Lumps under the armpits are common and are generally formed when the lymphatic nodes or glands around the area get swollen. Lumps under armpit are formed due to some other reasons as well. Depending on the cause there are many options of treatment of such lumps. In this article we will find out the causes, symptoms and possible treatment options for lump in armpit.
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Contents
What is Lump in Armpit?
Lump in armpit appears mainly when one of few of the lymph nodes get swollen. Such lumps are often caused by infections or irritation in the skin under armpit. The excessive use of shavers, the use of contaminated shavers and antiperspirants favor the growth of such lumps. There are some conditions however where lumps are serious and immediate medical supervision is needed. Lump in armpit pictures sometimes might help you to do self diagnosis up to some extent.
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Lump in Armpit Causes:
Lump in armpit area are caused by many factors. In most of the cases these armpit lumps are harmless however there are some conditions where armpit lumps are serious and medical intervention is needed. Common causes of lumps in armpit are:
- Over growth of fibrous tissues which are generally non cancerous. The condition is known as fibro-adenoma.
- lump in armpit after waxing
- Fluid filled sacs or cysts
- Lump in armpit after shaving
- Lumps in armpit because of deodorants and antiperspirants are possible allergic reactions. Painful lump in armpit male and painful lump in armpit female is often caused by the use of deodorants.
- Bacterial or viral or fungal infections,
- Lipomas, a condition caused by the over growth of fatty tissues
- Lupus
- Breast cancer or leukemia.
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Symptoms:
Lump itself is a symptom of armpit lump. The size of lump is variable from small to large. Depending on the cause, the texture of armpit lump is also variable. Some lumps are softer and are normally caused by cyst, infection or growth of fats. In some cases, hard lumps are noticed which are possible indication of a tumor. Lumps can be painful or painless. Lumps caused due to allergic reactions and infections are generally painful. Lumps formed due to infections result in following symptoms:
- Swelling across lymph nodes
- Lump in armpit sore to touch
- Fever along with profuse sweating especially at night.
On the other hand the lumps which change their size with time and do not disappear after sometime are indicators of some serious concerns such as lymphoma, breast cancer and leukemia.
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When to Consult Doctor?
As discussed above, all lumps are not harmful or painful, but to rule out the risk of complications you need to consult your health care provider soon after the appearance of these lumps. Medical examination and testing is needed to determine the cause of armpit lumps and their seriousness. There are some warning signs however and you need to consult your physician immediately.
- Enlargement in lump gradually.
- Lump in armpit doesn’t hurt and which doesn’t seem to go away or lump in armpit for years.
- Lump in armpit and breast or any lump in armpit female not painful
- Lump in armpit after breast cancer
- Lump in armpit and shoulder pain
A doctor will examine the actual nature of lump. For accurate diagnosis, doctors will ask for some tests to determine the real cause which can be infection, allergic reaction or cancer. The commonly used tests to determine the nature of lumps are allergic tests, complete blood count to find out the number of RBCs and WBCs, mammogram or the X-ray of chest etc.
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Treatment of Non-Cancerous Armpit Lumps:
The lumps formed due to allergic reactions or infections are generally treated by over the counter medicines while some lumps even do not need any medical treatment, simple lump in armpit home remedies can be used to get relief. Home remedies for armpit lump treatment include the application of warm compress, topical ointments and other pain relieving medicines, read more at this website regularly.
Treatment of Cancerous Armpit Lump:
If the lump in armpit and breast tissues is cancerous some advanced medical treatments are needed which include surgery to remove the tumor followed by radiation or chemotherapy. The treatment of cancerous lumps under armpit is generally a long procedure.
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Bottom Line:
Lump under armpit is caused due to many factors. In most of the cases the lump under armpit is caused by allergic reactions or infections. The use of shavers can also result in pea size armpit lumps. Some lumps are also formed due to the growth of fats and swelling of lymph node in armpit. In most of the cases, the lumps formed are harmless and can be treated with the help of prescription antibiotics and over the counter medicines. On the other hand, sometimes these lumps are cancerous and surgical procedure is needed to get rid of such lumps.
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