swollen lymph nodes.

i began my odyssey when i got an intermittent earache. i went to the doc, and he saw some congestion in my sinuses. thinking it referred pain from sinusitis, he gave me some flonase and sent me on my way.

a few days later i was back with swollen lymph nodes, which happened to encircle my achey ear. for that i was given antibacterial drops.

those were pretty ineffectual, and now, two weeks later, i have the same ear pain; tooth pain that radiates along my upper and lower teeth on the affected side; and some pain in my tongue and at the back of my throat on the affected side. the nodes have gone back to normal, but aside from that, everything else remains.

everything is grouped on the right side, and since i've been clenching my teeth for as long as i can remember--a habit i often fall into while driving--i'm willing to accept that it is tmj and move on with my life.

but there is the matter of the swollen lymph nodes. can they flame up in response to tmj inflammation or in response to the pain?