodi lymphoidei occipitales
FMA61214
Anatomical terminology

[edit on Wikidata]

The occipital lymph nodes, one to three in number, are located on the back of the head close to the margin of the trapezius and resting on the insertion of the semispinalis capitis.

Their afferent vessels drain the occipital region of the scalp, while their efferents pass to the superior deep cervical glands.

Contents

  • 1 Additional images
  • 2 Etymology
  • 3 References
  • 4 External links

Additional images[edit]

  • Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side

Etymology[edit]

The word occipital comes from the Latin: occiput ("the back of the head").

References[edit]

Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 692 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  • lesson5 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (livingnecklateral)
  • http://www.patient.info
  • http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic306.htm#section~anatomy_of_the_cervical_lymphatics

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Anatomy of the lymphatic system

Head and neck
Head
Back

  • Occipital
  • Mastoid/retroauricular
  • Parotid
    • Superficial
    • Deep
      • preauricular
      • infra-auricular
      • intraglandular

Front

  • Facial
    • buccinator
    • nasolabial
  • Mandibular
    • Submandibular
  • Submental

Cervical
Superficial

  • anterior
  • lateral

Deep

  • Deep anterior cervical
    • pretracheal
    • paratracheal
    • prelaryngeal
    • thyroid
  • Deep lateral cervical
    • superior deep cervical
    • inferior deep cervical
    • retropharyngeal
    • jugulodigastric
    • jugulo-omohyoid

Other

  • Anterior cervical
  • Lateral cervical
  • Supraclavicular

Vessels

  • Jugular trunk

Arm and axilla
Nodes

  • Axillary
    • Brachial
    • Pectoral
    • Subscapular
    • Central
    • Apical
  • Arm
    • Supratrochlear
    • Deltopectoral

Vessels

  • Subclavian lymph trunk

Chest
Nodes

  • Parasternal
  • Intercostal
  • Superior diaphragmatic
  • Trachea and bronchi
    • superior
    • inferior
    • bronchopulmonary
    • paratracheal
    • intrapulmonary

Vessels

  • Thoracic duct
  • Right lymphatic duct
  • Bronchomediastinal lymph trunk

Abdomen
Nodes

  • Retroaortic
  • Paraaortic
  • Preaortic
  • Celiac
    • gastric
    • hepatic
    • splenic
  • Superior mesenteric
    • mesenteric
    • ileocolic
    • mesocolic
  • Inferior mesenteric
    • pararectal
  • Iliac
    • Common
    • external
    • internal
  • Sacral
  • Retroperitoneal

Vessels

  • Lumbar lymph trunk
  • Intestinal trunk
  • Cisterna chyli

Leg

  • Inguinal
    • deep
      • Cloquet's node
    • superficial
  • Popliteal

Portal:

Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side
 Anatomy

Swollen occipital lymph nodes on one side

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What causes swollen lymph nodes in back of head?

Throat infections, tonsillitis, the common cold and tooth-related infections may cause lymph glands in the neck to swell. Scalp skin conditions or even head lice may cause the lymph glands at the back of the head to swell.

Can you get cancer in occipital lymph nodes?

Metastasis to the occipital lymph node is uncommon. It occasionally occurs in cases of skin cancer or malignancies of the cutaneous appendages of the head and neck, scalp lipoma or liposarcoma, scalp inflammation, lymphoma, malignancies of the external auditory canal, and melanoma of the head and neck.

How long does it take for occipital lymph nodes to go down?

They last for longer than two weeks – Swollen glands caused by an infection will normally go down within two or three weeks (i.e until the infection has been naturally dealt with). Make sure you visit your GP if your lymph nodes don't seem to be improving within this time or aren't getting better with antibiotics.

How do you treat swollen occipital lymph nodes?

Apply a warm, wet compress, such as a washcloth dipped in hot water and wrung out, to the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers.