“Sometimes, I can’t sleep and wake up hollering,” shared one MyEczemaTeam member. “Also, my lymph nodes have swollen up behind my ear. I’m starting to think it’s more than just eczema.”

Lymph nodes work with the immune and lymphatic systems to help fight infections. Many things can cause swollen lymph nodes in different parts of the body. If you have an ongoing condition like eczema and notice swollen lymph nodes, it may be worrying.

Keep reading to find out what the research says about swollen lymph nodes and eczema.

What Are Lymph Nodes?

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs found throughout your body. Adults can have up to 800 lymph nodes. You can often feel them behind the ears and in your neck, armpits, and groin. Lymph nodes have three main jobs:

• Recycling and moving fluid back into your body’s cells and tissues
• Filtering out harmful substances
• Fighting infections and illnesses

The medical term for swollen lymph nodes is lymphadenopathy. Swollen lymph nodes may feel soft, rubbery, tender, and sometimes painful. Some known causes of swollen lymph nodes include:

• A bacterial, fungal, or viral infection
• Certain medications
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some types of cancer

There are two main types of lymphadenopathy — local and generalized. Local lymphadenopathy happens when only a few lymph nodes near an infection swell. This often happens with common infections like colds, sinus infections, or strep throat.

Generalized lymphadenopathy means lymph nodes all over the body are swollen. This can happen with autoimmune diseases or some cancers.

Eczema and Swollen Lymph Nodes

Can eczema cause swollen lymph nodes in adults? Yes it can — but usually not directly. When your body fights an infection or illness, your lymph nodes release special white blood cells called lymphocytes. If there are too many lymphocytes, it can cause your lymph nodes to swell. Although swollen lymph nodes are common during infections, people with eczema may notice swollen lymph nodes for other reasons, too.

“My surgeon removed my lymph nodes to check for cancer,” one MyEczemaTeam member shared. “Turned out, it was just from my eczema causing my lymph nodes to swell for years.”

Infections

Lymph nodes may swell due to secondary infections from skin conditions. People with eczema often have a weak skin barrier and a higher potential for open areas of skin, like cuts, scrapes, and sores. Open skin areas make it easier for germs to enter the body and cause infection.

Common infections linked to eczema include bacterial, fungal, and viral infections.

Weeping Eczema

Weeping eczema is a more severe type of eczema. According to Cleveland Clinic, weeping eczema can cause red or purple blisters that ooze clear or yellow fluid. These open areas can get infected. Staphylococcus bacterial infections are the most common infection in people with weeping eczema. Symptoms of infection may include tiredness, chills, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

Impetigo

Impetigo is a type of skin condition caused by a bacterial infection. It can happen when eczema sores are scratched open, which allows bacteria to enter. Impetigo creates itchy blisters that can appear around the mouth or nose. Symptoms can include itchiness, sores, blisters, and swollen lymph nodes.

Eczema Herpeticum

This happens when a person with eczema gets infected with the herpes simplex virus, the same virus that causes cold sores. People with eczema can get this infection on their skin and develop eczema herpeticum. This can also be a pediatric condition that affects infants and children. Eczema herpeticum can spread through skin-to-skin contact. It causes blisters that are usually around the mouth and the body, and may cause swollen lymph nodes.

Medications

Some medications can cause swollen lymph nodes. This includes a group of treatments called biologics. Biologic drugs are made from living cells or proteins and can lead to swollen lymph nodes. They help reduce long-term inflammation by targeting certain parts of the immune system.

In recent years, new biologic therapies have become available for eczema. One group of these drugs is called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. These are pills approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

Although it’s rare, JAK inhibitors may increase the risk of cancers like lymphoma, which can lead to swollen lymph nodes. However, researchers aren’t sure how much this risk increases, if at all, compared to the general population. More research is needed to fully understand the connection.

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases happen when the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues, or organs. Autoimmune diseases that can cause swelling of the lymph nodes include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sarcoidosis
• Sjögren’s disease
• Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)

Even though eczema involves the immune system, it’s an inflammatory skin disease and is not considered an autoimmune disease. In eczema, the immune system is overactive, but it doesn’t attack the specific cells or tissues in the body in the same way autoimmune diseases do.

According to the National Eczema Association, eczema symptoms often get worse because of:

• A weak skin barrier
• Exposure to environmental irritants
• Skin infections

These triggers can lead to more inflammation and scratching, which can keep the cycle going.

Some research shows that people with atopic dermatitis — the most common type of eczema — might have a higher risk of also developing autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. But more research is needed to understand this link.

What’s the Treatment for Swollen Lymph Nodes?

Treatment will vary depending on the cause of your swollen lymph nodes. Therapies may include bed rest, applying warm compresses to the swollen area, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers to manage common cold symptoms. In moderate to severe cases of eczema, your doctor may prescribe oral medications or creams to put on your skin.

“Since I have been on treatment, my lymph nodes have returned to normal. I never thought I would say that,” shared one MyEczemaTeam member. “I thought I would be in a constant state of agony.”

If swollen lymph nodes are caused by autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, treating the main disease is usually the best way to reduce the swelling.

When Should You See a Doctor About Your Lymph Nodes?

See a doctor if you have a lymph node that’s larger than 1.5 centimeters, or if it’s hard, fixed, or lasts longer than two weeks. Watch out for warning signs, such as a fever that lasts more than a few days, unexplained weight loss, or night sweats.

Note any additional symptoms you experience if your lymph nodes are swollen, such as:

• Drainage (oozing pus) from the skin over the lymph nodes
• Fatigue
• Discolored skin over the lymph nodes
• Rapid swelling of the lymph nodes

Although eczema isn’t yet known to cause swollen lymph nodes directly, the two may be connected. Severe eczema can lead to secondary infections or other complications that may cause swollen lymph nodes.

If you have swollen lymph nodes and eczema — or notice any of the signs above — it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MyEczemaTeam, the social network for people with eczema and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with eczema.

Are you living with eczema? Have you had swollen lymph nodes? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.