** Thanks for contacting HCM with your health concern 1. Lymph nodes are present throughout our body but these are the common areas and are an important part of our immune system and infections are the most common cause of swollen lymph nodes [lymphadenopathy] PS. As there is history of cold [which could be viral infection] and lymph nodes which appear suddenly and are painful are usually due to injury/infection [painful lymph nodes are a sign that body is fighting an infection and soreness go away in couple of weeks without treatment and remember lymph nodes may not returns to its normal size for several weeks] 2. If your lymph nodes remain red/tender and you experience fever/unexpected weight loss check with a General Practitioner for physical examination who might go with investigations like: . CBC [complete blood count] with differential . Liver/kidney function tests . lymph node biopsy . chest x- ray . liver/spleen scan [if needed] as treatment will depend upon the cause of swollen lymph nodes