Lifestyle

Swollen Lymph Nodes That Don’t Hurt Can Be a Sign of Lymphoma. Other Signs That Are Easy to Brush Off

By Mike Harper · October 31, 2026

A lump in the neck that doesn’t hurt, a few nights of soaked sheets or a stretch of feeling worn out can each be easy to brush off. Taken together, or when they don’t go away, they can be signs of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which Mayo Clinic describes as part of the body’s germ-fighting immune system. It is much more common than Hodgkin lymphoma, the other main category. The disease can happen at any age, but Mayo Clinic says it is most common in people 60 or older. The American Cancer Society says getting older is a strong risk factor and that most cases happen to people in their 60s or older.

The National Cancer Institute lists the main signs and symptoms as swollen lymph nodes, fever, drenching night sweats, weight loss and fatigue. Here is what each can look like, according to the institute, Mayo Clinic and the American Cancer Society.

Swollen lymph nodes that don’t hurt. Mayo Clinic says swollen nodes might feel like a lump under the skin and happen most often in the neck, armpits and groin. The cancer society adds the area above the collarbone. It says nodes enlarged by lymphoma usually do not hurt, may get bigger over time, and new lumps may appear elsewhere. Nodes that swell from an infection often hurt when touched and return to their usual size after the infection clears.

Drenching night sweats. Mayo Clinic and the cancer institute both use the word drenching. The cancer society counts these sweats among the so-called B symptoms doctors consider when staging the disease.

Fever. The cancer society lists fever and chills among common signs. One of the B symptoms it describes is a fever that comes and goes over several days or weeks without an infection.

Weight loss you can’t explain. Mayo Clinic describes weight loss that happens without trying. The cancer society’s B symptom definition is losing at least 10% of body weight over 6 months without explanation.

Fatigue. All three sources list it. The cancer society describes it as feeling very tired.

Other symptoms depend on where the lymphoma is growing. The cancer society says lymphoma in the belly can cause swelling or pain, loss of appetite and feeling full after only a small meal. In the chest, it can cause coughing, trouble breathing and chest pain or pressure. Mayo Clinic also lists itchy skin and a skin rash, and the cancer society lists frequent or severe infections and easy bruising or bleeding.

The cancer society notes that one form of chest involvement, superior vena cava syndrome, can cause swelling and a bluish red color in the head, arms and upper chest along with trouble breathing. It calls that a medical emergency that must be treated right away.

Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean someone has lymphoma, the cancer society says, and many are more likely caused by something else, like an infection. It says most enlarged lymph nodes are caused by an infection, not lymphoma. Still, it advises contacting a healthcare team about any of these symptoms, and especially about an enlarged lymph node without a recent infection.

Besides age, the cancer institute lists being male and having a weakened immune system as risk factors. Mayo Clinic adds a family history of lymphoma, certain infections and some autoimmune conditions. Mayo Clinic says treatment depends on whether the lymphoma arises from B cells or T cells and may range from a “watch and wait” approach to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy or radiation.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms that worry you. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.