Hi, for the past year I have had a swollen gland on the right side of my neck, Im 35 and a smoker and so am very worried. However, this all started when I had a very bad dental abscess on a tooth which was not removed for a further 6 months due to waiting lists. could they be related and if sowhy has the swelling in my neck never gone down? Thanks.
Thanks for your query, I have gone through your query. The swelling in the neck region can be a space infection, or it can be an inflammatory lymphadenopathy secondary to tooth infection. Consult an oral physician and get the tooth treated, once the source of infection is removed or treated, then the swelling will come down. Meanwhile you can take a course of antibiotics like amoxicillin 500\u00a0mg and metronidazole 400\u00a0mg TID for 5 days (if you are not allergic). Since you are giving a history of smoking, get your oral cavity checked for any potentially malignant disorders. I hope my answer will help you, take care.