Can anyone help? Swollen lymph nodes

Phil1969

Hello,

I am desperately trying to find out what is wrong with my wife or if I am worrying about nothing. And, now I am thinking is it possibly a dental issue.

My wife has been sick for around 9-10 weeks now, she has had swollen nymph nodes in her neck since the beginning plus she also had some toothache during this time in the beginning which faded. She also had a very sore throat and the 1st GP diagnosed her with a bacterial tonsillitis and she was given antibiotics. She visited GP again after her legs/body became infected with a bacteria infection whereby she could not walk for a week. After another GP and 4 courses of antibiotics (3 different types) the tonsillitis went away for a few days. She then began start getting headaches and a cough, went to see a 3rd GP and said she now has flu virus and was given tamiflu, she did feel slightly better after this but again went back to having pretty much all of the symptoms including tinnitus. Eventually after 6 weeks I then asked her own GP for her to be referred to the A+E as she was having severe headaches. We arrived by taxi and luckily did not wait long before being took in where I was then told by a nurse she is very ill, not just ill. After waiting a few hours we were eventually seen by 4 different docs and I quickly realised they suspected bacterial meningitis.

My was admitted to hospital and stayed 12 nights, she had chest x-ray, CT scan and MRI plus umpteen blood tests, urine tests, stool tests and goodness knows what else. She was seen by infectious diseases dpt in Mater where they also took blood for various other infectious disease blood tests.

After all the tests and spending 12 nights in isolation, all tests came back negative. And, during this period she was pumped with huge amounts of antibiotics and again when she was let out of hospital, so much so the pharmacist even commented on the huge dose of antibiotics she was prescribed 2g 4 times daily. Luckily a lot of the symptoms did go, but she now has swollen nymph nodes and severe tinnitus where she is hearing noises like plane engines.

We are waiting for an ENT appointment as the hospital referred her as an outpatient but said it may take a while.

Anyway, I have numerous things online about how dental issues can cause swollen nymph nodes in the neck and jaw line but wondering if this could of been the cause of the meningitis and swollen nymph nodes? I know how dangerous a tooth abscess can be as when our daughter was young she had something very similar and was rushed into hospital with suspected meningitis.

BTW, the hospital docs wrote an her doctors notes for her GP that her diagnosis was "Probably Viral Meningitis". Now I am no doctor, but I know antibiotics do nothing for a viral infection. I thought I wrote mention this as it may relate to the nymph nodes.

I know nymph nodes swell to fight an infection, but I also know meningitis is an infection, and something had to of caused it which the hospital and various different doctors could not find out what it was which is why I am thinking could it possibly be because of dental issues?

Sorry for the long post but I think best if I put all the details in.

Stheno

You can't get medical advice here, best to go back to your doctor

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Sound like a medical issue rather than dental.

Phil1969

Stheno wrote: »

You can't get medical advice here, best to go back to your doctor

Sorry I have not made it very clear. I am not looking for medical advice what I am wondering is if anyone has had similar issues with swollen nymph nodes and whether it was dental related.

Phil1969

Arian Mushy Chipmunk wrote: »

Sound like a medical issue rather than dental.

Yes I agree but the doctors have not found the cause, I will see if I can get her to see a dentist, I suppose no harm in checking.

Thanks guys

Caranica

Swollen lymph nodes would indicate an infection but only the professionals can diagnose. Have faith in them, consider a private ent option rather than waiting if you're very concerned.

Phil1969

Caranica wrote: »

Swollen lymph nodes would indicate an infection but only the professionals can diagnose. Have faith in them, consider a private ent option rather than waiting if you're very concerned.

Thanks. Do you know if you can go directly to a private ENT specialist? I was told a GP has to refer. I know I should have faith in doctors but she has been seen by at least 8 doctors already, hopefully an ENT will know more.

Fishorsealant

Caranica wrote: »

Swollen lymph nodes would indicate an infection but only the professionals can diagnose. Have faith in them, consider a private ent option rather than waiting if you're very concerned.

There are many other causes of swollen lymph nodes.

helimachoptor

have changed the title to lymph.

Phil1969

Fishorsealant wrote: »

There are many other causes of swollen lymph nodes.

You mean other than an infection?

davo10

Phil1969 wrote: »

You mean other than an infection?

Phil, as I'm sure you know at this stage, lymph glands/nodes play an important part in the bodies response to infection. Infections of dental origin will drain into local lymph glands. If you have an infection/abscess in a tooth which is bad enough to cause a lymph glands to swell, the tooth itself would most often be extremely painful, you would not mistake a dental abscess for any other type of problem. Also, a dental abscess will not cross the midline, an abscess on the left side of your mouth would rarely cause the glands on the right side to swell. If multiple nodes are swollen on both sides of the neck/body, it's more likely to be a systemic issue rather than a localised dental infection. Sometimes infections can be hard to identify, this adds to the worry and stress, keep on to your GP/hospital.

None the less, if you want to rule out an infection of dental origin, go to your dentist and ask for X-rays/vitality tests to be done on any suspect teeth.

Phil1969

davo10 wrote: »

Phil, as I'm sure you know at this stage, lymph glands/nodes play an important part in the bodies response to infection. Infections of dental origin will drain into local lymph glands. If you have an infection/abscess in a tooth which is bad enough to cause a lymph glands to swell, the tooth itself would most often be extremely painful, you would not mistake a dental abscess for any other type of problem. Also, a dental abscess will not cross the midline, an abscess on the left side of your mouth would rarely cause the glands on the right side to swell. If multiple nodes are swollen on both sides of the neck/body, it's more likely to be a systemic issue rather than a localised dental infection. Sometimes infections can be hard to identify, this adds to the worry and stress, keep on to your GP/hospital.

None the less, if you want to rule out an infection of dental origin, go to your dentist and ask for X-rays/vitality tests to be done on any suspect teeth.

Thanks davo10 for the advice. I do not think it is likely to be a dental problem but just wondered if it could possibly be and wanted to rule it out. However, my wife was suffering from toothache around the time she became sick, and considering how much antibiotics she has taken over the last few months, then I would imagine it could ease the pain of a tooth abscess. But I think it would be wise to rule it out especially when so many doctors have not been able to find the cause of the "probably" viral meningitis. I will keep on at the doctors and hopefully find someone that can find the cause soon. Thanks so for the advice.