Yes, there are lymph nodes in the back of your head. Called occipital lymph nodes, they sit at the base of your skull, roughly where your head meets your neck. Most people have about four on each side, and they’re small, typically around 3 to 4 mm in diameter. You may never notice them unless they swell in response to an infection or irritation on your scalp.
Where Exactly They Sit
The occipital lymph nodes are clustered along the back of your skull, between the bony ridge you can feel at the base of your head and the upper part of your neck. A cadaver study found that about 63% of these nodes sit in the fatty tissue just beneath the skin, while the remaining 37% are tucked slightly deeper, just under the surface of the trapezius muscle. Their size ranges from 1 to 6 mm, so even when they’re healthy, some people can feel them as tiny, soft bumps if they press firmly enough.
What These Nodes Do
Lymph nodes act as filters for your immune system, trapping bacteria, viruses, and other debris carried in by lymph fluid. The occipital nodes specifically drain the back and top of your scalp. Any infection, cut, or skin condition in that area sends immune signals through these nodes first. When they’re actively filtering something out, they swell, and that’s usually the moment you notice them for the first time.
Common Reasons They Swell
The most frequent causes are local infections or skin conditions on the scalp. Fungal infections of the scalp (ringworm) and head lice are two classic triggers that specifically cause occipital lymph node swelling. A bacterial infection from a cut, scratch, or insect bite on the back of your head can do the same thing. Even a bout of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis can irritate the scalp enough to activate these nodes.
Viral illnesses can also cause swelling here, though they tend to enlarge lymph nodes in multiple areas at once. Rubella is historically known for targeting the occipital nodes in particular, but mononucleosis, measles, and chickenpox can all trigger generalized lymph node swelling that includes the back of the head. An ear infection or upper respiratory infection can sometimes extend to these nodes as well, since the drainage pathways in the head and neck overlap.
Swollen Nodes in Children vs. Adults
If you’re a parent who felt a bump on the back of your baby’s head, it’s worth knowing that palpable occipital lymph nodes are a common, nonspecific finding in infants and toddlers. Young children’s immune systems are constantly encountering new pathogens, so mildly enlarged nodes are normal background noise. After age two, however, palpable occipital nodes become much less common and are more likely to point to a specific cause worth investigating.
In adults, being able to feel these nodes at all is less typical. A newly noticeable lump at the back of your skull is more likely to represent a node that has swollen in response to something, whether that’s a minor scalp issue or a systemic infection.
What Normal Swelling Feels Like
A lymph node that’s reacting to a routine infection feels like a small, smooth, movable pea under the skin. It may be tender to the touch, which is actually a reassuring sign, since tenderness usually indicates your immune system is actively fighting something. Most infection-related swelling resolves within two to four weeks as the underlying cause clears up.
The size matters too. Healthy occipital nodes average about 4 mm. A node that swells to pea size (under 1 cm) during an infection is typical. Nodes that grow to the size of a peanut (2 cm) or larger deserve a closer look from a doctor.
Signs That Need Attention
Certain characteristics suggest something beyond a routine infection. A node that feels hard, rubbery, or fixed in place (meaning it doesn’t slide under your finger) can indicate abnormal cell growth rather than simple immune activation. Swelling that persists beyond four weeks without an obvious cause, or a node that keeps growing rather than shrinking, is another reason to get it checked.
Accompanying symptoms change the picture too. Unexplained weight loss, drenching night sweats, or persistent fevers alongside swollen nodes warrant prompt evaluation. When a doctor investigates a concerning node, ultrasound is often the first imaging step, sometimes followed by a needle biopsy to examine the cells directly. But the vast majority of swollen occipital nodes, especially ones that are tender, mobile, and appeared alongside a scalp issue or recent illness, turn out to be completely benign.