Symptoms A-Z
Mild Neck Swelling Symptoms, Causes & Common Questions
Understand mild neck swelling symptoms, including 7 causes & common questions.
Updated on
Reviewed by Buoy Medical Review Team
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Contents
7 Possible Mild Neck Swelling Causes
The list below shows results from the use of our quiz by Buoy users who experienced mild neck swelling. This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.
Retropharyngeal abscess (adult)
Retropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It is a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
Rarity: Ultra rare
Top Symptoms: sore throat, loss of appetite, fever, shortness of breath, being severely ill
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
Ludwig's angina
Ludwig's angina is a rare but serious infection of the space below the jaw and the floor of the mouth, under the tongue. This illness is not to be confused with "angina" which refers to cardiac pain due to coronary artery disease. The infection usually starts in the floor of the mouth th...
Overactive thyroid
The thyroid is a small, bow-tie shaped gland in your neck. Its main job is to produce thyroid hormone (known as T3 or T4), which serves a wide array of functions throughout the body.
When too much thyroid hormone is released, the body’s metabolism gets ramped up, causing symptoms ...
Mild Neck Swelling Symptom Checker
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Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
Enlarged lymph nodes occur when the node becomes larger as it fills with inflammatory cells. This often is a result of an infection but can occur without a known cause.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: neck bump, movable neck lump
Symptoms that always occur with enlarged lymph nodes in the neck: neck bump
Symptoms that never occur with enlarged lymph nodes in the neck: unintentional weight loss, fever, hard neck lump
Urgency: Phone call or in-person visit
Head and neck cancer
There are five main types of head and neck cancer, which are all named according to the part of the body where they develop: laryngeal (voice box), nasal cavity and sinus, nasopharyngeal (air passage way behind the nose), oral (mouth), and salivary gland cancers. Most of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), meaning they begin in the flat (squamous) cells that make up the thin surface layer of the structures in the head and neck.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, hoarse voice, neck bump, ear canal pain
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Viral throat infection
A viral throat infection is an infection of the throat, or pharynx, that is caused by viruses. Viruses are different from bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogenes (which causes "strep throat"). Viral infections are the most common cause of sore throats in children and adu...
Acute thyroiditis
Acute thyroiditis is a rare inflammation of the thyroid gland caused by an infection, radiation, medication, or trauma.
Rarity: Ultra rare
Top Symptoms: sore throat, fever, being severely ill, hoarse voice, pain in the front of the neck
Symptoms that always occur with acute thyroiditis: pain in the front of the neck
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
Questions Your Doctor May Ask About Mild Neck Swelling
To diagnose this condition, your doctor would likely ask the following questions:
- If you touch the swollen area, is there pain?
- Do food or drinks get stuck when you swallow?
- Did you recently injure your neck?
- Any fever today or during the last week?
The above questions are also covered by our A.I. Health Assistant.
If you've answered yes to one or more of these questions
Take a quiz to find out what might be causing your mild neck swelling
Mild Neck Swelling Symptom Checker Statistics
People who have experienced mild neck swelling have also experienced:
- 7% Headache
- 5% Neck Pain On One Side
- 4% Itchy Rash
People who have experienced mild neck swelling were most often matched with:
- 40% Retropharyngeal Abscess (Adult)
- 40% Ludwig'S Angina
- 20% Overactive Thyroid
People who have experienced mild neck swelling had symptoms persist for:
- 33% Less than a week
- 25% Over a month
- 24% Less than a day
Source: Aggregated and anonymized results from visits to the Buoy AI health assistant (check it out by clicking on “Take Quiz”).
Mild Neck Swelling Symptom Checker
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Disclaimer: The article does not replace an evaluation by a physician. Information on this page is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.