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When lymph nodes that are present under your arms get enlarged, they form bumps or painful lumps in the armpit. Swollen lymph nodes are also known as swollen glands, swollen nodes, lymphadenopathy, or lymphadenitis. They can affect people of any age group but usually they affect children. A sore underarm could be caused due to various reasons as lymph nodes tend to ensnare infectious particles or cells. When you notice an armpit lump or swollen bump under your arm, make sure that you consult your doctor immediately as the lump could be cancerous as well. A simple biopsy of the tissue will help them establish if there are cancerous cells present or not. Painful cysts should not be ignored and checked at all costs.

Causes

There could be various causes for a sore bump forming under your arm with the most frequent cause being an infection in the arm, breast, or armpit. Causes that could lead to a lump include infections, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and non-infectious disorders.

• Infections that could lead to swelling in the underarms are abscesses, infection caused by bacteria like staphylococcal, chicken pox, folliculitis, infection due to being bitten or scratched by a cat, fungal infections, HIV/AIDS, viral infection, shingles and infection of the breast tissue or mastitis.
• The autoimmune diseases that could cause a lump to form are systematic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
• The most prominent disease that can cause a tender lump are various kinds of cancers like leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or metastasized cancer that has reached the lymph nodes.
• An underarm lump could also arise from non-infectious disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome, an allergic reaction, breast tissue that spreads into the armpit, sebaceous cyst, lipoma, trauma to the shoulder or underarm, or a lymphatic obstruction.

Pregnant women may notice lumps under armpits, and this could be due to the presence of excess breast tissue that extends all the way to the armpits, which in the later stages of pregnancy tend to get enlarged. There is no major need for concern, but you can check with your health provider to make sure that there is no serious illness.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms to watch out for while you are suffering from an underarm lump are joint pain, flu-like symptoms, a swollen arm, rashes, inflammation of other lymph nodes, vomiting, sudden loss of appetite, or unexplained bruising and bleeding symptoms. Do not ignore a lump that arises along with pain in the breast, breast lump, or other changes, as they could be an indication of a breast infection or breast cancer. If you demonstrate the following symptoms of high fever, shortness of breath, modified levels of consciousness, seizures, hardened lymph node growth or tender, red lymph nodes, call for medical attention immediately.

When a lump under the armpit arises in men it might not be a severe condition, except if it enlarges and causes discomfort. Men are twice more likely to develop cysts in comparison to women. Mostly, these cysts go away on their own, but they could be sore and tender to touch.

Treatment

The course of treatment to cure a lump is decided depending on what has caused the lump to form in the first place.

• If the lump is due to infection caused by bacteria, it should go away with a course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
• When a virus has affected your body, leading to the formation of a lump, your body will find a way of getting rid of the lump on its own.
• If you are allergic to something that is in turn causing a lump to form, getting rid of the allergens will keep away lumps.
• In extreme cases, an extremely painful knot under the armpit may need to be surgically removed, but only after trying every other alternative to get rid of it has been tried.

More serious causes will require medical attention and treatment that can only be decided after complete diagnosis by a doctor.

Home Remedies

• The easiest home remedy to follow is to maintain proper hygiene by keeping your skin as clean as possible.
• Drinking plenty of water and keeping your body hydrated also helps.
• Applying a warm towel to the swollen area helps to ease any discomfort or pain that you may be experiencing.
• Honey is another natural remedy that helps in alleviating the pain. Mixing a teaspoon of honey with a warm glass of water or tea should do the trick.
• Alternating between a warm and cold compress on the swollen area also should provide you with some relief.
• Gently massaging the area that is swollen is also known to be a good method to help ease the pain.
• Herbs that improve your body’s immunity may also be taken, but it is better to consult a professional on the right herbs to take.

References:

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003099.htm