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Armpit lump

Alternative Names:

Lump in the armpit; Localized lymphadenopathy - armpit; Axillary lymphadenopathy; Axillary lymph enlargement; Lymph nodes enlargement - axillary; Axillary abscess

Home Care:

Home care depends on the reason for the lump. Check with your health care provider to determine the cause.

Call your health care provider if:

Call if you have any unexplained armpit lumps. Do not try to diagnose lumps without professional help.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your medical history and symptom, such as:

The physical examination may include palpation -- gently pressing the nodes with the fingertips.

Testing depends on what is found during the physical examination. Tests that may be done include:

OUTLOOK

A lump in the armpit caused by a generalized viral infection will eventually disappear without treatment. A lump in the armpit caused by an allergic reaction will go away after the "trigger" is removed. No treatment is necessary for a lump in the armpit caused by normal breast tissue. Usually, no treatment is necessary for a cyst.

A lump in the armpit caused by a lipoma is harmless, unless it grows so large that it causes discomfort.

The outlook for cancerous lumps depends on the specific type of cancer. See the following for more information:

References:

Oguz A, Karadeniz C, Temel EA Citak EC, Okur FV. Evaluation of peripheral lymphadenopathy in children. Pediatr Hematol Oncol . 2006;23(7):549-561.

Zakaria S, Johnson R, Pockaj BA, Degnim AC. Breast cancer presenting as unilateral arm edema. J Gen Intern Med . 2007; 22(5):675-676.

Henry PH, Longo DL. Enlargement of lymph nodes and spleen. In: Kasper DL, Braunwald E, Anthony S. Fauci AS, eds. Harrison’s Internal Medicine. 16th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2005.

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