Right Armpit Question

I am a 27 year old female.  I take Aciphex, Zrytec D, Xananx on occassion, multi-vitamin, Supplements of Vitamin E, Calicum, Super B Complex w/ C, Alphic Acid, Garlic tablet.  Drink once or twice a week.  Ex-smoker. Have high levels of anxiety and huge fear of cancer.  Have been diagnosed with OCD, Anxiety and possibly Post Tramautic Stress Disorder.  Don't want to take meds for OCD and Anixety because of dry mouth.   Grandmother died of Ovarian cancer.  At my job, I work on a computer all day long - been at my job for 10 yrs.  I have had 2 ganglion cysts surgically removed on my right wrist twice and had it drained numerous times also. Was in a car wreck about 7 yrs ago and had numerous pinched nerves and muscle spasms in upper back-went to chiropactor.  I have been having this pain that comes and goes in my upper very right armpit since last Monday just about daily.  Sometimes I will also have the same type of pain in my left armpit.  The pain will last a short amount of time - maybe 2 mintues at the most then disappear. I have also been having upper back pain - feels like when I had pinched nerve and muscle spasms.  I use to notice the pain maybe once a week but now I am experiencing it just about every day in the right very upper armpit.  I have also noticed when I lay on my right arm/shoulder for a long amount of time, it feels as if my shoulder has gone to sleep so I'll switch sides and my left shoulder will do that too.  It's more like a tingling sensation and sometimes burning sensation.  I have been experiencing some tingling & burning sensations in both hands, especially when I'm on the computer.  But I also noticed that when I think about it then the pain seems to appear in my armpit.  I can't feel any kind of lumps and/or swellings in either armpits.  They both look & feel the same.  But I have also been examing and pressing on both armpits to check for any kind of lumps very frequently - like multiple times a day.  Some areas are tender when I press on them, could be due to me examing and pressing on it all the time.  I went to my GYN doctor last week, read that pain could be coming from the breasts, so I had her feel my breasts and armpits - even into the very upper armpits and she couldn't feel anything.  I have no weight loss, no fever, no night sweats, no fatigue.  Sometimes it feels like my shirts or tank top sleeves (like where your armpit area would rest in a shirt or tank top)irritate the area - like the sleeves are too tight.  I am about 15 - 20 pounds overweight.  Very concerned that it is Lymphoma but I have also read on numerous websites that it appears as PAINLESS swellings and/or lumps and they are easily noticeable.  I assume that since my GYN felt for lumps in my armpits and very upper armpits and found nothing to be worried about, that Lymphoma is not the case.  Have appt. w/ my Orthopedic dr on Wednesday.  Can you please offer some insight to this problem?  Thank you for your time.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Tough to say.  It certainly can be caused by enlarged lymph nodes.  Any type of muscle inflammation can irritate the nerves, where a lot of them can go through the axillary (armpit) area.  

Further imaging in the form of an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI can be considered to ensure there is no mass the can be irriting the nerves.

If negative, you may want to consider a Neurology referral to evaluate for any nerve dysfunction that could be causing the tinlging.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[TeotimC]

A related discussion, right armpit feels tight was started.