Pain and burning in the armpit. Pain in the armpit: physiological and pathological causes

Causes of armpit pain.

Few of us are very familiar with the lymphatic system. But often it is malfunctions in its work that provoke pain in the armpit. In this article we will take a closer look at the causes of armpit pain and treatment methods.

What can hurt under the left armpit in women and men?

In general, there can be many reasons. Finding out the cause on your own is quite difficult.

Causes of armpit pain:

Lymphadenitis
Furuncle
Inflammation of the lymph node
Tumors, including malignant ones
Ailments of cardio-vascular system
Osteochondrosis
Mammary cancer
Hidradenitis
Depilation
Condition after tattoos
Shingles

Can the heart hurt on the left side of the armpit?

Yes, for heart diseases except stabbing and cutting pain in the left armpit area, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat and breathing problems are characteristic. All these symptoms may indicate myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease.

What can hurt under the right armpit in women and men?

The most interesting thing is that pain in this area can also indicate pathologies of the cardiovascular system. But this happens extremely rarely. The most common causes of pain are:

Malignant and benign neoplasms
Cyst
Pyoderma
Heart pathologies
Osteochondrosis
Crashes hormonal levels

A ball under the armpit under the skin, it doesn’t hurt: what is it?

Women should be especially careful. After all, pain and a tumor in the armpit area often indicate breast cancer.

Causes:

Neoplasm. This can be either fibroadenoma - the growth of glandular tissue, or cancer. In this case, nothing may hurt. If you experience breast enlargement, nipple discharge, or lumpiness, consult your doctor immediately.
Inflammation of the lymph node. It may also not be accompanied by pain. But it is worth understanding that this alarm signal. Indicates a serious infection.
Wen. This happens quite rarely, but causes a lot of inconvenience.

The armpit is swollen, it aches, it tugs, a lump has come out in the armpit, a ball has come out and it hurts: reasons

There are several reasons for the appearance of a painful lump in the armpit:

Hidradenitis. This is a disease characterized by inflammation of adipose tissue. Most often, a wen appears, which is quite painful. People call it “bitch udder”. Triggered by staphylococcus.
Chiryak. This is a purulent neoplasm in the armpit area. When inflamed, it is red and engorged.
Inflammation of the lymph node. There is pain, but there is no redness. This is an enlarged area in the armpit. Aching pain occurs. This is often caused by an infection in the body. Inflammation of the lymph nodes can indicate leukemia and cancer.

My armpit hurts, my lymph node hurts, a lump has popped out in my armpit: what to do, which doctor to see?

A surgeon deals with such ailments. You don't necessarily have to have surgery. If the formation is benign, then you will be prescribed drug treatment. If it is a wen or hidradenitis, the doctor will make a small incision and remove the contents of the lump. Malignant tumors are removed under general anesthesia.

You should not self-medicate, it is quite dangerous. First of all, it is worth finding out the cause of the pain. If there is a tumor or ball, you should make an appointment with a surgeon.

Methods for treating pain:

Operation. Carried out according to indications. Most often, opening and drainage is performed. bitch's udder", as well as removal of glandular tissue in the case of fibroadenoma.
Improving immunity and eliminating the cause. If we are talking about inflammation of the lymph node, then it is necessary to find the problem and take medications that will destroy the infection.
Lotions, ointments. Used only if it is a wen or boil. Most often used antibacterial drugs, such as Levomekol, Trimistin.
Traditional methods. Usually, cabbage ist and various herbal compresses are used to treat bitch udders.

Things you shouldn't do:

Try to warm the tumor with a lamp, salt or a heating pad. If it is a wen, then the pus as a result of such procedures can spread to nearby tissues.
Take medications without a doctor's prescription. They can cause the condition to worsen.
Do nothing. If this is inflammation of the lymph node, then it is worth determining the cause. After this, it is eliminated. If it is lymphadenitis, staphylococcal infection spreads very quickly. It should be destroyed with antibiotics and drained and cleaned.

There can be many causes of armpit pain. Mainly this is lymphadenitis and wen. But cases of inflammation of the lymph nodes are not uncommon.

VIDEO: Armpit pain

Many people complain that their armpit hurts from time to time. Moreover, the sensations can be both sharp and aching, present constantly or occur periodically, and also be accompanied by other symptoms, for example, redness or the appearance of tubercles under the skin. So what can such pains signal?

Armpit pain due to injury or surgery

In some cases, discomfort in this area may indicate a sprain or injury to muscles and ligaments. shoulder girdle. When is present almost constantly, but increases significantly with physical stress. Of course, it can occur as a result of surgery in the breast area. From similar problem As a rule, women suffer after surgical treatment one or another breast disease. The pain can be sharp, severe and extremely unpleasant, but in most cases it goes away after a few days.

Why does a woman's armpit hurt?

Many women suffer from similar discomfort. Pain usually appears a few days before the start of menstruation - this is a completely normal phenomenon that does not require specific treatment. Moreover, in in this case discomfort secondary and related to There are more dangerous reason pain is the development of benign or malignant neoplasms in the chest. This symptom is rare because cancer is most often diagnosed on early stages, even before the first signs appear. However, tumor growth may be accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes and, as a consequence, soreness in the axillary area.

Armpit pain due to problems with the lymphatic system

It's no secret that peripheral organs are located in the armpits immune system acting as biological filters. And pain in this part of the body is often associated with an increase in their size or with inflammatory process. Reasons for occurrence similar violation there may be a lot, because lymphatic system reacts to almost all deviations from the norm in the body - this includes infections of different origins, and some chronic diseases, and inflammation, and the presence of neoplasms.

Armpit pain: other causes

In fact, there are a lot of disorders and pathologies that can provoke pain in the armpit area.

Often the pain is associated with allergic reaction, which can be caused by substances found in antiperspirants, soaps, skin care products, synthetic fabrics.
In some cases, pain occurs due to the formation of a boil.
Another common cause is hidradenitis, which is the name for inflammation and accumulation of pus in them.
Atheroma, a cyst that occurs as a result of its blockage, can also cause pain.
If your left armpit hurts, this is often associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system; discomfort often spreads to left hand and shoulder.
Pyoderma can also occur with pain in the armpit area. This is an infectious process accompanied by a purulent process.

Every woman can periodically feel, however, each pain is different in intensity, location and even symmetry. If it hurts under the arm, then you should find out the causes of the pain, which can be done in the office of a mammologist, who will first analyze the symptoms and then conduct diagnostic tests.

Chest pain under the arms can be accompanied by discharge from the nipple, and also radiate to the shoulder blade, shoulder, arm, and chest. It is important to find out the reasons for the development of such pain, especially if it is constant and persistent.

There are various causes of pain. These could be injuries, wearing a tight bra that puts pressure on the breasts, surgery, or infectious or inflammatory diseases, pathologies of the heart or blood vessels, etc. The site advises all women to undergo an annual examination by a mammologist in order to identify diseases even at the stage of absence of any symptoms. Many diseases can be asymptomatic and express themselves with clear signs when they have fully developed and become stronger in the body.

Why does pain occur?

Only a doctor can say for sure why pain occurs under the armpit in the chest. A woman can only bear to speculate on what is happening to her. Here are some possible reasons to consider:

Gynecological diseases.
Changes in hormonal balance.
Multiple abortions.
Oncological diseases of the breast.
Nervous strain and stress that constantly worries a woman.
Hereditary predisposition.

It should be noted when the pain occurs. If it is periodic and is also localized in both mammary glands in the armpit area, then pay attention to the period of its occurrence. These may be the days before your period. Quite often, women experience such pain, which is completely natural. They are usually localized in the front of the mammary glands, but can also affect the armpit area. No treatment is required here.

Mastopathy becomes another cause of pain in the armpits. It is usually diagnosed in women between 35 and 55 years of age. This disease is characterized by neoplasms that are localized in one (less often in both) mammary glands. The disease becomes a consequence of hormonal imbalance, for which treatment is quite simple and effective.

The cause of pain is mastitis

Women often experience breast pain during breastfeeding. At the very beginning of lactation, such sensations become quite natural. The breasts are not yet accustomed to feeding, especially if a woman is giving birth for the first time. However, over time the pain should go away.

If the pain does not go away, then you should consult a doctor. Mastitis may be detected - a disease with the appearance of lumps due to stagnation of milk in the breast or irregular feeding of the baby. When the breast does not empty milk at a certain frequency or milk ducts do not completely release the shares in, stagnation begins. It leads to infection entering the area of stagnation through small cracks and wounds and provoking an inflammatory process.

On initial stage treatment will not require weaning the baby. The woman will continue to feed him as one of the ways of her recovery. However, at later stages, it may be recommended to stop feeding the baby for a short time so that the woman can be effectively treated.

Why does it hurt under my armpit?

There are a lot of reasons to talk about something specifically. Why does it hurt under the armpit?

Received injuries to this area.
Lifting weights.
Perform operations in this area.
Sprained muscles or ligaments of the shoulder joint.
After sleep, when occupying an uncomfortable or incorrect position.

If a person has suffered a physical injury or muscle strain, he usually immediately begins to feel pain, which is why it is not difficult to diagnose the cause of its occurrence. It is much more difficult to understand that a dislocation or subluxation of the shoulder has occurred, since pain in this case does not occur immediately.

Also various operations on the chest provoke pain, which is localized not only under the armpits, but also in the mammary glands themselves. There is a possibility of injury during the operation. nerve fibers who begin to hurt a few days after the operation.

If surgery was performed for breast augmentation, this factor should also be taken into account. Pain may occur under the arms due to the additional stress on the muscles and ligaments that now have to hold the chest. Along with the increase in breast size, weight also increased. The muscles and ligaments may not be ready for such weight, so at first they will hurt due to stretching and tension.

What does pain under the armpit in the chest indicate?

The doctor will first interview the woman in order to first understand what pain in the chest under the arm may indicate. First, the woman must tell how long the pain lasts, what methods can be used to relieve it, under what circumstances it occurred, and whether the pain radiates to other parts of the body.

Possible diseases that provoke the appearance this symptom, are:

Muscle strains, injuries, falls from a height, blows to this area. The pain occurs immediately why does a person understands the reasons for its origin. After just a couple of days, if the shoulder is kept at rest, the pain goes away.
After operation. Typically, operations on the chest or armpit area are accompanied by damage to the nerve fibers. Scars take a long time to heal, which is accompanied by pain. Women are often prescribed painkillers to relieve pain.
Hidradenitis or lymphadenitis. This is about inflammatory diseases, which develop in sweat glands(hidradenitis) or lymph nodes(lymphadenitis). These diseases are accompanied elevated temperature, acute pain in the affected area, pain in the arm and head. You should consult a doctor who will prescribe antibiotics and other treatment procedures.
Mastalgia of a cyclical nature. These are pains that occur before menstruation in both breasts and go away on their own with their onset.
Oncology. If a tumor is detected in the mammary gland, pain usually occurs in the later stages of the disease. Before this, the woman consults a doctor for help due to changes in the shape of the breast or nipple. The disease can be bilateral. The pain is first localized in the chest itself, and then moves to the armpit area.
Disruption internal organs. When the symptoms in question appear, we can talk about dysfunction of the cardiovascular or respiratory system.
Osteochondrosis or neuralgia. Here you are encouraged to reconsider your diet and lifestyle.

Forecast

There are many reasons for the development of chest and armpit pain, which is why prognoses vary. If the pain is natural, then the person is not in danger. If pain is a consequence of diseases, then the prognosis depends on how serious these diseases are. Also important medical therapy, which turns out to be a woman if she asks for help. It is better not to self-medicate in this case.

Painful symptoms in the armpit area may indicate the following diseases and conditions:

Injury to the shoulder or arm, which is accompanied by acute pain, including pain in the armpit area.
The pain can be explained by surgical intervention in the area of the shoulder, sternum, breast - mastectomy, when the entire breast is removed.
Cyclic or non-cyclic mastalgia - painful, pulling, aching sensations in the mammary glands and armpits.
A tumor in the breast is both benign and malignant.
Lymphadenopathy is an enlargement of one or more lymph nodes.
An allergy that provokes pain in the armpit due to irritation and rash on the skin.
Hidradenitis is an inflammation of the sweat (apocrine) glands, often purulent.
Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis of infectious etiology - inflammation of the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels.
Subcutaneous wen big size– atheroma (benign formation).
Dermatological purulent skin disease in the armpit area - pyoderma.
Furunculosis.
Cellulitis and abscesses.
Viral infection (flu, ARVI).
Mastitis is inflammation of breast tissue - mammary gland (parenchyma, interstitial tissue).
Diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Description of the causes of pain in the armpit

Traumatic injury to the arm, shoulder, lateral part of the sternum, mammary gland - blows, bruises, sprains of ligaments, muscles, tendons of the shoulder. The pain most often has an aching character, the sensations intensify with physical activity and sudden movements of the hands. Pain in the armpit caused by a minor injury is not threatening symptom and often goes away on its own if the arm and shoulder are immobilized for a while and not subjected to additional stress.

Pain caused by post-operative conditions. The cause of pain is surgical incisions, which damage not only the skin and nerve endings, but also temporarily disrupt the blood supply to tissues and muscles. Pain in the armpit caused by surgery can last for quite a long time, but as blood flow is restored and tissue regenerates, it gradually subsides. For some time, a person may be bothered by itching and loss of sensitivity in the armpits, however, these symptoms also pass.

Pain in the armpit caused by courses of chemotherapy and radiation for cancer.

Pain during drainage purulent wound in the chest or armpit area. The pain symptom is explained by damage to the skin and disruption of blood flow and lymphatic drainage due to the wound.

Pain in the armpit can be due to a physiological reason - menstrual cycle. Mastalgia of a cyclic nature is not a disease, rather it is quite typical symptom completion monthly cycle. Pain occurs due to changes in hormonal levels and impaired lymphatic drainage. Painful sensations are aching, pulling in nature and subside after the end of menstruation. Cyclic pain in the armpits goes away with age and the onset of menopause.

Pain in the armpit is often caused by taking hormonal drugs(progesterone and estrogen-containing). This condition can occur in both young women taking oral contraceptives, and in women during menopause.

There may be pain pathological symptom, consequence cancer– breast tumor, sternum tumor. It should be noted that pain in the armpit is bad sign, since in the first, supervised stages, oncological processes are practically asymptomatic, that is, without pain. Most often, pain in the axillary fossa is accompanied by anatomical changes mammary gland(nipple retraction, change in color, atypical discharge from the nipple, deformation of the mammary gland).

Allergy to chemical components perfumes or deodorants. The reaction may occur to zinc, aluminum compounds, essential oils, scented soap or detergents. Synthetic fabrics also provoke allergies, and tight clothing aggravates allergic skin irritation.

A cystic wen or atheroma can also cause pain in the armpit. Atheroma is a benign formation under the skin that occurs due to chronic blockage (clogging) of the duct sebaceous glands. It looks pretty extensive education dense structure, the skin over the wen is very stretched, it cannot be caught in a fold. Pain symptoms most often provoked by purulent atheroma, since a simple wen usually does not cause pain. In addition to pain, there may be an increase in body temperature and swelling at the site of atheroma. Until the abscess breaks through, the pain persists. As soon as the purulent contents pour out, the symptoms subside. Atheroma recognized benign education, however, independent actions to open it, infection in the wound or unacceptable heating of the armpit can lead to malignancy of the process (transformation into an oncological disease).

Hidradenitis is another reason why pain in the armpit develops. The most common hidradenitis is of staphylococcal origin. The disease develops very slowly and is almost imperceptible. Then itching, redness and pain appear in the armpit area, which is provoked by internal education with purulent contents. Apocrine (sweat) glands are, in principle, very vulnerable to infections, and with constant irritation and damage to the skin, hidradenitis appears as a completely understandable consequence. Multiple ulcers are treated with adequate antibacterial therapy, V exceptional cases local surgical intervention is indicated.

Furunculosis is infectious inflammation, the process that has passed into acute stage, accompanied by purulent accumulation in the hair follicles of the armpit area. Most often, furunculosis is of a staphylococcal nature; it is also provoked by non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, injury to the skin under the arms, hyperhidrosis - increased sweating, reduced immune function. Furunculosis is treated comprehensively with antibiotics, both local and internal medications, vitamins and immunomodulators. 1

Armpit pain can be caused by a heart attack. Most often, radiating pain is part of the general symptoms of coronary disease heart (CHD). Pain is felt not only in the armpits, but also behind the sternum, in the left shoulder blade, shoulder, and arm. This disease requires immediate medical care, since it can develop into life-threatening consequence - myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction does not always demonstrate specific symptoms. There are often cases when a heart attack looks like completely different diseases - gastrointestinal, inflammatory, and so on. Therefore, if pain in the armpit is localized on the left and does not go away within two to three hours, it is accompanied by radiating pain to the left arm, in left shoulder, nausea, weakness and slowness heart rate, you need to call as quickly as possible medical care.

Pyoderma is a local, external skin problem. Infection of the skin in the armpit area can be caused by cuts, unsuccessful depilation, or poor personal hygiene. Pyoderma in an advanced state causes pain in the armpit, which lasts exactly as long as the inflammation occurs.

Painful sensations accompany a person throughout his life. The most common are headaches and heart pain. Pain in the heart area of any nature should immediately alert a person, because they are the first signals from our body that our heart needs help.

IN last years The big mistake of many people is that they characterize any pain in the chest as cardiac and immediately self-medicate by taking cardiac medications. Even with minor pain This type of therapy is extremely dangerous, since a person can only harm himself without achieving an improvement in his condition.

Pain in the heart radiates to the left armpit not only when heart disease occurs, but also when neurological illnesses progress.

Heart pain radiating to the left armpit or arm is often a signal for immediate hospitalization of the patient. Pain of this nature occurs with most heart diseases and pathologies.

Most often, ischemia causes chest pain that radiates to the armpit. This disease occurs when there is insufficient blood supply to the heart through the main arteries of the body. Ischemia is a combination of several diseases, among which the most common are angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. It is angina pain that is characterized by irradiation into the armpit, into the left shoulder.

The causes of this pathology are considered to be:

being overweight;
frequent surges in blood pressure;
sedentary lifestyle;
smoking and drinking alcohol;
high blood sugar;
predisposition to the disease;
frequent stressful situations and experiences.

The impetus for the appearance of pain can be prolonged experiences, strong emotional shock or fear. Pain can also be caused physical exercise.

However, pain is not the only unpleasant symptom. It is accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and general weakness. Vomiting may occur. During an attack of ischemia, a person is covered with an uncontrollable fear of death, which intensifies as the pain worsens. This may lead to loss of consciousness.

Myocarditis

It is an inflammation of the heart muscle. This inflammation can be caused by an infection, an allergic reaction of the body, or the progression of rheumatism. May cause blood clots to break off.

The disease is very difficult to diagnose because it has no specific symptoms and throughout its development does not cause discomfort to a person. Manifests itself during exacerbations as aching or pressing pain in the chest, radiating to the left armpit. In this case, numbness of the left hand is possible. The pulse becomes rapid, and breathing becomes heavy and intermittent. At the same time, a person feels powerlessness and weakness, which comes suddenly.

In rare cases, a person may experience the following symptoms:

high body temperature, which does not decrease when taking antipyretics;
restless sleep and feeling “broken” throughout the day.

In this case, the pain comes suddenly and, as a rule, is not caused by anything. The pain itself is constant and intensifies even with minor physical exertion.

A heart attack occurs due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle cells. In this case, the death of myocardial cells occurs, which is already irreversible.

The reasons for the development of this pathology may be:

predisposition to the disease, which is inherited;
excess weight, diabetes;
neglect of physical activity and poor nutrition what brings with it increased level cholesterol in blood vessels;
alcohol and tobacco abuse;
frequent surges in blood pressure.

The attack is characterized severe pain in the heart, which radiate to the armpit, less often - to the whole arm. In rare cases, pain occurs in the middle chest and gives it to abdominal cavity and hips. In this case, the pain in the chest area is tingling and radiates with pulling and aching sensations.

At the same time, the person is weakened and begins to freeze. There may be an increase in body temperature, which causes body aches and cold sweat. Shortness of breath and increased blood pressure are observed.

All of the above symptoms, except pain, are more reminiscent of acute form colds.

If you suspect any of these conditions, you must immediately call an ambulance. If the pain continues for a long time, then you can take a Nitroglycerin tablet, which will help relieve the pain. Place the tablet under the tongue and wait until it is completely dissolved. You can take no more than four tablets in an hour, but only if you were unable to get rid of the pain with the first tablet.

Extracardiac causes of pain

Pain in the heart area with irradiation into the armpit, shoulder and arm can be caused not only by heart pathologies, but also by dysfunction nervous system. Pain syndrome can be recognized by neuralgia, osteochondrosis and psychogenic cardialgia.

Represents a pinching or lesion nerve endings. If a person is dealing with pain in the heart area, which radiates to the armpit or the entire arm, then such neuralgia can only be intercostal.

The cause of the development of the disease can be age-related diseases, heart pathologies, diabetes mellitus and acute infectious diseases. Single attacks of pain can be caused by hypothermia, intense physical activity, food poisoning and intoxication of the body with chemical or medicinal substances.

The pain begins in the chest and gradually spreads throughout the body. In this case, the pain in the zone of origin is sharp and burning, and radiates with pulling sensations. Pain syndrome may be accompanied profuse sweating and muscle twitching. In men, the center of pain accumulates in the lower part of the ribs, and in women - in the heart area.

Nitroglycerin is not able to relieve neuralgic pain. Only strong painkillers will help stop the pain.

Osteochondrosis is a disorder of the vertebrae. Pain in the heart, radiating to the left armpit, is characteristic of the manifestation of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine.

The pain itself is dull and aching, but has the property of “spreading” - it gradually increases the area of pain and comes in waves. This may cause some areas to go numb. skin and “goosebumps.”

The exact cause of osteochondrosis has not been established, but there are several factors that can lead to the progression of the pathological condition:

congenital predisposition;
metabolic disorders in the body;
disorders in the development of the human skeleton (flat feet, poor posture);
general intoxication of the body;

infectious and viral diseases;
spinal injuries;
age-related changes in the structure of the skeleton;
excess weight and poor nutrition;
presence of bad habits.

The peculiarity of pain in osteochondrosis is that it manifests itself in evening time when there is compression of the nerves and blood vessels spine after a hard day.

Psychogenic cardialgia

This disease is psychological character and develops in people who are afraid of any disease. Pathology develops due to constant feeling fear and anxiety that a person experiences. That is, the disease itself does not initially have physiological reasons for occurrence.

Factors that can aggravate the disease include nervous breakdowns and overexertion, stress and depression, alcohol abuse and tobacco products, sudden physical exertion and infections.

Patients with this disease complain of aching pain in the region of the heart, extending into the armpit, sometimes into the shoulder blade or the entire arm. Sometimes the pain spreads throughout the body and can make itself felt even in groin area. At the same time, the patient’s psycho-emotional state worsens - the person begins to tremble and increases panic fear and there is a feeling of imminent death.

The main reason for the progression of such a condition as psychogenic neuralgia is banal self-hypnosis, anxiety and fear of death.

Each of the listed diseases requires special approach and individual treatment, since it may be accompanied by concomitant ailments that can improper treatment aggravate the general clinical picture. Therefore, if you experience heart pain radiating to the armpit, you must consult a doctor to determine accurate diagnosis and prescribing treatment, but do not try to stop them yourself.