Hey there!

I am 28F from London, UK. I have had a very swollen and large submandibular gland for years now, first discovered when I was prodding that area when I was around 23. I panicked, because I felt a large hard area on one side and didn't on the other.

I booked a doctor's appointment where they felt under my jaw and my neck and they said that they couldn't feel anything. Told me it was probably anxiety. I booked again the following year because it was still there, and once again they said that they couldn't feel anything suspicious.

And again, the next year I booked also. This doctor felt the area, asked a few questions about any other symptoms and how long I had the swelling for. I told her I had the swelling for three years at that point, but no other symptoms whatsoever and felt healthy in general. She said she could feel a swelling which felt like an enlarged lymph node or two, but as it had been there for 3 years and I had no other symptoms, she isn't concerned and sent me on my way.

Five years on, it's still there. I don't think it has gotten any bigger, but now I am anxious about it again and I keep prodding in that area. It feels more like a mass than a lymph node. It's very deep in my neck and I can only really feel it when I turn my head and when I dig deep. I can also "pop" it back into my neck when my head is turned. Still no other symptoms except pain now because I have prodded it so much.

However, do you think I am being unreasonable in worrying if it's been there for long? If it was malignant, would I have other symptoms by now? Or have the doctors just fobbed me off and should have sent me for further tests?

I want to get this year out of the way and make another appt in the new year (figured a few months wouldn't make much difference if 5 years have already passed) but I don't know if I am just being an anxious mess.

Thanks!