I am a 42 year old single female diabetic, who was recently diagnosed (New Years Day in the ER) with having an infected boil in my right armpit. This "boil" is strange looking, stranger than others I have ever had. The ER doctor gave me Keflex, and anti-biotic and Vicodin for pain. My family doctor didn't want to see it but extended my medication and also gave me Diflucan for any yeast infections I may encounter during the course of my anti-biotic.
My question to all of you is this: There seems to be a rather painful red lump just below my boil. When my arm is straight up I push in on that lump and strange colored pus like gunk comes out of my hole. Is this lump my lymph node? It can get up to the size of a half a golf ball by evening, and it is painful to the touch. I told my doctor's office about it and he doesn't want to see me until all my anti-biotics are done.
Does anyone know anything about lymph nodes in armpits?
2007-01-06 07:09:59 · 6 answers · asked by Lyndee 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
I do use a hot water bottle too several times a day. I also use ice too for the swelling around my boil. There are other lumps nearby the boil that swell and make me feel like I have a football underneath my armpit. The pain is most severe in the evening hours. Feels like a hundred bees are stinging me in my armpit. Nothing pleasant about it.
2007-01-06 07:57:16 · update #1
Sounds like you need to have that thing opened up by a surgeon and all the pus drained out. You are describing an abscess and antibiotics alone are not usually effective until the pus is drained.
2007-01-06 07:13:47 · answer #1 · answered by bogotajoe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing is wrong with your lymphnode, especially considering you mention you have had boils in the past, sounds like one is infected and maybe opened up. If the drugs don't work, you may need to get it removed. Your lymph nodes can swell a bit as they are reacting to the local infection, which is the bodies normal response to an infection
2007-01-06 07:19:55 · answer #2 · answered by pvandermeeden 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could go back to the ER. Try some warm compresses, but don't leave them on for more than 20 minutes at a time, 4 times daily. I don't think it's a lymph node, but possibly your infection is spreading-there are lots of lymph nodes there--and you may have another boil.
2007-01-06 07:16:46 · answer #3 · answered by Queen-o-the-Damned 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This all depends on how long you have had this boil. My father had a swelling in the lymphnodes in his neck and was diagnosed as having an infection and treated for such. Then about 2 months after he had first found the lump he went to a cancer spcialist and was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that effects the squamous cells in the body and can and will spread.
My father had a puss like discharge when they took a sampling of his lymphnode wich is a sign of it being an infectioon, but is also a sign of squamous cell carcinoma.
I would reccomend that you talk to your doctor if you have had the lumo for over a month and see if you can get refered to a cancer specialist due to only 2% of cancers being this type.
I hope this information helped you and I wish you the best of luck
2007-01-06 07:21:31 · answer #4 · answered by emt_aj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you do have lymph nodes in your armpits and yes they can be very painfull when swollen. when you have an infection (which you obviously do with the boil) the closest lymph node can get inflammed, which is completely normal. even after your infection is gone your lymph node will stay swollen and then gradually decrease in size and tenderness. right now i would be more concerned about the boil and making sure the antibiotics are helping clear it up.
2007-01-06 07:37:07 · answer #5 · answered by pele 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.healthsquare.com/mc/fgmc2316.htm check here.
2007-01-06 07:15:02 · answer #6 · answered by Denny O 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋