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These cases began to be documented in late February in the United States and have become widespread as the rate of vaccination advances around the world. They do not require treatment and disappear in a matter of weeksAlthough it is recommended to consult a doctor if after six weeks of vaccination the discomfort has not subsided.
This effect that causes pain in the armpits or in the area near the chest or clavicle appears several days after receiving doses and it can be extended about 10 days. And its main drawback is that this swelling of the lymph nodes is detected in mammograms, CT scans and MRIs, so it can raise unnecessary alarms, which oncologists have already learned to diagnose.
Tips from oncologists to avoid scares
“We are seeing more and more frequently in the check-ups pictures of patients with reactive lymphadenitis who refer recent vaccination,” he assured Telemadrid a few days ago Gabriela Torres, scientific secretary of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology.
Oncologists do not recommend delaying planned tests, although they do recommend that the patient report recent vaccination to avoid misdiagnoses. In addition, to avoid surprises in this type of case in patients with a clinical history of cancer, professionals recommend, among other things:
-Administer the vaccine on the side opposite to the one that presents the cancer
-Inform the patient in advance that this may be a common effect
-If less than six weeks have passed since the vaccine, assume that the most likely diagnosis is vaccine-reactive lymphadenitis
-If more than six weeks have passed, carry out additional tests
What are lymph nodes and why do they get swollen
Lymph nodes are one of the main immune defenses of the human body and are present in many areas, including the armpits. They work like filters by trapping viruses, bacteria, and other causes of disease before they can infect other parts of the body.
By introducing the components of the messenger RNA vaccinesAs they are Pfizer or Moderna, the body’s immune reaction is intense, which can cause the special activation and inflammation of these nodes, as well as pain in the area of the arm near where the puncture was administered.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes, beyond Covid vaccines, is usually associated with infections, commonly pharyngitis, ear or mouth infections, wounds, skin infections, measles or mononucleosis.
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