How do I get the diagnosis for my puffy lymph nodes?

Maybe talk to an immunologist (immune disorders, lymph system plays a big role) or oncologist (cancer specialist) or internist (generalist, who can refer you to an immunologist or oncologist depending on their diagnosis).

I would start by going to your PCP and ask him or her where you should go for consultation. That seems the only sensible course of action.

Not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.

Nodes relating to cancer, usually just keep getting larger – they generally don’t shrink and swell. They also tend to be hard and not very movable. again, not a doctor – just a cancer patient.

Nodes that swell and go down are a sign that you may be fighting an infection. Our nodes can swell without us ever knowing that they are swollen. Go to your PCP, tell them about the on-again, off-again swelling and go from there. Do not read into a lot of stuff on the internet, believe me. You will be convinced you are dying within an hour. There is a lot of information out there, but a lot of factors to determine what is really going on.

Do you have any other symptoms? Fever? Decreased appetite? Allergies, possibly? Dietary changes? Really look at what is going on in your life.

See your PCP, they’ll tell you to see an ENT (most likely) I had issues with my lymph nodes doing what you describe…I had to have one removed for a biopsy. Scary, but like @cak said..the getting bigger than smaller isn’t usually cancer.

I had swollen lymph nodes for years, I won’t go into all of the details, but I knew I had an infection but could not get it diagnosed. All cultures normal. They tested for all sorts of rheumatological conditions also, all negative, although my ESR was elevated. I got lucky and came accross an antibiotic that helped while being treated for something else. I wound up taking megadoses of the drug and am significanlty better, but still have some problems. My ESR went back down to normal.

Hopefully your body will heal on it’s own or your doc will get to the bottom of it quickly and it is nothing as serious as cancer.

Good Luck.