Why are my glands swollen but I'm not sick? A look at common and rare causes

September 30, 2025 •

4 min read

Approximately 1-2% of all medical visits involve a patient concerned about swollen lymph nodes. While an obvious infection is the most frequent cause, it’s not uncommon to ask, "Why are my glands swollen but I'm not sick?" Fortunately, there are several benign reasons for this phenomenon, but understanding the signs is key.

Quick Summary

Lymph nodes can swell due to an immune system response, even when you don't feel ill. Potential reasons include recent resolved infections, lingering low-grade inflammation, allergies, physical strain, or a reaction to a vaccine. While often harmless, persistent, painless, or fixed swelling can sometimes indicate a more serious condition, so monitoring is essential.

Key Points

Immune System Response: Swollen glands are often just a sign that your lymphatic system is actively working, even if you don't feel overtly sick.
Lingering Swelling: Nodes can stay enlarged for a couple of weeks after a minor or resolved infection has passed.
Allergies and Inflammation: While not a direct cause, allergies can lead to secondary inflammation or infections (like sinusitis) that cause lymph node swelling.
Vaccinations and Medications: Recent vaccines or certain prescription drugs can cause temporary, harmless swelling in nearby lymph nodes.
Know the Red Flags: Seek medical advice if swelling is persistent, painless, hard, fixed, or accompanied by night sweats or weight loss, as this can indicate a more serious issue.
Autoimmune Conditions: Persistent inflammation from an autoimmune disease like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can cause swollen lymph nodes.

The glands you feel in your neck, armpits, and groin are actually lymph nodes, small, bean-shaped structures that are a crucial part of your body's immune system. They act as filters, trapping and destroying harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, and waste products. When your body detects a problem, the lymph nodes nearest the affected area swell as immune cells rush to the site, causing them to become more prominent and sometimes tender. This immune reaction doesn't always coincide with feeling sick, leading to confusion.

Lingering Effects of a Recent Infection

One of the most common reasons for swollen glands without obvious current illness is a recent infection that has already resolved. Your lymphatic system continues working to clear out the last of the pathogens, and the nodes may remain enlarged for a week or two after you feel better. Additionally, minor infections you may not have even noticed, such as a small skin cut, a dental abscess, or a low-grade sinus infection, can trigger localized swelling.

Non-Infectious Causes of Gland Swelling

Beyond infections, there is a range of non-infectious factors that can cause lymph nodes to swell, often without making you feel unwell.

Allergies

While allergies themselves, particularly seasonal ones, do not typically cause swollen lymph nodes, the resulting inflammation can lead to a secondary infection that does. Chronic postnasal drip from allergic rhinitis, for example, can cause enough irritation in the throat to activate nearby lymph nodes. In rare cases, severe allergic drug reactions, like Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, can cause generalized swelling.

Injuries and physical strain

An injury or overexertion can lead to swelling in nearby lymph nodes. Intense exercise, for instance, can stress the body and prompt the lymphatic system to work overtime to clear muscle waste products, leading to temporary swelling, especially in the armpit or groin area. A localized injury, such as a cat scratch, can also cause the regional lymph nodes to swell as the body's immune system responds.

Medications and vaccines

Certain medications are known to cause swollen lymph nodes as a side effect. Examples include some anti-seizure drugs (like phenytoin) and some antibiotics. A recent vaccination, such as the COVID-19 vaccine, can also cause temporary swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck or armpit as the body mounts an immune response.

Chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders

Chronic conditions can cause ongoing inflammation throughout the body, resulting in persistent lymph node swelling. Autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, are a prime example.

Lupus: Can cause widespread inflammation, including swollen lymph nodes.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: A chronic inflammatory disorder that can cause generalized lymph node swelling.
Sarcoidosis: This inflammatory disease often affects the lymph nodes, leading to swelling.

When to Consider a More Serious Cause

Although less common, some serious conditions can cause swollen lymph nodes, often without pain or other noticeable symptoms. These include:

Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymphatic system.
Leukemia: Cancer of the blood-forming tissue.
Metastatic cancer: Cancer that has spread from another part of the body.

What do they feel like?

Normal swollen lymph nodes are typically soft, movable, and feel like small, firm lumps under the skin. However, characteristics that could point to a more serious issue include:

Hardness: Nodes that feel hard, like a stone.
Fixed position: Nodes that do not move when you press on them.
Excessive size: Larger than 1-2 centimeters (about the size of a grape).

Comparison of Swollen Lymph Node Characteristics


Feature	Common (e.g., Post-Infection)	Concerning (e.g., Cancer)
Feel	Soft, rubbery, and mobile	Hard, firm, and fixed in place
Tenderness	Often tender or painful	Usually painless
Duration	Resolves within 2-4 weeks	Persists for weeks or months, may grow
Size	Small, pea to bean-sized	Large or growing continuously
Additional Symptoms	Typically none, as illness has passed	Night sweats, unexplained weight loss, fever
Location	Localized to one area near an infection	Can be widespread or located above the collarbone

Conclusion: When to see a doctor

In most cases, swollen glands are a normal, harmless sign that your immune system is simply doing its job. If your glands remain swollen for more than two to four weeks, continue to grow, feel hard, or are accompanied by unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or a persistent fever, it is important to consult a healthcare provider. While rare, persistent, painless swelling can sometimes be the only initial sign of a serious condition, so don't ignore it. A doctor can help determine the underlying cause and recommend appropriate action, providing peace of mind. For further reading on the lymphatic system, the Cleveland Clinic offers an excellent resource detailing the function and purpose of lymph nodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stress and anxiety do not directly cause swollen lymph nodes, but chronic stress can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to minor infections that can cause swelling. Some people may also mistake muscle tension or heightened body awareness from anxiety for swollen nodes.

While most swollen glands are harmless, you should see a doctor if they feel hard, rubbery, or fixed in place. Other red flags include swelling lasting more than a few weeks, rapid growth, or accompanying symptoms like unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or fever.

An old injury itself will not cause ongoing lymph node swelling. However, a recent injury, cut, or skin irritation near a lymph node can cause it to swell as the body works to heal the area and prevent infection.

Seasonal allergies do not directly cause glands to swell, but they can increase your risk for secondary infections, such as a sinus infection, which can lead to swollen lymph nodes. Chronic postnasal drip can also cause irritation in the throat, leading to localized swelling.

Lymph nodes swollen from an infection are typically tender, soft, and movable, and the swelling resolves as you recover. Swollen nodes due to cancer are often painless, hard, fixed in place, and persist or grow over time, sometimes for months.

Yes, intense physical activity or over-exercising can cause temporary lymph node swelling as the lymphatic system processes waste products. This usually resolves on its own and isn't a cause for concern unless it persists.

Yes, lymph nodes are located throughout the body, and you may feel them in your armpits, groin, under the jaw, or on the back of your head. The location can often provide a clue as to the cause.

A single swollen gland is often a sign of a localized, non-serious issue like a minor cut or dental problem. However, if it has the characteristics of a more serious node (hard, fixed, growing, painless), or is located above the collarbone, it warrants a doctor's evaluation.