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July 30, 2020

To talk about local inflammation, you must first understand what lymphadenitis is in general. This is an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes, sometimes accompanied by suppuration

To talk about local inflammation, you must first understand what lymphadenitis is in general. This is an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes, sometimes accompanied by suppuration. It manifests itself through enlargement of one or more lymph nodes and can occur in several regions of the body at once. Clinical signs of the disease depend on the form and type of lymphadenitis: acute or chronic, regional (damage to lymph nodes of one anatomical group) and generalized (involvement of several groups of lymph nodes), serous, purulent, gangrenous, hemorrhagic, phlegmonous.

In the body, lymph nodes create a protective barrier against viruses, infections, cancer cells, participate in the formation of lymphocytes (special cells that destroy foreign microorganisms) and the production of phagocytes, antibodies (immune cells), participate in digestion and metabolic processes, distribute intercellular fluid between body tissues and lymph.

Normally, the lymph nodes are not palpable or are palpated in the form of elastic, small-sized formations that are not fused with adjacent tissues or with each other. Depending on the prevalence, the following types of lymphadenitis should be distinguished:

• local - enlargement of one lymph node in one of the areas (single cervical, supraclavicular lymph nodes);
• regional - enlargement of several lymph nodes in one or two adjacent areas (supraclavicular and axillary, supraclavicular and cervical, occipital and submandibular lymph nodes, etc.);
• generalized - enlargement of lymph nodes in three or more areas (cervical, supraclavicular, axillary, inguinal, etc.).

With axillary lymphadenitis, enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit are palpated. Symptoms of axillary lymphadenitis:

• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Painful sensations when palpating the affected area, turning the body, or moving
• Inflamed nodes are fused together with each other and adjacent tissues into one dense conglomerate
• The skin over the inflamed lymph nodes is hyperemic
• Symptoms of body intoxication appear - fever, weakness, headache, lack of appetite, feeling weak, muscle pain

Often the disease is accompanied by symptoms of the underlying disease; in addition, the patient may be bothered by:

• night sweats;
• weight loss;
• prolonged increase in body temperature;
• frequent recurrent upper respiratory tract infections;
• pathological changes on a chest x-ray;
• hepatomegaly;
• splenomegaly.

Injuries and pain in the armpit

So-called traumatic armpit pain can occur in women and men. Most often it is associated with sprained muscles and ligaments of the shoulder joint. However, armpit pain can be caused by an impact, heavy lifting, or an uncomfortable position during sleep.

When an injury occurs, a person does not experience sharp pain, but it is aching and constant, and the arm is limited in movement.

The armpit will hurt after breast surgery. The fact is that during manipulation, the nervous tissue in the chest area is damaged. This reduces sensitivity, on the one hand, and on the other, provokes referred pain in the axillary area. In the postoperative period, the armpit hurts for a long time, at first with sharp, stabbing manifestations, later in a somewhat muted version. To relieve such painful sensations, the doctor prescribes painkillers.

Diagnostics

General surgeons and oncologists are most often involved in determining the causes of pain in the armpit. Depending on the etiology of the disease, consultations with a traumatologist, dermatologist, and other specialists are prescribed. The examination program includes:

• Survey
  . The doctor finds out when and under what circumstances the pain syndrome first appeared, what symptoms were accompanied, how the pathology developed, whether the pain is related to external circumstances, and whether it is cyclical.
• Visual inspection
  . When conducting an objective examination, the specialist evaluates the appearance of the axillary area, identifies swelling, hyperemia, skin defects, determines the range of movements, and palpates bones, muscles, ligaments and lymph nodes.
• Ultrasonography.
  Sonography of soft tissues confirms inflammation or damage to ligaments and muscles, and the presence of space-occupying lesions. During an ultrasound of the lymph nodes, lymphadenopathy is detected, the size and contours of accumulations of lymphoid tissue, and their relationship with other structures are examined.
• Radiography.
  In case of injuries, an X-ray examination of the shoulder joint is prescribed; in case of lymphadenopathy, middle-aged and older women undergo mammography. Young patients are more likely to undergo breast ultrasound.
• Needle biopsy.
  It is carried out if tumor formations are suspected. Allows you to establish the structure and degree of differentiation of cells, confirm the presence of regional lymphogenous metastases.
• Lab tests.
  They indicate the presence of inflammatory processes and allow one to assess the condition of the body in severe diseases.

Ultrasound of lymph nodes in the axillary region

Underarm pain in women and the menstrual cycle

Women experience such pain in the armpits that become a harbinger of the onset of menstruation. This occurs due to the formation of a compaction in the upper or outer lobes of the mammary glands, and pain from the chest area moves to the armpit. Unpleasant sensations affect one side or both armpits at once.

This phenomenon is called mastalgia. However, it is difficult to describe the same manifestations of pain. In one case it is an aching pain, in the other it is sharp and squeezing. Very often, such axillary pain does not even allow you to move your arms.

The symptom can appear throughout the reproductive period. Menopause causes pain to subside, but pain may increase when taking hormonal pills.

Treatment

Pre-hospital assistance

In case of traumatic injuries, rest is recommended. Patients with intense pain are advised to use a bandage; it is recommended to apply pain-relieving ointments outside the hair growth area. You should not remove insect bites yourself. Signs of inflammation, severe pain, general hyperthermia are indications for immediate consultation with a doctor. Lymphadenopathy, even in the absence of pain or minor pain, may indicate the presence of a serious disease, therefore, in such cases, examination by a specialist is also required.

Conservative therapy

In case of traumatic injuries, a protective regime with limited physical activity is necessary, and physical therapy is possible. Some other diseases require drug therapy:

• Pyoderma and nonspecific lymphadenitis
  . Antibiotics are prescribed taking into account the sensitivity of the pathogen. Antibiotic therapy is often carried out against the background of surgical procedures.
• Tuberculous lymphadenitis
  . Long-term treatment with tuberculostatics, immunomodulators, and sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and other methods is indicated.
• Diseases of the mammary glands
  . For mastopathy, hormonal drugs are used; for premenstrual syndrome, hormone therapy is supplemented with sedatives, antiallergics, and diuretics. Antibiotics are used for mastitis. For cancerous tumors, hormone therapy is carried out and chemotherapy drugs are administered.

Axillary pain of oncological origin

Quite often, such a terrible disease as breast cancer is asymptomatic. In many cases, it is diagnosed during a routine mammogram. The symptom of axillary pain can become a signal of cancer, especially in combination with the appearance of a lump.

It is important to know that the likelihood of breast cancer is higher in women who have not given birth or those who have given birth for the first time after 30 years of age. Of course, the list of provoking factors includes smoking, drinking alcohol and consuming fatty foods.

Family history plays an important role, that is, heredity, early menstruation and late menopause, possible breast injuries, diagnosed diabetes mellitus and obesity, hypertension and more than 10 years of using oral contraceptives. All these are cancer-causing factors. Try to exclude at least those that are subject to human control.

Armpit pain due to allergies

If you have pain in the armpit that is more like itching, you should check for allergic skin irritation. This reaction occurs to frequent depilation, poor quality deodorant, increased sweating or excessive skin contamination.

Visually, this manifestation looks like swelling, with a small rash and redness. Scratching inside can easily cause infection. The allergen can be eliminated only after a thorough examination and prescription of antihistamines.

Lymph nodes and armpit pain

Lymph nodes in the armpit area can not only hurt, but also become inflamed. In this case, pathological changes are divided into two groups:

1. Lymphadenopathy is not a disease, but an enlargement of the lymph nodes, as a sign of a disease. These may include tuberculosis, lymphoma, melanoma, brucellosis, rubella and breast cancer. Silicone implants in the breast cause the same sensations. Lymphadenopathy causes not only pain in the lymph nodes in the armpits, but also weight loss, severe sweating, increased body temperature, and enlarged liver and spleen.
2. Lymphadenitis is an infection of the lymph node. As inflammation develops, the skin in the area of ​​the enlarged lymph node becomes red and hot. Over time, the lymph node turns into a dense formation. The patient has fever, frequent chills and headache, he is tormented by sweating and general malaise. The pain in the lymph nodes in the armpits is becoming more and more severe. The abscess matures gradually and its contents burst out. As soon as all the pus is released, the symptoms of the disease disappear. However, if you notice such symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Treatment of axillary lymphadenitis

Treatment tactics for axillary lymphadenitis depend on the form and cause of the disease. In most cases, lymphadenitis does not require special therapy and goes away on its own after the underlying disease is eliminated. If the process is complicated by suppuration, then the treatment tactics completely change.

General recommendations: maintain rest, immobilize the affected area (do not rub or injure the affected lymph nodes), proper nutrition, take painkillers, anti-inflammatory medications. Therapy for acute axillary lymphadenitis depends entirely on the stage of the disease. Conservative treatment is used for the initial stages: UHF therapy, sanitation of the source of infection (opening of abscesses, leaks, cellulitis, drainage of the abscess), antibiotic therapy taking into account the sensitivity of the microbial flora in the main focus.

Surgical intervention is necessary for purulent axillary lymphadenitis: adenophlegmon, abscesses are opened, pus is removed, and the wound is drained. It happens that a biopsy confirms the presence of a tumor process - benign or malignant. Treatment may include radiation and chemotherapy. In the case of lymphadenitis, as in the presence of any other diseases, it is extremely dangerous to self-medicate.

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Armpit pain caused by inflammatory diseases

Purulent inflammation of the sweat glands or hidradenitis quite often occurs in the armpits.

The disease most often affects adults, since in children the sweat glands in this area are not yet active.

The disease is accompanied by itching and swelling, pain in the axillary area and the formation of an abscess. General intoxication of the body occurs, expressed by weakness, fatigue, increased body temperature and headaches.

Another disease associated with inflammation and pain in the armpit area is atheroma. This is a sebaceous cyst. Pathology is formed during blockage of the ducts. However, the patient feels severe pain already during the suppuration of the atheroma. At this time, tissue swelling occurs and the temperature rises. The disease develops according to two scenarios: pus breaks out on its own or the formation is overgrown with connective tissue, gradually turning into a spherical tumor. It is impossible to say that such a formation will degenerate into a malignant tumor. This happens quite rarely.

A purulent and very unpleasant disease in the armpit area is a boil, when inflammation of the hair follicle and the surrounding connective tissue occurs. At first, the boil appears as a single rash with slight redness. A purulent point, the so-called boil core, forms in the center. The reason why a boil may develop is still not completely clear. It is known that in some people the disease with armpit pain occurs due to contamination and microtrauma of the skin. For others, it is caused by metabolic disorders and decreased immunity.

The inflammatory disease pyoderma consists of purulent skin lesions due to the introduction of staphylococci or streptococci. This condition occurs with microtraumas and severe contamination of the skin, as well as in cases of severe hypothermia or, conversely, overheating. Sometimes it manifests itself due to metabolic disorders. With pyoderma, the inflamed area is very itchy, but there is no fever, aches, or other symptoms of a cold.

The lymph node under the arm hurts: what to do?

Lymph nodes are the basis of our lymphatic system. This is where the body reacts when an infection enters it. Because in this area, bodies are released that fight directly against infections, as well as viruses. Therefore, inflammation in the lymph node area indicates that some kind of infection has entered the body. Often, a lump in this area appears immediately after you have had an infectious disease.

Most often this can be observed during measles, chickenpox, flu, or a more serious illness of the internal organs. After treatment of the disease, the lymph nodes return to normal. When breast cancer appears, the lymph nodes often become inflamed. Therefore, when women contact a therapist with inflammation of the lymph nodes, they are prescribed a breast examination for the presence of benign and malignant tumors.

Armpit hurts

Treatment of lumps and lymph nodes should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. The fact is that in this area there are many important areas that are responsible for the functioning of the entire body. Accordingly, after inflammation occurs, an enlarged lymph node or after the formation of a lump, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Under no circumstances should a hot or warm compress be applied to inflamed areas, boils and bumps. It is also forbidden to warm them with any lamps or apply ointments. Without knowing the cause of the disease, all these measures can worsen the situation and introduce additional infection.

If you experience a lump or pain under the armpit, you should consult a therapist who can determine the cause and refer you to a specialist for further consultation and treatment.

Underarm pain and cardiovascular diseases

Both men and women may experience armpit pain due to coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

IHD and heart attack cause pain on the left side, accompanied by the main localization of pain behind the sternum. Coronary artery disease is accompanied by severe weakness, shortness of breath, a desire to take a forced sitting position, and swelling of the lower extremities. Myocardial infarction, in addition to shortness of breath, causes heaviness in the chest, sudden pallor, dizziness and even loss of consciousness. Signs of IHD can be relieved with nitroglycerin, but in case of a heart attack only an ambulance will help.

The causes of armpit pain can be completely different, but only a specialist can diagnose them. This could be a dermatologist, allergist, surgeon, cardiologist, oncologist, endocrinologist, or even a therapist. Choose your doctor's specialty through the 2doc online service. Remember that only a qualified doctor can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.