Definition

Noun: * Inflammation of lymph nodes: A medical condition characterized by the swelling and tenderness of one or more lymph nodes, typically due to infection.

Usage

• "Lymphadenitis" is a technical, medical term used primarily in healthcare, clinical, and scientific contexts.
• It refers specifically to the pathological state of the lymph nodes themselves, not to a symptom of another condition, though it is often caused by one.
• It is typically modified by terms indicating the cause (e.g., bacterial lymphadenitis) or location (e.g., cervical lymphadenitis).

Examples

• The patient was diagnosed with lymphadenitis following a streptococcal throat infection.
• Lymphadenitis in the groin region can be a sign of an infection in the lower body.
• Acute lymphadenitis often presents with painful, enlarged nodes.

Advanced Usage

• Cervical lymphadenitis: Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck.
• Mesenteric lymphadenitis: Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the membrane that attaches the intestine to the abdominal wall, often mimicking appendicitis.
• Tuberculous lymphadenitis: Lymph node inflammation caused by tuberculosis bacteria.

Variants and Related Words

• Lymphadenopathy (noun): A broader term for any disease of the lymph nodes, which includes lymphadenitis (inflammation) as well as other causes of enlargement like cancer.
• Adenitis (noun): Inflammation of a gland, which can sometimes be used more specifically for lymph nodes.

Synonyms

• Inflamed lymph nodes
• Swollen glands (Note: This is a common layperson's term, though "glands" is technically inaccurate for lymph nodes.)

Different Meanings

• "Lymphadenitis" has only one specific medical meaning related to inflammation of the lymphatic system's nodes. It does not have informal or figurative uses.

Noun

1. inflammation of lymph nodes