First of all, I'd like to preface that I'm 18 and have had no prior medical emergencies besides one when I was born. I have severe health anxiety, and for around 4 years have had a lump below my ear on the left side of my head. My mother often told me it was a swollen gland, and it is true that it seems to get bigger when I am under the weather, but recently I have noticed it has perhaps gotten bigger without any warning. It isn't a gland directly behind my ear, but a lump below in the crevace between my jaw and my neck. I can feel that on the other side of my neck, maybe deeper down, there could be a similar lump, but if there is one it feels much more embeded in my neck and quite a lot smaller. 

I've also noticed over the years I get a certain pain in that area whenever I eat something sweet on that side of my mouth, although I have no idea if this is related.

I am having difficulty with long waiting times at clinics, so I'm not sure whether I should go to see a GP or not. Any help/reasurrance would be appreciated.

Thankyou :happy: