Is it likely that I have lymphoma

[Mrenon]

Hello, I'm a 23 year old male and I'm worried I might have lymphoma. For the past 9 months or so I've been experiencing some kind of swelling on my underarms that come and go. It stays swollen and a little painful for about a week and then go away. It has been swollen for the past two days now and has already happened about three other times is this period of 9 months but always go away. I think it is a lymph node, it's round and movable and about an inch in diameter but is very difficult to find since it seems to be located deep under the arm. Sometimes it apparently gets lower though, so I can palpate it. I feel a general tenderness in the area and when I press my arm against my chest it's a little painful, it feels like the node is being compressed somehow. Sometimes only one side is affected, other times both. The first time it happened was right after I took a vaccine so I don't know whether it's related to that. Other two times I don't remember anything out of the ordinary, I don't think I had any kind of infection or anything. This time I took another vaccine about three days ago, so it kind of coincides with the swelling appearing. Could it have something to do with the lymph nodes swelling? I went to the gym a day before the area started getting painful, so maybe it's related to that. Also is it likely for an enlarged node from lymphoma to come and go like this or should it stay swollen if left untreated?

[Ken_PA]

Hi, you should be much better by now. Correct?

[Mrenon]

Hello,
It seems the pain is gone but sometimes I can still feel something on my underarm when I press my fingers to it. I'm unsure whether it's a lymph node, though. Also, I don't feel pain when I press my arm against my chest anymore. It seems it went away sooner this time. I was worried about these recurring pains on my underarm but I'm more relieved to know that lymphoma does not typically behave this way. Thanks again for your reply.

[Ken_PA]

Some viruses are "live" that can cause a reaction, and some aren't. That looks like the probable cause at this point.

You're correct that lymphoma doesn't come and go. Also, lymphoma in nodes is rarely painful or tender.

Agitating an inflamed node can make it worse, whether by feeling or by exercise.

[Mrenon]

Hello. Thank you very much for your reply.

First time it happened I took vaccines against HPV, influenza, meningitis and pneumonia (not on the same day though). This time I had a vaccination against yellow fever.

[Ken_PA]

No, lymphoma doesn't typically behave like that.

What kind of vaccinations did you have?