Lump in my armpit

vict0r · Sun 07/10/2007 23:46:22

Hokay.. So I come home from me and my girlfriends one-month anniversary, sit down on my bed and suddenly I feel this tenderness/pain coming from my armpit. I reach my hand in there to see if there is anything there, and I feel this little lump.
What the hell is this thing? It's about the size of a raisin or something, and pretty hard. It also stings when I touch it. $:-\$

LimpingFish · Sun 07/10/2007 23:58:27

Could be anything, really. Is it under the skin, or on the skin? If it's on the skin, it could be something as trivial as a pimple, or a blind spot caused by repeated chafing around the area.

Lumps under the skin are a matter for your doctor, since under the armpit is where early indications of cancer can be discovered.

Domino · Sun 07/10/2007 23:59:03

It could be a cyst. I have had a few, but they were never painful.

It could possibly be just a zit, has it formed a head at all?

I'm not a doctor, but i research all kinds of medical symptoms i have online. Only making myself more anxious.

Tuomas · Mon 08/10/2007 00:00:38

Most probably a bug bite. Can you see it, is it just right under your skin, or, does it move even a bit? And before people start stating the obvious, it's most likely not a tumor. But who know, eh. If it takes away your nights rest, why not show it to a specialist.

vict0r · Mon 08/10/2007 00:02:58

It's definately under the skin. There's no way to actually see the bump unless I stretch the skin or feel it..

I'm living with a host family at the moment, since I'm going to school in England, so I don't have any ways of actually visiting my usual doctor. Should I try to find a doctor here, or what?

CodeJunkie · Mon 08/10/2007 00:08:35

I have a lump in my right ear lobe. It varies in size between days, so sometimes you have to feel hard under the skin to find it and has no feeling; other times it swells up and is painful to touch. Had it a long time, I assume it's just from irritation like wearing headphones. Of course if it worries you then tell someone.

LimpingFish · Mon 08/10/2007 00:10:59

Yes. If nothing else, it will put your mind at rest. It's most likely a cyst of some sort, rather than anything more drastic, so best to get it looked at.

I'm sure your host family can point you in the general direction of a local doctor's surgery, possibly even their own regular doctor.

You'll probably have to pay for the visit, though.

Tuomas · Mon 08/10/2007 00:13:43

simb, yours is probably just some growing tissue, or some "dirt" in a skin tunnel or what ever they're called. Sometimes it goes big and hurts usually because of some infection, nothing serious. I should think the same goes for you vict0r...

vict0r · Mon 08/10/2007 00:32:34

Hmm... It's started to hurt like hell now though, so I'll check it out in the morning.. Getting cancer would certainly suck.

Thanks for advice!

Nine Toes · Mon 08/10/2007 02:48:22

I don't really like to talk about this because it's embarassing, but I had an abscess (or a boil, if you prefer) in my armpit last year. The only reason why I come out and talk about it is because your description of this lump sounds about the same as mine did. Did this spot in your under arm itch like crazy for the first couple of days before you got the lump?

You sweat all day, so it only makes sense that you could get an infected hair folicle or something in your underarm from all of the bacteria.

What you wanna do is keep it clean first of all, make you wash it with antibacterial soap and hot water several times a day. Then, try putting a hot-pack on it for at least and hour each day, and see if it comes to a head over the next couple of days. Then have a doctor drain it.

I'm not too sure if these things go away by themselves, mine didn't come to a head, so I had to go in and have mine lanced, and that hurt like hell.

Nacho · Mon 08/10/2007 09:20:00

Man, why people wants to get a diagnose of something potentially mortal in an adventure game forums? Go to your closest medical center asap, and let' s hope that the time lost posting it here won' t finally be something crucial.

vict0r · Mon 08/10/2007 17:24:33

Well, I didn't know it were a possible sign of cancer. But meh, I'll get to the doctor as soon as possible!

Pesty · Tue 09/10/2007 07:12:31

I know whenever people get surprised by lumps, so many people think "Oh no, cancer!", but stay calm, this is not necessarily the case! There's a very good chance it's simply a small lump of fat called a lipoma. They're very common and completely benign.

Now, you should definately get it checked out. It does not sound like cancer to me, but I am not a cancer doctor!

vict0r · Tue 09/10/2007 07:49:42

Well, I'm off to the doctors in about half an hour, so I'll give a report back on what it was when I get back!

Stupot · Tue 09/10/2007 13:29:43

I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Victor but nevertheless, fingers are crossed.
Let us know.

MrColossal · Tue 09/10/2007 14:36:58

Why has no one brought up the fact that it's obviously the head of a twin absorbed in the womb that is finally making a break for it from your prison of a body...?

Tie a canvas bag around your arm all day and night, catch him and finish the job!

Haddas · Tue 09/10/2007 15:28:31

Quote from: MrColossal on Tue 09/10/2007 14:36:58
Why has no one brought up the fact that it's obviously the head of a twin absorbed in the womb that is finally making a break for it from your prison of a body...?

Tie a canvas bag around your arm all day and night, catch him and finish the job!

This is the most reasonable explanation and I support it.

vict0r · Tue 09/10/2007 17:00:20

Quote from: MrColossal on Tue 09/10/2007 14:36:58
Why has no one brought up the fact that it's obviously the head of a twin absorbed in the womb that is finally making a break for it from your prison of a body...?

Tie a canvas bag around your arm all day and night, catch him and finish the job!

Yes... Yes, this was it. No need for a bag though. I just punched it and cut it open.

But seriously, the lady at the surgery thought it were just an infection and put me on Penicillin for a week. I hope it's all good by then!

Thanks for all help people!

Gregjazz · Tue 09/10/2007 19:04:50

Quote from: SimB on Mon 08/10/2007 00:08:35
I have a lump in my right ear lobe. It varies in size between days, so sometimes you have to feel hard under the skin to find it and has no feeling; other times it swells up and is painful to touch. Had it a long time, I assume it's just from irritation like wearing headphones. Of course if it worries you then tell someone.

It's a sebaceous cyst, which is an infection, like a pimple. Your best bet is to go see a dermatologist.

Or you could leave it alone, as long as it's not a big nuisance. Earlobe cysts go away (and come back sometimes) eventually.

I had a small one in my right earlobe for a while, but it went away after a while.

LimpingFish · Tue 09/10/2007 22:00:56

Indeed, I have one of those earlobe doo-daa cyst thingies. Have done for years.

Glad to here everythings okay, Victor.

Sorry if I scared you with the cancer remark, but I was just reminded of the times my own doctor checked under my arms for lumps and stuff. He said it had something to do with cancer clusters.

Maybe he was just a big armpit fetishist. :o

I feel so violated.