The axillary fossa, or armpit, has more sweat glands and vascular nerves in the upper extremities, and a cluster of lymph nodes in the fossa. Patients with armpit pain, especially women, need extra attention. Its etiology is diverse, including common skin inflammation, joint soft tissue injury, tumors, and lymphadenitis.
Inflammatory skin conditions include folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles, which usually present with red, swollen, hot, and painful skin surface manifestations, and even exudate. Dermatological diagnosis and rubbing anti-inflammatory creams and keeping the armpits dry and clean usually provide relief.
Soft tissue injuries to joints usually have a history of excessive exercise or trauma, and orthopedic visits to rule out fractures and tendon injuries are usually followed by rest with braking. If the pain is severe, oral painkillers or topical creams are used; otherwise, surgery is considered.
Women with armpit pain need to be extra careful, especially if they have a family history of breast disease. The reason is that breast cancer can easily cause enlargement of the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes, and the enlarged lymph nodes may cause pain, which in turn manifests as axillary pain. Although some patients have armpit pain due to paronychia, this pain is associated with menstruation and breastfeeding. Therefore, patients with this symptom need to be screened for breast cancer (both breast axillary ultrasound and mammogram) after excluding the above mentioned conditions. The breast surgery visit confirms that there is no lump and that symptomatic treatment such as pain relief is available, but regular review is needed later.