Why armpits hurt
There are a number of reasons why armpit hurts. Unpleasant sensations can occur due to injuries, neoplasms in the chest, pathologies of the lymph nodes, cardiovascular system, inflammatory diseases and for other reasons. Let's consider them in more detail.
Armpit hurts from injury or surgery
Traumatic armpit pain in women and men occurs when the muscles and ligaments of the shoulder joint are stretched. The armpit hurts as a result of a blow, lifting weights, sleeping in an uncomfortable position, etc. After injury, the pain is not sharp, but constant, limiting mobility.
The reason why the armpit hurts after breast surgery is that such manipulations lead to damage to the nerve tissue in the chest area, and this, on the one hand, reduces sensitivity, and on the other hand, causes reflected pain in the armpit. After the operation, the armpit hurts for a long time, the pain impulses are sharp at first, but soon decrease, giving way to itching and numbness of the skin. At first, pain relievers are prescribed, but gradually the discomfort disappears.
Armpit pain in women associated with the menstrual cycle
In some women, a few days before menstruation, seals form in the upper or outer lobes of the mammary glands, while pain from the chest area radiates to the armpit. Sometimes unpleasant sensations arise from one side, sometimes from two sides. This phenomenon is called mastalgia.
The armpit hurts in different ways - for some it aches, for others the sensations are so sharp that it is difficult to move their hands. As a rule, the symptom accompanies the entire reproductive period and can increase with age. With the onset of menopause, armpit pain in women goes away, but if a woman takes hormonal medications, discomfort can be felt even after the end of menstruation.
Pain of cancer origin
Breast cancer can be asymptomatic for a long time and is diagnosed, as a rule, before the patient begins to worry about anything - usually during a planned mammogram. But in some cases, armpit pain in women indicates oncology, especially if it is combined with seals, the size of which does not change during the menstrual cycle.
The likelihood of breast cancer is higher in women who have never given birth or have given birth for the first time after age 30, with smoking and drinking alcohol. In addition, risk factors include family history, early menstruation, late menopause, breast trauma, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, 10 years of oral contraceptive use, etc.
Armpit hurts due to allergies
If a man or woman's armpits hurt, and the discomfort is more like itching, the reason lies in allergic skin irritation, which can result from depilation, improperly selected deodorant, increased sweating, shaving, skin pollution, and so on.
Outwardly, this unpleasant phenomenon looks like edema with redness and a small rash. If you comb this area, an infection may develop in the sebaceous glands or hair follicles, which will be discussed below. When the armpit hurts, it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate the allergen and prescribe antihistamines.
Lymph nodes in the armpits hurt
Pathologies of the lymph nodes in the armpit are divided into two groups - lymphadenopathies and lymphadenitis.
Lymphadenopathy is an enlargement of the lymph nodes, which in itself is not a disease, but a symptom of an ailment. Lymph nodes hurt armpits with tuberculosis, lymphoma, melanoma, brucellosis, rubella, nonspecific infectious lesions, breast cancer and other neoplasms, as well as in the presence of silicone implants in the breast. With lymphadenopathy, not only the lymph nodes in the armpits hurt, but also the weight decreases, night sweats occur, the temperature rises, the liver or spleen increases.
Lymphadenitis is an infection of the lymph node. At the same time, it initially increases and does not lose mobility. But as the inflammation develops, the skin becomes red and hot, and the lymph node becomes dense. The patient is covered with fever, chills, headache, sweating and general malaise, and, of course, the lymph nodes in the armpits hurt. As the abscess matures, its contents break out, after which the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Armpit hurts due to inflammatory diseases
In the armpit, purulent inflammation of the sweat glands, called hydradenitis, often develops. It affects adults, since in childhood the sweat glands in this zone are not yet active. It all starts with itching and swelling, the armpit gradually begins to hurt and an abscess forms. The disease is accompanied by general intoxication, weakness and fatigue, fever and headaches.
Another disease - atheroma - is a cyst of the sebaceous gland, which occurs due to blockage of the ducts. The armpit hurts already with suppuration of atheroma, by this time the tissues swell, the temperature rises. Pus can break out on its own, or atheroma becomes overgrown with connective tissue and turns into a painless spherical tumor, which in rare cases can degenerate into a malignant one.
Furuncle - purulent inflammation of the hair follicle and surrounding connective tissue. Localized in the armpit, the boil begins with single elements of the rash, redness and the formation of a purulent point in the center, which is also called the core of the boil. The disease, leading to the fact that the armpit hurts, arises from pollution, microtraumas of the skin, metabolic disorders, and decreased immunity.
Another inflammatory disease is pyoderma. The reason why the armpit hurts is purulent skin lesions due to the introduction of staphylococci or streptococci. This occurs with microtrauma, skin contamination, hypothermia or overheating, metabolic pathology, etc. The site of inflammation is usually itchy, but the body temperature remains normal.
How armpit hurts with cardiovascular diseases
When the armpits of a man or woman hurt, it can be caused by two pathologies - coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.
With coronary artery disease and heart attack, the armpit hurts on the left side, but the main pain is usually felt behind the sternum. For ischemia, in addition to the fact that the armpits of a man or woman hurt, weakness, shortness of breath, a forced sitting position, edema of the lower extremities are characteristic. With myocardial infarction, symptoms such as shortness of breath, heaviness in the chest, severe pallor, dizziness and loss of consciousness join. And if the signs of ischemic heart disease disappear after taking nitroglycerin, then in the event of a heart attack, this remedy no longer helps.
Whatever the reason why the armpit hurts, it is always a reason to consult a specialist - a dermatologist, allergist, surgeon, cardiologist, oncologist, therapist. The information we provide will help you understand the cause of the pain, but the doctor must confirm the diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
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