External iliac nodes

i have a soreness in my lower left abdomen have had it for 6 months now..have had a papsmear pelvic ultrasound and ct scan with contrast of abdomen and pelvis all normal..I have a fear that my external iliac nodes are swollen because that is the area of my tenderness.my doctor told me they are embedded in deep and I wouldn't be able to feel them or pull them out in the skin..is this true?..I'm goin crazy with worry when I have no explanation for the soreness in my pelvis..i press it everyday which I know wouldn't be helping it..I have some lumps in the fat there which my doctor said are lipomas could these be causing the soreness?..sorry for the long post I just want to know are the nodes to deep to palpate or pull out into the skin? ..and could these lipomas be causing the tenderness?