Lymph Node Under Armpit?

Updated on March 14, 2012
K.J. asks from Picayune, MS
8 answers

I went in today for my yearly female checkup.(breast and pap smear) I told the nurse that a few months ago I notice a, what feels like a small bump,kinda like a pimple under my armpit sorta. When you press or touch it, it hurts a little. At first when I felt it,I figure it was a ingrown hair and blew it off. But last night I notice it was there again.Same spot and same under arm. Of course when my dr came in she asked me what was going on and I told her. She said it WASN'T a ingrown hair but felt like Lymph Nodel. She request a ultrasound done next week to see what it might be.

I'm 26 years old. And have 3 children. So of course I been stressing all day and thinking the worst. We DO have breast cancer in my family. My grandma(my mom's mother) two sisters had breast cancer and a few of my mother's first cousins had/have breast cancer. I think my dad's aunt had or has breast cancer.(not 100% sure) My dad's brother found a lump under his armpit and they check it out and found he has Melanoma Cancer? So they have him doing radatation treatments to cure it. I know I may be stressing over nothing but of course I'm human and I still worried about the "what if's"! So I was wondering if anyone has or had this problem and what was the out come?

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

Swollen nymph nodes in that area are extremely common. So while there is a chance it could be something cancerous, more than often it is nothing to worry about. The good thing is that you caught it and they are doing an ultrasound on it.

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B.C.

answers from Dallas on

I had a HUGE lump in my breast in April of 2010. Doc sent me for an ultrasound. Turns out it was just dense breast tissue. I get it almost every month before my period now. My sister has the same issue. I have major anxiety issues, so I understand your concern, but most likely it's just inflamed b/c of a minor infection or hormones. Rest easy mama!

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S.T.

answers from Houston on

If you use stick deodorant, it can clog up your sweat glands, switch to spray for a while and see if that helps. If I use stick I get semi painful lumps under my pits.Clogged sweat glands will be moveable under your fingers, so will pimples. Cancerous lumps will not move, they are attached to the underlying tissues, and will be immovable.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

I actually got a mammo for a lump in my armpit. Scared the heck out of me. The doctor basically did the mammo to assure me.
What was going on was that I had an absessed tooth and the infection had settled into one of my lymph nodes. I got a round of antibiotics and a root canal and the lump went away.

No cancer involved whatsoever.
It was definitely a relief.

My advice is to NEVER think the worst in these situations. To me, it's almost like bringing it upon yourself.
That's the last thing you want to do.
Think positive and visualize yourself as healthy until or unless you hear otherwise.

Our minds really are our greatest healers.
Believe that you will have a good outcome.
Spend your energy there as opposed to the "what if's".

This is just my opinion.
Best wishes.

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

my lump comes & goes....for about 6 months now. It always coincideds with allergy flareups. If I have a headful of gunk, then the lump's there. I was at the dr this week & forgot to mention it. Thought about it last night, & realized it's due to pop up again.....full-blown allergy trigger this week.

I've read all of the other responses....definitely something to mention to the dr.

Oh, & my son had a lump on the back of his head for most of one winter. It was a swollen lymph node & was treated with back-to-back antibiotics. It's been about 7 or 8 years since & he's fine. Hope yours is just as easy!

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J.W.

answers from Lexington on

The lump in the armpit a young family member had was bigger than you describe, but unfortunately his GP blew it off as "just a swollen gland." That delayed biopsy for 7 months of what turned out to be non-hodgkins lymphoma (cancer). He didn't go back until he had more "swollen glands," and by then it had spread. We wished we could rewind time. He is OK now, but he had to battle stage 3 cancer instead of what was probably stage 1 earlier.

I get swollen glands, but mine are smaller and what I know is "normal" for me. His was different which is why he went to the doctor about it!

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☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello,
I have some rather large, swollen lymph nodes in my armpits. They began when I got pregnant and they've stayed around since, so I've had them around 8 years now. They are tender to the touch, as well. I've had them looked at by several different doctors and they've all confirmed that they are indeed swollen lymph nodes. They've advised me to just deal w/ them unless they become extremely painful because removing them is difficult and not advisable. I also have breast cancer in my family, but since I've had several opinions on the nodes, I do feel better. BTW, one of mine is probably an inch and a half in size, so they aren't small :)

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S.S.

answers from Dallas on

I had something similar a few years ago and my doctor termed it a "kernel". It was an oil or sweat glad that had gotten clogged up and it swelled up and hardened. I applied hot compresses and tried to keep the friction to a minimum and it went away, and it never came back.
Will keep my fingers crossed for you that it's nothing serious!

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