Bull neck
Type: Symptom
Definition
Massive swelling of the cervical lymph nodes and soft tissues of the neck.
Clinical Details
The aggressive local tissue destruction and intense immune response cause profound edema in the submandibular and anterior neck regions. The neck tissues become so engorged and inflamed that the patient's normal anatomical landmarks completely disappear. This massive external swelling is a dire clinical sign of severe disease and impending airway obstruction.