What causes swollen lymph nodes in the armpits of women?

The problem of swollen lymph nodes is relatively common in clinical practice. Swollen lymph nodes may occur in many parts of the body, so the treatment method needs to be chosen based on the specific location and symptoms. In addition, there are many reasons that may cause swollen lymph nodes in women, so treatment must be combined with the causes. So what are the causes of swollen axillary lymph nodes in women? Learn more.

1. Axillary lymph node swelling in women is mostly related to breast diseases. For example, the patient may have mastitis or a breast tumor. Patients with mastitis-like diseases often have symptoms of redness, swelling, heat and pain in the local skin of the breast. After being diagnosed with mastitis, patients can take oral amoxicillin anti-inflammatory drugs or intravenous antibiotics for treatment. The local inflammation also needs to be disinfected and the dressing changed. If the patient is a woman over 45 years old, it may be caused by a breast tumor. At this time, the diagnosis can be confirmed through breast color ultrasound or mammography. After the diagnosis is confirmed, in addition to surgical removal of the breast and surrounding lymph nodes, mammography treatment can also be performed.

2. There are many reasons for enlarged axillary lymph nodes. The most common one occurs in patients with breast malignant tumors, and the incidence is relatively high in middle-aged and elderly people. All patients have primary breast space-occupying lesions. Because the most common metastatic route of breast cancer is axillary lymph node metastasis, and many patients are in the advanced stage when diagnosed, the axillary lymph nodes are fused and accompanied by pain. In severe cases, the axillary vein is compressed, causing swelling of the upper limbs. Involvement of the axillary plexus nerves can also cause numbness and limited movement.

3. When female patients experience enlarged axillary lymph nodes, clinically it is mainly seen in primary or secondary inflammatory reactions. Clinically, the cause must be identified first, and then a reasonable treatment plan must be formulated accordingly. Ultrasound examination, even ultrasound-guided lymph node puncture biopsy and histopathological examination can be performed to finally confirm the diagnosis. For breastfeeding patients, if they have mastitis or plasma cell mastitis, this inflammatory response will also cause reactive enlargement of the axillary lymph nodes, accompanied by local pain and fever. Symptoms usually improve after anti-inflammatory treatment. People with lymphoma may also experience swollen lymph nodes.