Underarm Bumps
Underarm Bumps And Lumps
A case of underarm bumps is one of those conditions that usually does not mean a great deal on the one hand, but on the other hand should still be looked into, as it's always better to be safe than sorry. Underarm bumps or lumps are often just one of a number of symptoms accompanying various diseases and disorders. If you have chickenpox for example, you may experience some underarm bumps. Those bumps will be the least of your concerns.
Skin Infections Are One Source - Sometimes a bump will be a cyst. A cyst is a fluid filled sac, and most are quite harmless and often disappear on their own. A cyst can however become infected, especially if disturbed, and in rare cases could be the symptom of something more serious. Other bumps, usually small ones, can be symptoms of folliculitis, where one or more hair follicles has, for some reason or other, become infected. Any skin infection can often cause swelling, which may be felt as a bump. Shaving under the armpits will sometimes cause the skin to be inadvertently scraped. The scrape may become infected and swollen, forming a somewhat painful lump, especially painful in cases when an abscess develops.
Some viruses act in strange ways and symptoms of their presence can occur in unexpected forms, with swollen underarm lymph glands being one of these symptoms. The virus itself may be dangerous or rather benign, but should be looked into in any account. Underarm bumps are probably mostly caused by swollen lymph nodes, for which there can be a significant number of different causes As a rule of thumb, if a lymph node is swollen but the condition is neither long lasting nor painful, there is probably no cause for concern. If the condition persists, or becomes worse, medical attention should be sought so the condition can be properly diagnosed.
When The Bumps Are Just One Symptom - Sometimes underarm bumps or lumps are symptoms of a more serious disease or disorder. Much of the time, accompanying symptoms make diagnosis of the disease a quick and easy process. We've already mentioned the chickenpox as one disease which announces itself through symptoms much more noticeable than an underarm bump. Other diseases which can act in this manner are Rubella, Infectious mononucleosis, and though rather rare nowadays, the Bubonic plague. Swollen lymph nodes under the arms can be a symptom of shingles, though a painful rash is a more commonly experienced symptom of that disease. The bumps themselves are of course of much less concern than the underlying cause.
Why Underarm Bumps Should Not Be Ignored - Cancer is always a possibility, and although women are usually the main target of breast cancer, men can get breast cancer as well, and its symptoms occasionally manifest themselves as a bump under the armpit. There are a variety of disorders and diseases of the lymph nodes, such as lymphoma, lymphatic Filariasis, and Leishmaniasis, which can result in glandular swelling and consequent underarm bumps, and these types of diseases need to be addressed without delay.
Don't Panic, But Don't Ignore The Condition Either - If one experiences underarm bumps, there are two things to bear in mind, although those two things may seem to work at cross-purposes. The first thing, is to realize that the majority of underarm bumps and lumps do not re[present anything terribly serious, even if their presence may require treatment of one kind or another, simply to either reduce the swelling, or drain liquid from a sac or a cyst. The other thing to bear in mind though, is the bump is an abnormality, and as such should not be ignored, and most of the time, if not all of the time, should be looked into by a competent medical professional.