Lymph Node Assessment Steps

First step of assessment…

“I am just about to do a lymph node assessment on you which involves inspecting and pulpating around your neck and jaw line. Is that okay?”

Second step of assessment….

“The head is centred in the midline and is normocephalic in shape. Looking at your accessory muscles, upon visual inspection there is not presence of dystrophy or hypertrophy in any of them.”

1st site

Occipital (back lower head - both sides)

2nd site

Postauricular (behind ear - both sides)

3rd site

Preauricular (front of ear - both sides)

4th site

Jugulodigastric (tonsil - both sides)

5th site

Submandibular 1 (back of jaw - both sides)

6th site

Submandibular 2 (front jaw line - both sides)

7th site

Submental (middle chin under tongue)

8th site

identify trapezius (back side neck - both sides)

9th site

Identify sternocleidomastoid (front side neck - both sides)

10th site

Superficial cervical chain (front of sterno - both sides)

11th site

Posterior cervical chain (back of sterno - both sides)

12th site

Deep cervical chain (Same place - chin down - both sides)

13th site

Superclavicular (above clavicle - lift shoulders - both sides)

Final step of assessment…

“I haven’t palpitated any enlarged lymph nodes however if I did I would be looking for tenderness, location, consistency, shape, size and mobility.”