Armpit Pain Causes

Armpit pain is mainly caused due to infection from microorganisms. The glands of the armpit are susceptible to frequent infections which cause swelling and pain. It's also a painful condition because you face tremendous difficulty in raising your hand or performing any activity with it.

Many women experience pain in their armpit just before onset of periods. You require a medical check up if you observe a lump formation and the pain associated with it is severe.

Armpit glands are susceptible to bacterial and fungal infection. Bacterial infection causes soreness under the armpit which further restricts movement of your hand. Commonly diagnosed is the cat scratch disease, causing immense itching along with swelling.

Lymphangitis and lymphadenitis occur when the lymph vessels get inflamed. The infection spreads to the armpit gland, which further triggers a sharp pain. Bartonella henselae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus are mainly responsible for inflammation of the armpit and lymph glands.

Sporotrichosis is one kind of fungal infection, wherein formation of rashes and painful lump in the armpit takes place. Sporothrix schenckii is the fungi responsible for Sporotrichosis. This fungus is found in moss, soil, rose bushes, twigs, etc and this is why it is more often observed in gardeners.

Viral infection is also responsible for inducing pain in armpit. Epstein-Barr virus is the causative agent of mononucleosis which is marked by formation of a lump in the armpit. The swelling formed due to the lump is painful.

Armpit pain is one of the symptoms of chickenpox, AIDS, measles, mumps, and typhoid. Fever, sore throat and body ache are other symptoms associated with these viral disorders.

Cancer in the cells of the immune system is one of the most common reasons behind pain in armpit. Non Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of white blood cells.

In this case, small tumors develop in the lymphocytes present inside the armpit glands, thereby resulting in formation of a painful bump around the armpit or the groin region. Formation of lumps along with pain is one of the main symptoms of breast cancer in women.

Armpit soreness might also result from degeneration of connective tissues in the body. Connective tissues are composed of collagen, structural proteins, and elastin, which might be affected due to tissue degeneration or any kind of tissue disease.

Under such conditions, a throbbing pain is felt in the armpit region. Soreness in armpit can also be a side effect of drugs and antibiotics, like penicillin and sulfa drugs.

Swollen armpit glands is a symptom of hyperthyroidism. Apart from excess secretion of thyroid hormones, inflammation of the gland takes place and the pain spreads to the armpit. It happens due to excess intake of iodine and the person might suffer from fatigue, fever, weakness, and low heartbeat.

The treatment depends upon the intensity of the pain and the underlying cause. Bacterial and fungal infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Medications like fungal drugs, antihistamines, antivirals, and analgesics reduce the pain and other symptoms (fever and cold) associated with it.

In some cases, the swelling goes away on its own and so does the pain. If cancerous growth is detected, then treatment begins with drugs and chemotherapy. Therefore, do not neglect the pain, rather get a medical check up done to recover from the pain at the earliest.