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Family Medicine  (Expert Forum)
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Swollen Glands
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MedHelp Member's Question

Swollen Glands

by enriq, Oct 02, 2002 12:00AM
About two to three months ago, what I took to be a gland under my left armpit swelled up hard.  After a few days it went down, but then the one under my right armpit swelled up.  The doctor said sometimes glands come up and we don't know why, and that if it was serious it would stay swollen.  He said it was unusual for one to come up at a time like that.  He did a "blood picture" (I think for diabetes) and tested for glandular fever, but the results were fine.  Since then, though, they came up again really hard, and now every two or three weeks the same glands swell up, though never as hard as the first couple of times.  This is not in itself a problem, but I am very worried that it might be symptomatic of something more serious.  Should I go back to the doctor?  Are there other tests that I should ask for?
Doctor's Answer

by Forum-M.D.-DT, Oct 08, 2002 12:00AM
Thank you for visiting the family practice forum

You very well may be dealing with sebaceous cysts. However any glandular swelling that does not go away or becomes larger needs to be biopsied.

A sebaceous (or epidermoid) cyst is a noncancerous swelling under the skin. It is lined by packed outer skin cells. The cyst itself is filled with oil or dead cells. Under certain conditions such as stress, increased activity, mechanical irritation, diabetes, or other concurrent illness these cysts may enlarge and become somewhat tender. On occasion, these cysts will be drained by the physician and antibiotics will be prescribed. Warm moist compresses will commonly help bring these cysts “to a head” and help them drain. It is not uncommon for these cysts to increase and decrease in size particularly when there is increased activity and/or sweating. Sebaceous cysts are commonly present in patients with cystic acne.

I hope this helps!
Member Comments (9)

by DrNad, Oct 03, 2002 12:00AM
You seem to have axillary lymph node enlargment. First of all you have to see whether there's any injury(even minor scratch) in the area that drains this particular node. If there is any you don't need to worry about.

by enriq, Oct 03, 2002 12:00AM
To: DrNad
I don't have any injuries under or near either of the nodes that have been swelling up.  Where does that leave me.

by DrNad, Oct 04, 2002 12:00AM
First step in the assessment of lymph node swellings is to look for any local cause i.e any skin lesion on the area drained by that enlarged node. In your case the lymph node resides in axilla. And there are three sets of nodes in axilla- lateral, central(deep within the axilla), and inside axillary folds that drain different different areas of our body according to their location. I am not insisting that it is the only thing that can cause lymph node enlargement. You have also to look on the front of the chest including nipples  and the back (can you look at your back of chest)and arms. Well yes there are many tests keeping in mind different illnesses that cause such node swellings.

by DrNad, Oct 04, 2002 12:00AM
To: enriq
First step in the assessment of lymph node swellings is to look for any local cause i.e any skin lesion on the area drained by that enlarged node. In your case the lymph node resides in axilla. And there are three sets of nodes in axilla- lateral, central(deep within the axilla), and inside axillary folds that drain different different areas of our body according to their location. I am not insisting that it is the only thing that can cause lymph node enlargement. You have also to look on the front of the chest including nipples and the back (can you look at your back of chest)and arms. Well yes there are many tests keeping in mind different illnesses that cause such node swellings.

by labrat, Oct 06, 2002 12:00AM
To: DrNad
DrNad,

No offense intended, however I would like to ask your qualifications and area of expertise.



Thank you.

by DrNad, Oct 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Labrat
:)

DrNad

by Landrover, Oct 10, 2002 12:00AM




  ..

by AMwatch24, Jan 09, 2003 12:00AM
I'm sorry, this wasnt supposed to be put into "Men's Health", but maybe someone can give me some help here anyway.

Hi, I don’t know where to turn this moment. I have been searching the web when I came across a sight to where I can possibly contact individuals. Maybe if you cannot me, possibly you can direct me; I'm scared. I am an avid athlete, don't smoke nor drink. I have been experiencing light-headedness with increased intensity recently. I have been having night sweats more regularly (thought it was menstrual or age-I am 36), and yesterday I noticed a large lump on the back of my neck in the posterior side of the SCM. It seems to be a lymphnode but it is the size of a medium grape. By the end of the day I noticed a second lump (not painful, about the same size) between the SCM and Trapzius above my clavicle. I also have a painful bump seeming to be attached to the base of my skull(at the corner of the mastoid process) on the same side (all lumps are on the right side). I occasionally (within the past year--exact time unknown) go through spells of itchy skin localized at the shoulder crease or elbow crease-for no reason; I thought it to be psychosomatic due to my job. I have never been sick before, and I am not a hypochondriac. What I