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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Knot On Left Side Of Throat?

yes it feels like there is a knot on the left side of my throat going up and down my neck to my ear,it came on very suddenly also I have a headache with it.oh and I have very bad anxiety attacks that I take xanax for,so I dont know if this is anxiety or something else
Thu, 4 Sep 2014
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ENT Specialist,  's  Response
Hi. The knot that you describe on the left side of your throat sounds like it is an enlarged cervical lymph node. Lymph nodes act as filters or traps for foreign particles and are important in the proper functioning of the immune system. They are packed tightly with white blood cells that help in fighting infections. Lymph nodes become large and prominent, many times painful during infections.

Since there is no clear symptom pointing towards an infection I would suggest you have an ENT examine your neck, throat and ears to identify the source of an infection. If no source for infection is identified then the lymph node can be evaluated for other causes.

It is worth noting that Xanax has been known to cause enlarged neck lymph nodes and headaches as a side effect of withdrawal or irregular usage in a few patients. However, it is not the first thing we would consider. Do check with the physician who prescribed you the xanax and gather his views on this as well.
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What Causes Knot On Left Side Of Throat?

Hi. The knot that you describe on the left side of your throat sounds like it is an enlarged cervical lymph node. Lymph nodes act as filters or traps for foreign particles and are important in the proper functioning of the immune system. They are packed tightly with white blood cells that help in fighting infections. Lymph nodes become large and prominent, many times painful during infections. Since there is no clear symptom pointing towards an infection I would suggest you have an ENT examine your neck, throat and ears to identify the source of an infection. If no source for infection is identified then the lymph node can be evaluated for other causes. It is worth noting that Xanax has been known to cause enlarged neck lymph nodes and headaches as a side effect of withdrawal or irregular usage in a few patients. However, it is not the first thing we would consider. Do check with the physician who prescribed you the xanax and gather his views on this as well.