Swollen Lymph Node On Neck!

Dear Ask The Doctor: I had bronchtitis on December 9th and took antibotics for 5 days and it cleared up.In the last week i have noticed a swollen lymph node above my adams apple i suppose thats what it is? It dosent hurt and was curious if this was something i needed to worry about or what the cause of it might be?

Dear Chad: It is not uncommon for lymph nodes in the neck to become swollen when there is an infection in the airways. The swelling usually resolves shortly after the infection resolves. However, without an examination of the neck, I cannot be sure that you have a swollen lymph node. Other possibilities include, thyroid swelling or  an enlarge salivary gland. Also, there are several conditions which can result in a swollen neck lymph node including some cancers. It is best to get this mass examined by your doctor.