I found a lump on my neck and i went to the doctors and I have a scan booked next week. Im really anxious and can't stop thinking about it
Hey scxred, I can understand your anxiety. I had a grandmother that passed away from lymphoma and four other immediate relatives that died from various cancers. Why would you immediately assume that you have lymphoma? Even if you did, it may be benign. Regardless, it does absolutely no good to worry unnecessarily about it in advance. You will have to face this head-on. If it turns out to be minor, so much the better. If it turns out to be bad news, then you still have to face it, right? I'm not gainsaying your anxiety in the least. I'm just trying to give you some perspective. I don't know if this helps...
The doctor said there could be a chance as the lump (swollen lymph node) is hard, painless and 2 cm. Its been there for a few weeks now and hasn't reduced or gone. Im hoping its just an infection and nothing serious. Lymph nodes can also swell up if there is an infection.
You're right, scxred. Lymph nodes can swell up and even get hardened for multiple reasons that I know of (and I'm not a medical doctor). So worrying unnecessarily is counterproductive, isn't it? I mean, even IF the doctor were to tell you the worst news, what could you do about it right now? I'm certainly NOT trying to make light of your situation. I'm just trying to give you some perspective, as I said. And, honestly, I believe that a person's attitude has a LOT to do with their overall health. If you are worrying and concerned right now, regardless of the diagnosis of your lump, being depressed about it only opens you up to even more simple immune issues such as colds or the flu.... IMO.
Has the lump grown at all? You're right in that lymph nodes can swell during infections, though if it were something like cancer then you would most likely see some growth. But whether or not it is something serious, the important thing is that you're already taking steps to fix the situation. This will give you a big advantage even if worse comes to worst. While you wait for the results, I agree with Quantumreality in that you should take it easy and try not to stress about it too much. Regardless of the outcome, your mental health is of the utmost importance.