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Lump in the armpit; Localized lymphadenopathy - armpit; Axillary lymphadenopathy; Axillary lymph enlargement; Lymph nodes enlargement - axillary; Axillary abscess
Home care depends on the reason for the lump. Check with your health care provider to determine the cause.
Call if you have any unexplained armpit lumps. Do not try to diagnose lumps without professional help.
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 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:
Armitage JO. Approach to the patient with lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier. 2007: chap 174.
Camitta Bm. Lymphadenopathy. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th Ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 490.
Glover KY, Varadhachary GR, Lenzi R, Raber MN, Abbruzzese JL. Carcinoma of unknown primary. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKenna WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa; Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008: chap 98.
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