A swollen neck gland is an indication of some kind of respiratory tract infection though the question about whether it is a lymph gland itself that is involved is debatable. This is because the lymphatic system of the upper respiratory tract is located in the tonsils. If you have had your tonsils removed then this could explain the migration of the swelling to a lower part of the throat. However, if you have a painless swelling on the side of your neck or on your Adam’s apple, then this may not be a swollen gland but either a branchial cleft cyst or a thyrossal cyst. These can be distinguished from swollen glands by their ability to move slightly. It is best to check with a doctor for a distinct diagnosis.
Swollen glands are a condition called lymphadenopathy. This occurs because the lymphatic system, which mirrors the circulatory system of the body, detects a foreign body that it perceives to be an infective pathogen. The lymphatic system is made up of fluid called lymph made further by a fluid called interstitial fluid. The blood vessels do not directly come into contact with the tissue but rather force out its contents from capillaries into surrounding tissue. This forms interstitial fluid which then drains into lymphatic vessels to be passed further on into the lymph nodes. Here scanning and filtering of the now, newly-formed lymph occurs by the macrophages and other white blood cells. If all is well, the fluid is sent to the tissue for osmotic reuptake back into the blood vessels and for distribution into the tissues. When there is some kind of bacterial content in the lymph, the lymph nodes then swell up as a result to seal off the node for a localized battle with the bacteria. The lymph nodes in the body can be at a distance slightly away from the actual site of infection; therefore, the assumption that you have a respiratory tract infection.
Dealing with this problem is simple. All you need to do is to make a soup-like concoction of crushed garlic, ginger, chili powder, black pepper, turmeric and green chili. This should all be boiled and slowly sipped everyday for the next one week. Add copious amounts of garlic as it acts as an antibiotic. The rest of the ingredients are anti-inflammatory agents and will reduce the swelling of the lymph node in question here.