Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit are usually enlarged lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small oval shaped and located throughout the body forming the lymphatic system. They play a major role in our immune system.

Lymph nodes located superficially under the skin can be felt with a flat or round shape, while nodes located deep under the skin are difficult to detect, only when they are swollen will the patient pay attention.

There are many causes of swollen lymph nodes in the armpit such as: infection, trauma to the lymph node area and surrounding areas, metastatic cancer... If due to trauma or infection, the swollen lymph nodes will soon disappear and will not affect the person's health much. However, most patients with metastatic breast cancer have swollen lymph nodes in the armpit. Therefore, patients should not be subjective, especially women when lymph nodes appear in the armpit, they need to go for a check-up and determine the cause.

Causes of Swollen Axillary Lymph Nodes
- Bacterial or Viral Infections
- Lipomas (harmless, caused by the growth of fatty tissue)
- Fibromas (benign, caused by the growth of fibrous tissue)
- Hidradenitis suppurativa
- Allergic Reactions
- Adverse Reactions After Vaccination
- Fungal Infections
- Breast Cancer
- Lymphoma (a type of cancer of the lymphatic system)
- Leukemia (a type of blood cancer)
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Swollen armpit lymph nodes in women

When the lymph nodes in the armpit appear, women should self-examine their breasts and detect abnormalities such as:

- Abnormal breast size and shape (one side is larger than the other, one side is sagging and unusually distorted);
- Feeling small lumps in the breast;
- Swollen lymph nodes in nearby areas (such as swollen lymph nodes in the neck area...);
- Nipple discharge is also a sign of breast cancer but needs to be diagnosed through endoscopy and smear analysis;
- Changes in the nipple (flatter, rough, scaly or inflamed, unusually deep...).

Swollen armpit lymph nodes in men

For men, in addition to the causes mentioned above, there is another common reason which is muscle knots. This condition occurs when they exercise too much or too often in the upper body. Swollen armpit lymph nodes in this case are usually benign and go away on their own. To quickly treat the condition of swollen lymph nodes in the armpit due to muscle knots, the patient should rest and massage to relax the muscles so that the lymph nodes disappear.

When do you need to see a doctor when you see swollen lymph nodes in the armpit area?

According to doctors, swollen lymph nodes accompanied by other symptoms such as colds, coughs, infected wounds, etc. are normal symptoms, but if the body suddenly has swollen lymph nodes without any previous problems, you need to pay attention.

Doctors warn that with common factors that cause swollen lymph nodes in the body, these lymph nodes will automatically disappear within 3-4 weeks, but if the swollen lymph nodes last for more than 1 month to several months, you need to see a doctor immediately because this could be a warning sign of a dangerous disease such as cancer.