Swollen lymph node for 4 months or more?

hi. for 6 or 7 months i'm struggling with what seems to be a chronic sinusitis.. it has progressed from mild discomfort in the nose to headaches, toothaches, postnasal drip and sore throat.

about 4 months ago i first noticed a lymph node on the side with my maxillar sinus infection. it's moveable, hard, and constant size of about 1,5 cm. can it be caused by chronic sinusitis or (from what i've read) is it some form of head malignancy?

had an sinus xray 5 months ago, left maxillary sinusitis the result, but my discomfort is on the right side.

i'm quite scared.

also, i've been toying with it constantly for the last 4 months, measuring any modifications. i guess this can be a cause of the inflammation. also had chickenpox 3 months ago.

i've been to docs and all say sinusitis, and that i shouldn't worry about the lymph node, but none of them are reassuring enough.

i also have friends that also have one or more hard simmilar nodes, but i get the impression that not as big as mine.

blood tests ok one month ago, also diagnosed with deviated septum. been prescribed decongestants for my always blocked nose.

18 yrs of age

Your infection could have caused your lymph node to swell initially. But after toying with it and checking it every day it is most likely due to being bothered. A lymph node can actually swell and stay that size if being constantly messed with. So a doctor will not be able to make any assumptions from that particular lymph node. If you are worried about a lymphoma it's most likley going to take some blood work due to you may have permanantley enlarged your gland. If the blood tests were ok I wouldn't worry too much. The lymphatic system can be affected by many things it may not be totally dependent on your sinuitis. But a chronic condition could keep your lymph node swollen.

I don't think there is reason to worry yet about cancer, since you are most likely still suffering from an infection, which can explain your swollen lymph node.

Usually, in lymphoma (the cancer that will specifically cause severe lymph node swelling), the swollen node(s) will be painless, and other weird symptoms can be present (severe itching, patches of dried skin, night sweats, weight loss, unusual fatigue).

However the fact that you are still having sinusitis might indicate bacterial infection. You do not say if you have been treated yet with antibiotics, but that might be something to speak to your doctor about, or seek second opinion. If the sinusitis is treated, everything, including your swollen lymph node, should go back to normal.

From a personal experence if you have a lymph node swollen for that long you need a 2nd opinion from another dr. I have a lymph node the size of a golf ball above my clavicle right now and I am going to see an onlcolgist in the next week for it. The blood test all showed no infection viral or bacterial and that my wbc was low...
HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO!