Strange pain—gallstones or something else?

Hey, can someone please tell me what might be causing this pain in this area:

I don't even have tonsils anymore—had them out back when I was a kid—but there's this swelling right under my jawline, like some kind of gland or a tiny lump...😢 and man, it hurts. I feel stupid even thinking about hitting up the ER for something like this. It happened once before and went away fast, but today it's been killing me all day, and the pain is even shooting down toward my neck.
Does anyone have any clue what this could be?? 😢

It could be pronounced reactive lymphadenopathy, enlarged lymph nodes, an abscess, or perhaps inflammation of the submandibular gland... Are you experiencing any other symptoms? A high fever? Difficulty swallowing? Weakness, vomiting, or diarrhea?

Honestly, there aren't even any other symptoms... no fever, no stomach issues... nothing at all 🤷 except for the fact that I broke out in a herpes sore yesterday... 😁.. my immune system probably just tanked because they had to draw blood from me twice this week... 🤷
It hurts like crazy, almost like some kind of swollen lump is there, and if you touch it, the pain just spikes. Should I head to the ER for this? All those medical terms you used sound terrifying and I have zero clue what they actually mean.... 😢🤷
Also, I'm pregnant, but I'm pretty sure that’s got nothing to do with this—I'm only 8 weeks along.

Based on the description, this sounds like reactive lymphadenopathy, most likely triggered by herpes. Since you're pregnant, it wouldn't hurt to check in with your doctor just to be safe. In the meantime, try to avoid large crowds and focus on getting plenty of vitamins...

Thanks 😉
If this doesn't clear up by Monday, I am definitely hitting up my doctor. 😢

What even is lymphadenopathy anyway? Does it just go away on its own, or am I gonna need some kind of meds... honestly, since I'm pregnant, I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be taking anything right now 🙄

It could just be reactive lymphadenopathy—basically, your lymph nodes swelling up because they're reacting to some inflammation somewhere else. But, there's also the possibility of sialadenitis, which is an inflammation of the salivary glands; if that's the case, you might notice your mouth feeling pretty dry, too. Honestly, if you aren't running a high fever or feeling completely wiped out, both of these things usually clear right up in about three or four days.

James Ruiz84 said:Hey, can someone please tell me what might be causing this pain in this area:

I don't even have tonsils anymore—had them out back when I was a kid—but there's this swelling right under my jawline, like some kind of gland or a tiny lump...😢 and man, it hurts. I feel stupid even thinking about hitting up the ER for something like this. It happened once before and went away fast, but today it's been killing me all day, and the pain is even shooting down toward my neck.
Does anyone have any clue what this could be?? 😢

Allow me to chime in here as well...
This doesn't sound like lymphadenopathy triggered by a herpes outbreak; in fact, it seems to be the exact opposite...
The area you described is precisely where the parotid salivary gland is located, and based on everything you've mentioned, it sounds like an inflammation of that gland. In this case, the herpes (as is often the case) likely flared up because of that inflammation—essentially a result of the physical stress and the dip in your immune system.
What should your next steps be?
Nothing life-threatening is going to happen if you simply wait until Monday...
If you notice the swelling starting to subside, you might not even need to see a doctor. However, if it persists or—heaven forbid—gets worse, you will likely need a prescription for antibiotics.👍

Thanks a ton to everyone for the deep dives and all the advice. 🙂🙂🙂
Really hoping this isn't some major deal and just clears up by Monday. It feels like the swelling is going down today and it doesn't hurt nearly as much when I touch it. Fingers crossed I won't even need to pop any meds.
Thanks again, seriously. 😉 👋

It is possible that we are actually looking at reactive lymphadenopathy here...😁