Hodgkin’s disease is referred to as a type of lymphoma that is a blood cancer, which progresses from the lymphatic system. Hodgkin’s disease is also known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, HD, or Hodgkin lymphoma. The purpose of the lymphatic system is to aid the immune system in getting rid of waste and fighting various kinds of infections.

Hodgkin’s disease originates from the white blood cells (also known as lymphocytes) that protect you against various kinds of infections and germs. In people with Hodgkin’s disease, the lymphocytes grow and expand abnormally and eventually spread outside the lymphatic system. Hence, as this disease progresses it becomes difficult for the body to fight infections.

More on Hodgkin’s disease
People can suffer from normal Hodgkin’s disease or nodular lymphocytic predominant Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NLPHL). The type depends on the type of cells responsible for the person’s condition and the cell’s behavior.

The exact cause of Hodgkin’s disease is unknown. Researchers link it with genetic mutations and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This disease can occur at any age; however, it is more commonly diagnosed in people in the age group of 15 to 40 and people more than 55 years old.

One thing to note is that a person might have Hodgkin’s disease and still feel perfectly fine. However, there are few symptoms associated with it, let’s look at a few of them:

Lump under the skin
This is one of the most common symptoms associated with Hodgkin’s disease. One can find a lump under the arm, neck, or in the groin region. The lump is basically an enlarged lymph node. Usually, the lump does not hurt but it might be painful after drinking alcohol. Eventually, the lump might get bigger or new lumps might appear on the other parts of the body.

Then again, Hodgkin’s disease is not the main cause of swelling of lymph nodes. Many times, especially in the case of children, the enlarged lymph node is the result of an infection.

B symptoms
Many people diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease have B symptoms such as:

• Intermittent fevers without any kind of infection
• Drenching night sweats
• Weight loss without any effort or change in diet (loss of around 10% of body weight in a period of 6 months)

General symptoms related to Hodgkin’s disease (non-specific in nature)
Other potential symptoms associated with Hodgkin’s disease include:

• Fatigue
• Itchy skin
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble in breathing,
• Chest pain
• A cough

If Hodgkin’s disease affects the lymph nodes present in the person’s chest then its swelling can put pressure on the windpipe thus resulting in incessant coughing. Some people might also observe pain just behind the breastbone.

What to do if someone has symptoms?
Having some of the symptoms listed above doesn’t necessarily mean that one has Hodgkin’s disease. On the contrary, most of the symptoms are much likely to be associated with other problems, such as an infection. Hence, it is important that one should consult a doctor before jumping to any conclusion.