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. Physical activity can also cause pain.
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 it worsens. pain. This may lead to loss of consciousness.
Myocarditis
It is an inflammation of the heart muscle. This inflammation may be caused by an infection, allergic reaction body or 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.
- predisposition to the disease, which is inherited;
- excess weight, diabetes;
- neglect of physical activity and poor nutrition, which brings with it increased level cholesterol in blood vessels;
- alcohol and tobacco abuse;
- frequent surges in blood pressure.
The attack is characterized by severe pain in the heart, which radiates to the armpit, less often - to the entire arm. In rare cases, pain occurs in the middle of the chest and radiates 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 medical care. 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 radiating to 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 pinching or damage to 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 disease may 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 cervicothoracic region 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. At the same time, some areas of the skin may become numb and “goosebumps” may appear.
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 due to osteochondrosis is that it manifests itself in the evening, when compression of the nerves occurs 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 initially has no physiological causes for its 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 heart area, radiating to the armpit, sometimes to the shoulder blade or the entire arm. Sometimes the pain spreads throughout the body and can even make itself felt in the 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 these diseases requires a special approach and individual treatment, since it may be accompanied associated ailments, which are capable of 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.
Why does my armpit hurt? The reasons may be associated with the following pathologies:
- Injuries suffered and received.
- Presence of atheroma.
- The appearance of a boil.
- Hidradenitis or lymphadenitis.
- Postoperative pain.
- Mastalgia.
- Pyoderma.
- Development of an allergic reaction.
- Lymphadenopathy.
- The appearance of a tumor in the breast.
- Diseases of cardio-vascular system.
Often armpit pain is the result of an injury. However, any movements of a sudden nature or carried out with great effort can also provoke the appearance of the symptom. In this case, we are talking about spraining the ligaments and muscles that are located in the shoulder joint.
This can happen if you lift heavy objects or move your hand suddenly. However, pain can occur even during sleep, when a person lies in an uncomfortable position. The pain in such a situation is not very pronounced and begins to increase with movement. As a result, the patient has discomfort when performing actions; such pain only limits the patient’s freedom of action.
The situation with previous operations is different. In this case, the armpit may hurt after surgical intervention, which was aimed at the mammary gland. Radical methods lead to inevitable damage to the nerves that are concentrated near the gland. As a result, the patient loses sensitivity in the chest area for some time. However, pain is reflected in the armpit, since the signal goes there.
Pain in the armpit may last for a long time. For several days after the intervention, the pain is acute. To reduce the severity of symptoms, doctors prescribe pain medications. After some time, the intensity of pain symptoms decreases. Although the pain begins to subside, other reactions may occur. There is a burning sensation, itching or numbness. If the postoperative period proceeds normally, then such manifestations will soon disappear.
2 Clinical picture
An unpleasant sign under the armpit appears in women in a number of cases. This also applies cancerous tumors affecting the mammary glands. However, in the early stages the neoplasms do not manifest themselves, so the patient does not feel any unpleasant symptoms.
In addition, pain under the armpit may occur in the following cases:
- Presence of diabetes mellitus.
- Development of obesity.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Breast injuries.
- Long-term use hormonal drugs for contraception or treatment.
- Development hypertension.
- Smoking, especially at a young age.
- Cancerous tumors of the genital organs.
- Presence of tumor diseases in the family.
- Lack of childbirth and pregnancy.
- Late onset of menopause - after 55 years.
- Early menstruation - up to 12 years.
- First birth after 30 years.
In some cases, emerging tumors lead to pain on the right or left, not only in armpit. Localization of unpleasant symptoms can also be observed just below the armpit area. In addition, there is a possibility of small lumps appearing, which will persist throughout the entire menstrual cycle.
If the cause of the pain is associated with a tumor, then the patient will experience other symptoms. Thus, the structure of the breast skin and color may change. There are compactions in the tissues of the glands, which can be easily diagnosed by palpation. At the same time, nipple retraction is observed. Discharge from the nipple may appear. They are not related to the process of feeding the child and pregnancy, so they should immediately alert you.
The formation of edema and various deformations occurs. The mammary gland may increase or decrease in size. Scales, crusts or other erosions appear in the area of the areola or juice. The patient has an enlargement of the lymph nodes, which are located in the supraclavicular and axillary region.
There is also a type of pain in the armpit area - mastalgia. It is cyclical in nature and appears during the completion of the menstrual cycle. Some time before the onset of menstruation, women begin to feel pain in the armpit. When menstruation arrives, the symptom gradually decreases in intensity. Until it disappears completely.
3 Lymphadenopathy
The presented disease is associated with a condition in which there is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes. This condition is not separate disease, but signals the presence of pathology and its development. If signs appear, you should seek medical help.
The main sign of pathology is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes. This is either single or generalized. The patient feels weight loss, and diagnostics will confirm this. At night, the patient's sweating increases. On long time Body temperature rises, but it does not always reach high values. There is an enlargement of the spleen and liver, which is detected during appropriate diagnostics. The patient may often develop diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
Lymphadenopathy may indicate various diseases. These include the following diseases:
- Malignant diseases of the head and neck.
- Mammary cancer.
- Brucellosis.
- Rubella.
- Lymphoma.
- Tuberculosis.
- Infections of the lesion of nonspecific type
- Melanoma.
4 Lymphadenitis
If the lymph nodes become inflamed due to the development of an infection, then this disease is called lymphadenitis. Quite often, nodes in the groin and armpit area are affected. As in the previous case, the disease begins with an increase in nodes, unpleasant feeling in the form of pain. As the disease develops, the nature of the seals changes. They become a monolithic complex that contains several nodes with an inflammatory process.
The integument of the skin undergoes changes, which manifests itself in their immobility. The skin tone changes and becomes red. Subsequently, thinning of the skin is observed, and the abscess matures. A breakthrough of pus occurs, but the abscess is cleared. As a result, the symptoms of the disease disappear over time, and the pain in the armpit stops.
In addition to the listed symptoms, other signs are also characteristic of lymphadenitis. The patient develops a fever and headache, there is a general feeling of malaise and increased sweating. The patient often suffers from chills.
If an infection enters the affected area, the disease progresses to chronic stage. Enlarged nodes appear, which slightly hurt. After some time, they become scarred and become hard nodules.
5 Hidradenitis
Hidradenitis is associated with an inflammatory process in the sweat glands. A large number of these glands are located in the armpit, so pain under the armpit may indicate hidradenitis. For an accurate diagnosis, you need to consult a specialist.
The disease begins gradually. Swelling and itching appear in the inflamed area. After some time, pain appears. There is an increase in swelling, which is quite painful. For this reason, the armpit hurts when you press it. The swelling can reach 2 cm, but small formations occur. After some time, the size gradually increases, which manifests itself in increased pain.
In the center of the formation, softening of the skin is observed, and a protrusion occurs. The abscess is subsequently opened, which leads to a natural result - the release of the contents in the form of pus. After the discharge of pus, a small, retracted scar forms. The formation cycle of each abscess is 10-15 days.
The nearby glands that are responsible for sweating may also be affected. As a result, the area of inflammation becomes extensive, and the armpit begins to hurt more severely. If other sweat glands are affected, the disease can last for several months. At the same time, there remains a chance of relapse of the disease after recovery.
Pain in the armpit is not the only symptom. The patient develops a headache, fever and fatigue. The patient experiences weakness, and the body suffers from general intoxication. In this case, you should see a doctor immediately, especially if you have severe pain.
Thus, if it starts to hurt under the arm, you need to visit a medical facility.
Causes of armpit pain:
1. Pain from the area of lumps in the mammary gland can radiate to the armpit of the same side of the body, which is caused by a violation of the outflow of lymph that develops against the background of engorgement of the mammary gland before menstruation - cyclic mastalgia. Very rarely in such cases it is possible to detect enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit. They are usually single, soft, painless, and easily dislocated.
The appearance of pain in the premenstrual period and weakening or disappearing with the onset of menstruation. Sometimes there is no clear connection with the onset of menstruation. Usually bilateral localization, mainly in the upper, outer areas of the mammary glands. Painful sensations vary in intensity - from dull, aching (more often) to pronounced, making it difficult to move your arms. During the examination, slight tuberosity of the mammary gland tissue may be detected. Expressiveness clinical manifestations usually increases with age and sharply weakens or disappears after menopause. The occurrence of cyclic mastalgia is associated with changes hormonal levels. This type of disorder affects more than 2/3 of women, usually young reproductive age, although similar complaints are known in postmenopausal women receiving replacement therapy hormonal drugs.
2. Hidradenitis, or " bitch udder", is also caused by staphylococci when they penetrate the sweat glands of a special structure located in large quantities in the armpit. These special glands begin to function only during puberty, so hidradenitis never occurs in children.
At the beginning of the disease, the patient experiences sharp pain in the affected armpit, in which dark red purulent nodes and swelling appear. In the center of the ulcers, cone-shaped protrusions form, opening and releasing creamy purulent contents. Healing occurs through the formation of a retracted scar. Often, hidradenitis tends to recur.
3. After surgery, some women experience a strange combination of skin numbness and pain in the armpit and breast where the operation was performed. This is due to the fact that when the skin is cut, small nerves are damaged. This simultaneously leads to numbness and pain as a result of irritation of the endings of these nerves. Radiation exposure can also aggravate the condition, as it irritates the skin and its nerve fibers.
Pain in the armpit after surgery can last for quite a long time. At the very beginning, this pain can be acute. Additional pain is caused by the drainage that occurs in the wound. Usually, opiates are prescribed immediately after surgery, since the pain is most significant at this point. If necessary, opiates are prescribed in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs, which makes it possible to reduce their dose and reduce side effects. Gradually, over time, the pain in the armpit decreases, and numbness and itching may appear.
4. Breast cancer.
5. Traumatic injuries armpits.
Quite often there are situations when a person has pain under the armpit. Many believe that this is due to problems with the lymph nodes. In fact, the reasons can be very diverse - from an incorrectly selected deodorant to diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, pain under the armpit in women can be caused by mastalgia. Of course, men cannot have this problem. In each specific case, you need to promptly consult a doctor who, after an examination, can laboratory diagnostics to diagnose.
Quite often there are situations when a person has pain under the armpit
Pain in the armpit can occur due to various reasons. This:
- previous injuries (the situation is more typical for men, since it is associated with high physical activity, unless we are talking about trauma to the mammary glands);
- postoperative pain;
- presence of atheroma;
- various forms of hidradenitis;
- mastalgia;
- allergic reactions (most often to substances contained in antiperspirants);
- lymphadenopathy;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Most pathologies develop rather slowly, under the influence of unfavorable factors. For example, the development of cardiovascular diseases is facilitated by excess weight and the presence of hypertension. Indirectly, pain under the armpit can also be caused by endocrine disorders, long-term use hormonal drugs, hereditary diseases. In a woman, mastalgia can develop due to early menstruation, late menopause, as well as late first childbirth
To understand what causes pain, you need to analyze its nature, as well as its location. For example, if your right armpit hurts, you can exclude cardiovascular diseases. The same goes for describing the sensations themselves. The aching nature of the pain rarely occurs in any acute conditions. But he can just talk about coronary disease hearts.
Painful sensations in the armpits (video)
Injuries and post-operative pain
A small movement of the armpit is enough, and this causes at least discomfort. And with sudden movements of the hand or significant physical effort, it may appear strong pain in this area. This is usually due to a sprained ligament. shoulder joint or muscles.
For example, those who are forced to constantly lift weights at work often experience a sore armpit. This also happens when a person holds the handrail in transport with his hand, and a trolleybus or bus suddenly brakes or moves away. As a rule, such pain is nagging in nature and is felt constantly until the muscles recover. At heavy load the pain intensifies with hand movements. Sometimes those who have slept all night in an uncomfortable position with their arm extended may wake up with a sore armpit.
Women often experience postoperative pain because it is associated with surgical operations on the mammary gland. In such cases, the surrounding nerves are inevitably damaged. Because of this, sensitivity in the chest area is lost and pain is felt in the armpit; they are reflected in nature and spread along the nerve fibers.
This can happen over a long period of time. But usually only the first few days after surgery the sensations are pronounced and even acute. This kind of pain doesn't need specific treatment. Painkillers are often prescribed. After a few days, the pain goes away, numbness of the skin and itching remain, but they soon disappear.
Cardiovascular diseases as a cause of pain
If your left armpit hurts, then there is a possibility that this is a consequence of coronary heart disease. The pathology is caused by damage to the vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen. Although the pain is usually localized behind the breastbone, it can also radiate to the left armpit.
Only a doctor can diagnose the disease, and the patient needs to consult a cardiologist if pain in the left armpit is accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, shortness of breath, impairment heart rate. Confirmation that this is coronary heart disease is swelling of the lower extremities.
Sometimes armpit pain is a symptom acute pathology– myocardial infarction. In this case, in addition to the classic symptoms, sensations of compression in the chest, severe pallor, dizziness, and sometimes loss of consciousness. If an angina attack goes away after nitroglycerin, then during a heart attack the pain still continues.
To understand what causes pain, you need to analyze its nature, as well as its location. Atheroma as a cause of pain
When analyzing why the armpit hurts, many people forget about atheroma. But this is a fairly common phenomenon. It represents cystic-dilated sebaceous glands. Atheromas can be congenital or secondary. In the first case, this is benign tumors, painless, and they most often appear on the genitals and scalp. But secondary atheroma often explains pain in the right or left armpit.
Secondary atheromas most often develop in people suffering from acne or some types of seborrhea. These expansions are formed due to disturbances in the outflow of secretions sebaceous glands. They have a round shape and can be felt like seals. The skin over them is usually pale. The size can vary, from a small grain to the size of a walnut.
After maturation, atheromas become inflamed, a breakthrough occurs, and the secretion of the sebaceous glands and foreign particles trapped there - keratinized skin flakes, small hair - get onto the surface of the skin. To get rid of armpit pain, you will have to decide to surgical intervention or removal of atheroma using a laser (this procedure is performed only if the size of the seal is small). Laser removal leaves no marks on the skin.
Sometimes pain in the armpit is a symptom of an acute pathology - myocardial infarction Mastalgia as a cause of pain
In women, pain on the right or left under the armpit (and sometimes on both sides at once) can mean mastalgia. This is a general name for a number of pathologies associated with pain in the mammary glands. There are two types of mastalgia. Cyclic mastalgia usually affects both glands, so pain is felt on both the right and left at the same time. In this case, pain is felt not only under the armpits, but also in the chest, affecting the outer and upper parts. This phenomenon is characterized by a feeling of heaviness in the chest, and this is not surprising, since it is often accompanied by swelling.
Cyclic mastalgia is associated with hormonal imbalance(with a monthly cycle). It is most often felt especially acutely a week before the start of menstruation, and then begins to subside. Cyclic mastalgia is considered the most common cause of armpit pain. About 70% of women face this problem.
The situation is different with non-cyclic mastalgia. It usually affects only one breast, and the pain is localized in only one place. It has a sharp, burning character. Sometimes it also affects the armpit. Cyclic mastalgia is considered more typical for women aged 30-40 years. But non-cyclic mastalgia can develop closer to menopause.
There are several theories that explain the occurrence of armpit pain in the presence of mastalgia. The non-cyclic form can be associated with trauma, surgical interventions, and cysts. And sometimes it is not even related to the mammary gland. In some cases, neurological pain radiates to the armpit, which can be explained by diseases of the spine, or it is the result of inflammatory processes in muscle tissue.
Cyclic mastalgia is caused by hormonal imbalance. This theory is confirmed by the fact that when menopause occurs, the pain associated with it also disappears. But there is another theory, according to which the reason lies in the imbalance fatty acids, which also leads to increased sensitivity of the mammary glands to hormones. In any case, with such diseases, you need to first consult with at least a gynecologist, who can refer you to a mammologist or endocrinologist.
Enlarged lymph nodes (video)
Lymphadenopathy and lymphadenitis
This pathology occurs not only in women, but also in men. The pain is caused by the fact that the lymph nodes increase in size. This condition cannot be called an independent disease; it is usually a symptom of some disorder and may not be associated with the lymph nodes. For example, this happens with severe infectious diseases, with malignant diseases mammary gland, rubella and tuberculosis.
The main sign of pathology is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes. The phenomenon is single or generalized. The patient is losing weight, and the diagnosis will confirm this. At night, the patient's sweating increases. Body temperature increases for a long time, but it does not always reach high values. There is an enlargement of the spleen and liver, which is detected during appropriate diagnostics. Patients may develop upper respiratory tract diseases.
If the lymph nodes become inflamed due to infectious disease, then the doctor diagnoses lymphadenitis. Most often, the lymph nodes in the groin and under the arms become enlarged. The disease always begins with the fact that they increase in size and become painful. If you start this process, then several seals will become a monolithic complex, which will be more difficult to cope with.
The skin over such nodes becomes red. An abscess may ripen, but you cannot touch it. If it breaks out on its own, you need to take care of cleaning it. After this, all symptoms of the disease will go away on their own. But it is better to consult a doctor, since ulcers pose a serious danger.
Lymphadenitis has other signs. In particular, it is accompanied by fever and headache. Sweating may increase if the patient experiences a fever. But chills may also occur. If in swollen lymph nodes infection penetrates, the disease will develop into chronic form. Then the nodes remain enlarged constantly, but there is no acute pain, although mild soreness remains for a long time. They are usually palpable as hard nodules.
Hidradenitis and pyoderma
Hidradenitis is called inflammatory diseases sweat glands There are a lot of such glands in the armpit, which is why it suffers first. Hidradenitis begins almost imperceptibly, after some time a slight swelling appears at the site of inflammation, then itching, then there may be pain that intensifies when pressed. The swelling can be quite large, up to 2 cm, sometimes even raised formations appear, gradually increasing in size. In the center they have softened skin - an abscess ripens, which opens on its own, and a scar remains in its place. The process takes 15 days, but you cannot speed it up yourself, as there is a risk of spreading the infection. It is better to consult a doctor who will prescribe appropriate treatment.
Pain under the armpit can be caused by pyoderma. This is a purulent skin lesion that occurs as a result bacterial infection(it can be caused by staphylococci or streptococci, this can only be determined for sure by the results laboratory research). Lack of vitamins plays an important role in the development of pyoderma, endocrine disorders and diabetes mellitus, neuropathy, some liver pathologies. Negative Impact can cause hypothermia and overheating of the body.
Staphylococci cause different kinds pyoderma are boils and carbuncles. Although they are caused by the same type of pathogen, they look different. A boil is purulent inflammation hair follicle, which can also affect surrounding tissues. Moreover, boils can be both single and multiple. They are often combined with lymphadenitis and are accompanied by fever.
Carbuncles under the armpits are rare; they are more often localized on the back or lower back. Such formations on the face are very dangerous, where inflammatory processes affect subcutaneous tissue, and the pain can be very excruciating. Carbuncles may indicate a serious bacterial infection of the body as a whole.
Both carbuncles and boils are dangerous not only because ulcers that take a long time to heal are formed in their place, but also because of their complications. For example, a boil may have meningeal complications, so no traditional methods treatment cannot be used. You should immediately consult a doctor who can determine the nature of the disease and prescribe conservative or surgical treatment.
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Painful symptoms in the armpit area may indicate the following diseases and conditions:
- Shoulder or arm injury that 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. Pain most often has aching character, sensations intensify when physical activity, sudden movements of the hands. Pain in the armpit caused by minor injury, is not a 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. Pain symptom due to damage skin and impaired blood flow and lymphatic drainage due to the wound.
Pain in the armpit may be explained by 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 a 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 of perfumes or deodorants. The reaction may occur to zinc, aluminum compounds, essential oils, scented soap or detergents. Allergies are also triggered synthetic fabrics, aggravates allergic skin irritation by tight clothing.
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 sebaceous gland duct. 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 nature. The disease develops very slowly and is almost imperceptible. Then itching, redness and pain appear in the armpit area, which is provoked by an internal formation 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 general symptoms with coronary heart disease (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 in the left hand, in the left shoulder, nausea, weakness and slow heart rate, it is necessary to call medical help as quickly as possible.
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.
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