Armpit Pain

[pattsy]

I had DCIS high grade, comedo, leftside mastecomy 4 years ago.  For the last few months on the right side upper outer area of right breast and underarm I have been having a dull aching feeling off and on my right side.  When I feel the breast I don't feel lumps, but in the armpit I feel what I think might be a lymph node, but not sure because I tend to have lumpiness, so not sure if I am over reacting to something that has been there all a long.  Can breast cancer cause an aching feeling?  And can you feel a lump in armpit and not feel anything in the breast?  How big is a lymph node and what does it feel like under your arm?  Thank you for any information you can give.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear Pattsy:  Most breast cancer is not painful.  Lymph nodes are  normally very small (less than ˝ inch).  Sometimes, normal sized lymph nodes can be felt when they are close to the surface and there is not much fat tissue.  Usually, lymphnodes are felt when they are enlarged.  They can become enlarged for many reasons but the most common one is infection.  Without examination, we cannot speculate on whether you are feeling anything concerning or not.  You should see your doctor for examination, once he/she has felt the area, a determination can be made as to what further evaluation, if any, is needed.

[yoshi]

I just came back from ultra sound on my left breast-they found a cyst smack in the middle of my armpit.
I sometime can feel it and it does get sore.

[Candi222]

I had a lumpectomy 9/2005 and node removal followed by radiation ending 12/05. I am now in pain with three lumps under my armpit which appear to be enlarging.  When I went for my last check-up in August I was told by the surgeon that arm pain and lack of mobility was a common post-surgical event.  
Is this the beginning of lymphodema?  My GP said in June, that I had Costochondritis and gave me a one page blurb on it.  But, this pain is not in the ribs.  Is this something I can cure with a healing pad and a stiff drink? Should I go back to the GP, the surgeon or what kind of specialist? Thank you so much for any guidance!

[boninclyde]

I would see your breast surgeon or your oncologist ASAP. It may be nothing but as you already know, the earlier caught the better your chance for cure.

[ddmontg]

I have had off and on for months now some pain in my left armpit.  I had a cyst a month or so ago and they did a mammo with a repeat ultrasound and then a breast specialist looked also.  Everything looked good and they said to resume my annual screening.  My question is, should they have looked at my armpit area too?  The pain mostly has been just to the outside of the armpit in the front.  Past several days it seems to go from there to inside the armpit.  AS I said it comes and goes.  I feel no lumps or anything.  I have also been battling this abscess on the side of my left jaw which they finally cleared with antibiotics...could this be the cause of any pain?  I do not know if these are lymph nodes I am feeling as painful or what.  Any suggestions, as I have been paying attention to this for a long while now and it is not going away.  It is not constant, but as I said, comes and goes.