Any infection that lurks in your body can be the cause of inflammation of the lymph node under the arm. Another option is more serious violations occurring in the work of internal organs.
We will talk about the reasons a little later, but I would like to mention one important detail that can answer the question of why it is worth immediately contacting a doctor. An inflamed lymph node under the arm, photos of which we can see in the article below, in women can talk about a very unpleasant and serious disease. In this case, we can talk about breast cancer, which, unfortunately, is extremely common. Therefore, do not hesitate to visit a specialist. He will conduct an examination, take the necessary tests that will help identify the causes of this phenomenon, prescribe competent therapy.
Lymphatic system
Before we go directly to the lymph nodes under the arm, we offer to get acquainted with the entire lymphatic system of a person. What is it? Not everyone knows that along with venous, arterial and other systems, lymphatic is also running smoothly. How? In the human body there are a lot of lymph nodes that provide good immunity. Of course, such a system performs its functions almost imperceptibly, not like the others.
We said that there are a lot of lymph nodes in the body. But how many of them are there anyway? About 460, which are located in different parts of the human body. These groups do not stop their work for a minute, but they are located near the veins and arteries. Why is this number of nodes a person has? It’s easy to explain - it’s just so much necessary to maintain immunity. In other words, it is with this amount that the human body feels healthy.
The lymphatic vessels constantly circulate fluid - lymph. She got this name due to the high concentration of leukocytes, which have one important feature - the absorption of harmful microorganisms. That is, the lymph moves through the lymphatic vessels, neutralizes all pathogenic bacteria and removes them from the body.
How much of this colorless liquid does an adult need? About two liters of lymph are constantly circulating in the system. The pressure of this biological fluid is relatively small, therefore, it moves slowly. The direction of movement is from the bottom (toes) upwards (thoracic lymphatic flow). Only with such a movement is it possible to neutralize and eliminate toxins (poisons).
Fix the resulting material. The function of the lymphatic system is the elimination of toxins. Even a completely healthy person, not to mention those who lead the wrong lifestyle, has a large number of bacteria, parasites and fungi in the body. If you deny a healthy lifestyle, a person poison himself with toxins. The lymphatic system, which cleanses the body of poisons, helps maintain immunity, working capacity.
Axillary lymph nodes
Lymph nodes under the arm in a healthy and calm state should not be felt in any way. That is, there are no pains and discomfort. It is worth the alarm if they have increased in size, painful signals have appeared. With inflamed lymph nodes under the arm (the photo can be seen in this section), swelling, inflammation and compaction sometimes occur. If such symptoms are detected, you should immediately go to the hospital for a consultation with an experienced doctor.
Immediately make a reservation, do not self-medicate or live in anticipation of a miracle. Everything itself will not work. In addition, over time, the situation may also worsen. Now let's see why the lymph nodes grow and hurt. The thing is that the lymph nodes include connective tissues, in which viruses and bacteria are retained just the same. The lymph node becomes inflamed if enough microorganisms have accumulated. Pay attention to the fact that the lymphatic system at this moment enhances its work. It is because of this that inflammation occurs. When you click on such lymph nodes, pain occurs.
Causes
Why are the lymph nodes under the arm inflamed? Reasons can be numerous. As mentioned earlier, a similar process arises as a result of more active work of the entire system. It enhances the amount of lymphocyte production that tries to cope with pathogens in our body. The initiators are often:
- ARVI. The abbreviation is deciphered as follows - an acute respiratory viral infection.
- Many other infections that have entered our body.
- The presence of a tumor, which is located near the inflamed lymph node. It is important to note here that the inflamed lymph node under the armpit in women can indicate the presence of breast cancer.
- Boils.
- Trophic ulcers.
- Inflammation.
- Thrombophlebitis.
- Caries.
- Stomatitis.
- Angina.
- Inflamed gums and so on.
To understand that the lymph node is inflamed is quite simple. Try to feel it under your arm. Small balls with inflammation significantly increase in size upon palpation, painful with the progression of a viral infection.
A very common cause of this phenomenon is angina. The thing is that to fight harmful bacteria, the body needs a very large number of lymphocytes. Please note that in this case there is no need to treat the lymph node itself. After recovery, he himself will return to normal. Its inflammation is a signal of the body about health problems.
If the initiator of such a pathological process is inflammation of the hair follicle, then this can be noticed by the characteristic features:
- strong pain;
- redness
- joint pain;
- fatigue;
- nausea.
Women need to be more attentive. If, together with inflammation of the lymph node, you notice that the mammary glands have become denser, then urgently consult a mammologist. What for? Make sure you don’t have breast cancer.
In addition to the above, there are other reasons:
- allergy;
- cyst;
- bruise or other injuries - they are common causes of a malfunction in the lymphatic system.
Symptoms
Now very briefly about the symptoms of enlarged lymph nodes under the arm. These include:
- enlargement of the lymph node in size;
- pain during palpation;
- redness of the skin;
- fever;
- nausea;
- vomiting
- general weakness.
The development of axillary lymphadenitis is very slow. But if no therapeutic measures are taken, then a person can feel how the lymph node under the arm is pulsating. At the same time, body temperature rises significantly.
What to do if an inflamed lymph node hurts?
What to do if the lymph node under the arm hurts ? First, contact a specialist immediately. With the help of certain analyzes, he will be able to establish many significant parameters. These include:
- the size;
- symptoms of inflammation;
- character;
- consistency;
- mobility.
Based on these data, the doctor will be able to prescribe the correct treatment.
If the lymph node under the arm hurts, then after consultation you can use several recipes of alternative medicine.
- Echinacea alcohol tincture is diluted with 10 drops with water and taken 4 times a day before meals.
- Unrefined sunflower oil: in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bedtime, take one tablespoon of oil in your mouth and dissolve it like a candy for fifteen minutes, then spit it out. This method helps cleanse the lymph and reduce pain.
Diagnostics
If the lymph node under the arm is inflamed, then the doctor needs to find out the cause of such a pathology. To do this, he prescribes a general blood test. What does he need to see there? Of course, the white blood cell count. If it is elevated, then the body is fighting infection, and then you need to figure out which one.
If tuberculosis is suspected, it is necessary to do fluorography, pass sputum from the throat, and also see the Mantoux reaction.
In addition, doctors recommend testing for HIV and syphilis. If cancer is suspected, then a puncture is necessary.
Treatment
The lymph node under the arm is inflamed, what should I do? Of course, go to the hospital, where they will help you not only determine the source of the problem, but also prescribe treatment.
There are 2 solutions in total:
- conservative treatment;
- surgical intervention.
We will talk more about such methods in more detail. In addition, you can use grandmother's recipes, which will help to quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
Conservative
If the lymph node under the arm is inflamed, then it must be taken into account that now rest is needed (no physical exertion). In addition, it is necessary to help the body fight the infection.
After several tests and an ultrasound, your doctor will advise you to take a course of antibiotics (Amoxiclav, Amoxicillin, and so on). In addition, in this case, a good helper will be the ointment "Troxevasin" or "Heparin".
Your doctor may advise you:
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- compresses with "Dimexidum";
- chloroethyl blockade.
Surgical
If the inflammation of the lymph nodes under the arm has reached the purulent stage, then surgical intervention is necessary. The doctor will surely wash the wound and put drainage. It is necessary for the outflow of pus. After a week, the drainage is removed, and the wound gradually heals. This is under the supervision of the attending physician.
After the operation are assigned:
- painkillers;
- sulfonamides;
- acetylsalicylic acid;
- vitamin complexes;
- warming and anti-inflammatory compresses;
- low carb diet.
If the patient is in a serious condition, then a blood transfusion is performed.
Folk recipes
With inflammation of the lymph nodes under the arm, you can, after consulting with your doctor, use several folk recipes. You will learn about them in this section.
The following alternative recipes are used to treat inflammation of the lymph node in the axillary region:
- Compresses with tincture of echinacea (tincture and water, 1: 2 ratio).
- Dressing with baked onions: bake onions, turn them into pulp, add tar tar (one tablespoon), apply and fasten with a bandage for no more than 8 hours.
- Lotions with mint leaves: make a decoction of the leaves, moisten the bandage in it and apply to the diseased lymph node for two hours.
Prevention
There is an increase in lymph nodes under the arm for many reasons. To prevent such a problem, you should increase your immunity. This will help not overexert the lymphatic system of the body.
Recommendations include:
- proper nutrition;
- light sports;
- attentive to wounds;
- disinfection of cuts and abrasions.
These simple rules will help you forget about this problem for a long time.