Question: I went to the doctor yesterday with a VERY SLIGHT sore throat. Strep test negative, and said that CBC blood work was normal. No other symptoms but she found that one of my lymph nodes on one side was slightly larger than the equivalent on the other side. The doctor did not seem alarmed, but prescribed antibiotics in case it was a bacterial infection. I also had a flu shot two weeks ago.

I asked during appointment if she was concerned about the lymph node and was pretty much told no. I couldn't tell you how big or hardness because I don't know where it is, I barely notice it, if at all. She just said take antibiotics and come back in a week. Do I need to do that if I feel better? Of course given my nature I panicked a bit and emailed the doctor when I got home and asked if we can rule out malignancy or a lymphoma. Response was that it was "probably an acute process", take antibiotics, come back in a week and if it's not down, we'll "look for other acute processes." I'm not sure what this means. She then stated that we need to "rule out infection" first. That's not very reassuring. If not infection, then what??? What else to possibly check for? I guess cancer would be the first thing you check for if there's any significant chance of it, so what else could it be? This has me worried.

My questions:
1. Aren't the good blood test results encouraging? They would be abnormal if this was anything to worry about, right?
2. I do confess I spent a lot of time the previous days checking my nodes. Could that have caused them to get a little large?
3. If there were a reasonable possibility that the node was suspicious, wouldn't biopsy, etc. be ordered right away? I definitely have not felt any large immovable nodes myself, and I assume Dr. didn't feel one either since she didn't feel it was concerning.
4. Is it possible that even if the infection goes down in the next week that the node will remain large? What then? Or is it even normal to have slightly larger on one side?

Intellectually I know I shouldn't be worried - that slightly swollen glands are common, there's a plausible explanation for it, and the doctor didn't seem worried enough to do further tests. But I'm kind of a hypochondriac and rather worried about the worst-case scenarios.

Thank you for your advice. Honestly, I can't even detect the node right now, but if it does get larger or harder, I'm sure it will be obvious to me and then I'd certainly go in for re-check. Thank you again.