What causes lymphadenitis and stomach pain in children?

Children may suffer from abdominal pain due to lymphadenitis, which is caused by enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. This disease has become more common in recent years and often causes abdominal pain in babies, especially in children under seven years old. The main reason is viral infection. In addition, respiratory tract infection and gastrointestinal infection may also lead to this situation and cause inflammation of the lymph nodes. Parents should not worry too much at this time and just seek timely treatment.

The cause of mesenteric lymph node enlargement is viral infection, mainly after upper respiratory tract infection or gastrointestinal tract infection, the virus and its toxins reach the lymph of the distal ileum through blood circulation, causing enlargement of the lymph nodes in this area. It causes pain around the navel and lower abdomen, and the pain lasts about 2-5 minutes. Some severe cases are also accompanied by symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation.

Why does enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes cause abdominal pain?

Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes can cause abdominal pain in babies. Moreover, this pain is different from the usual sharp pain. It is a dull pain, a bit like the pain of uterine contraction, which is very difficult to bear. This is because after the lymph nodes are infected by the virus, they swell, but the membrane that wraps the lymph nodes does not swell accordingly. At this time, the membrane will tighten, thereby stimulating the nerve endings and causing pain.

When you are sick, the lymph nodes behind the ears and in the neck may swell, but the pain nerves behind the ears and in the neck are not as sensitive as those in the abdomen. Moreover, because the skin behind the ears and neck is shallow, obvious protrusions can be seen, making it easier to judge. However, the lymph nodes in the abdomen are not obvious and difficult to see with the naked eye, so it is easier to make mistakes in judgment.

Causes of mesenteric lymphadenopathy

According to Western medicine, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in children are mainly caused by viruses entering the mesenteric lymph nodes. However, Chinese medicine believes that if a baby suffers from repeated upper respiratory tract infections and frequently uses antibiotics, these will damage the body's immune function and lead to a lack of positive energy in the body, making the baby more susceptible to infection. Nowadays, there are a lot of food safety problems. Babies consume a lot of meat, sweets, and snacks in their diet. Once their diet is disordered and they consume a lot of raw, cold, fatty, sweet, fishy, ​​greasy and other foods, the swollen lymph nodes will recur.

Treatment of mesenteric lymphadenopathy

The most common way hospitals treat mesenteric lymphadenopathy is with antibiotics, which are used to reduce inflammation and thus improve pain.

If it is an occasional acute mesenteric lymphadenopathy, such treatment can show obvious results. However, in many cases, after an attack of mesenteric lymphadenopathy, it will continue to recur. At this time, the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs is not obvious. Long-term use of antibiotics is also more likely to irritate the baby's body, aggravate the spleen deficiency, and make it more likely to recur.

Based on practical experience, I recommend using massage to treat it. The mother mentioned above used massage to treat the problem after diagnosing it, and soon the baby's stomachache disappeared. The baby ate happily, and because the diet was controlled, the stomachache did not recur.