Whether it’s throbbing, aching, or sharp, everyone has been in pain. The uncomfortable sensation is a red flag. Pain in your armpit could mean that you’ve simply strained a muscle, which is eased with ice and rest. It could also be a sign of more serious conditions, like an infection or breast cancer. Show Muscle StrainYour armpits and the surrounding chest and arm area are made up of blood vessels, nerves, and muscles. Like other muscles in your body, you can strain armpit muscles by overdoing things, like lifting something heavy. Symptoms of a muscle strain depend on how serious the strain is. They can include:
For mild strains, doctors suggest that you rest the muscle by taking a break from the activity that caused the pain. You can also put ice on the area and take over-the-counter medicine to ease pain and swelling. Call a doctor if your symptoms get worse or the strain doesn’t heal within a few weeks. Swollen Lymph NodesLymph nodes are found in many areas of your body, including your neck, groin, and armpits. If they’re swollen and painful, it’s usually a sign that your body is fighting a viral infection such as:
When your lymph nodes swell, you may also have a runny nose, sore throat, fever, and night sweats. Pain due to infection goes away when the condition causing it gets better. In the meantime, to feel better:
There are other, less common but more serious causes of swollen lymph nodes, including a malignancy or lymphoma. See your doctor if yours:
Breast cancer happens when cells in your breast grow uncontrollably. They usually form a tumor. A common symptom of breast cancer is pain and swelling around your armpit. It may come from: The swelling and pain may come before you feel a lump in your breast, so if things don’t feel right, be sure to see a doctor. There are several treatments for breast cancer that has spread to your lymph nodes. The one you and your medical team will choose depends on the stage and type of cancer: Surgery. During breast-conserving surgery (called a lumpectomy), doctors will remove the cancer and leave as much normal breast as possible. They’ll also take out some lymph nodes and healthy tissue. When this type of surgery isn’t an option, doctors will remove your entire breast (mastectomy). Radiation therapy. Doctors use high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells, lower the chance of the cancer coming back, and help you live longer. Chemotherapy and other drugs. Hormone therapy is used after surgery to lower the chance of your breast cancer coming back. For larger tumors, tumors that grow fast, or ones with certain features, your doctor may recommend anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy). SOURCES: American Cancer Society: “Breast Cancer Symptoms: What You Need to Know,” “What Is Breast Cancer?” “Mastectomy,” “Breast-conserving Surgery (Lumpectomy),” “Radiation for Breast Cancer,” “Treatment of Breast Cancer Stages I-III,” “Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer.” The heart on the left shows the typical outer lining of the heart (pericardium). The heart on the right shows a swollen and infected lining (pericarditis). Pericarditis is swelling and irritation of the thin, saclike tissue surrounding the heart (pericardium). Pericarditis often causes sharp chest pain. The chest pain occurs when the irritated layers of the pericardium rub against each other. Pericarditis is usually mild and goes away without treatment. Treatment for more-severe cases may include medications and, rarely, surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment may help reduce the risk of long-term complications from pericarditis. SymptomsChest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis. It usually feels sharp or stabbing. However, some people have dull, achy or pressure-like chest pain. Pericarditis pain usually occurs behind the breastbone or on the left side of the chest. The pain may:
Other signs and symptoms of pericarditis may include:
The specific symptoms depend on the type of pericarditis. Pericarditis is grouped into different categories, according to the pattern of symptoms and how long symptoms last.
When to see a doctorSeek immediate medical care if you develop new symptoms of chest pain. Many of the symptoms of pericarditis are similar to those of other heart and lung conditions. It's important to be thoroughly evaluated by a health care provider if you have any type of chest pain. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Email ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. |