The ancient Greeks discovered that the human body except the red fluid to flow more transparent, and named it lymphomas, which in Greek means «pure water, humidity». Lymph flow in lymphatic vessels, cutting, and blood, our whole body. On the path of lymph vessels are lymph nodes. What are they for?
Filter it at in an instant
Every person has from 400 to 1000 lymph nodes in the body. They are in cavities and bends of the limbs, neck, under jaw, in the chest and abdominal cavities. They mature immune cells. Each node of days away «collects» lymph from a particular site and filter it from harmful impurities. They may be disease causing micro-organisms, faulty cells, alien proteins.
What happens to the impurities left in the lymph nodes? They attack the immune cells – macrophages, and literally consume the enemy. However, if the load on the site is great (for example, in the tissues from which lymph flows, there was inflammation), for him it does not pass without leaving a trace: site is becoming more and may even inflame. When the illness is passes, lymph node will decrease, but it will always be a little more dense than before.
How many hearts in the frog
The liquid portion of blood leaks out of capillaries in the intercellular spaces, forming lymph. She washes the fabric, and then going to the lymph vessels that return it to the veins. Some animals, such as fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds, under the skin in specific structures, which are called «lymphatic hearts» – they are the muscles that are contracting and push the liquid in one direction. In humans, these «hearts» no.
In young children who have no time to perebolet in your life can not be touching the lymph nodes under the skin, so they are soft and tiny. But who of us, adults, unfamiliar even with the cold? Therefore, our lymph nodes are also touched on the neck and under the jaw. Most people, however, the fold limbs, these biological «filters» remain the same as in infants – is not easy to find them, if that arm or leg has never been inflammation. It is more difficult with all the nodes located deep in the abdominal or thoracic cavity: do not touch and do not see it. There are times when even the experts are inflamed lymph nodes in the abdomen for appendicitis.
What will create lymph nodes
When the doctor feel lymph nodes, he drew attention to their quality: painful or not, whether they are large, knitted whether among themselves and with surrounding tissues. These characteristics may help to put an accurate diagnosis.
* Painless increase in lymph node is called lymphadenopathy and said that in the next nesting tissue disease.
* Painful increased lymph node (lymphadenitis), suggests that inflammation occurs within it. In this case, biological «filter» unable to cope with the harmful bacteria (a weakened immune system or infection especially strong) and exposed to attack by microbes. Sometimes it comes to suppuration, which is very dangerous: pus may form a phlegm: extensive spill between the layers of tissue (to remove it can only surgeon).
* If the lymph nodes are very dense and merge into a single sedentary range, the doctor may suspect the patient of malignant tumors.
Our cancer cells
Each of us formed up to 100 000 cancer cells per day – that is, those who because of a genetic “malfunction” changed the properties – from the envelope proteins in the ability to proliferate uncontrollably. They have another feature – they are easily separated from their places of origin and begin the journey through the body. The first thing they get into the lymphatic system and then dismantled in the lymph nodes. If a hereditary predisposition to cancer in humans is formed the same number of defective cells, like every other, but reduced their ability to filter the lymph nodes, as well as the ability of immune cells to find them and destroy the tissue.
When lowered immunity
When angina occurs local lymphadenopathy in the neck, and with sexually transmitted diseases – in the inguinal area. However, certain diseases cause generalized (ie, widespread) increase lymph nodes. This happens, for example, in AIDS. On the one hand this is a good sign, meaning that the immune system is actively fighting the dangerous immunodeficiency virus, and on the other hand – a symptom of a terrible disease. AIDS as a result of waning immunity, and lymph nodes lose their ability to fight bacteria and cancer cells. Patients with HIV may die, but not from the virus, but from associated infections and tumors.
Six myths about AIDS
Only do not need to panic: most often, if you find yourself enlarged lymph node – the certificate of immunity works. In order to discover the cause of its activation, it is better to go to the doctor. A common cause of some random cat scratch, rhinitis, or a simple caries. Only a specialist can properly assess all the symptoms and to understand whether your condition is dangerous. Often do not require any special treatment of lymphatic system – but only to cure a tooth or a sore throat. During the life of any human lymph nodes increased many times, that does not count – and, as a rule, nothing horrible is not threatened.
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April 13th, 2009 |
