Should I see a doctor for this?

Asked by livelaughlove21 (15724) January 1st, 2015 from iPhone

I started getting sick on Monday or Tuesday – scratchy throat, general blah feeling. My husband started getting sick the same day. Yesterday I noticed a pea-sized lump on the right side of my neck, toward the back of my head. It’s not tender, no pain at all. I wouldn’t describe it as freely movable or soft/squishy but it’s not really hard/solid. If you push on it, it’ll “pop” from side to side under my finger.

My husband had a fever yesterday, but I’ve still just got a scratchy throat, some chest congestion, and occasional dry cough.

I made a doctor’s appointment for tomorrow because I’m a drama queen and a hypochondriac, but I don’t want to waste perfectly good sick time at work if it’s just a swollen lymph node. If it were a swollen lymph node caused by the sore throat, though, wouldn’t it be closer to the front on my neck? I don’t feel any other lumps on my head/neck.

I’ve never felt a swollen lymph node, so I’m just worried that it’s something else or that it’s been there for awhile and I just noticed it. I don’t want my doctor to brush it off as being related to my cold if it’s not.

What would you do? See a doc or wait it out?