The body's lymphatic system is a filter that protects a person against many infections. Important organs of this structure are lymph nodes, which are located in different places: in the groin, on the neck, under the armpits, under the knees. Small in size particles have an important biological role. Learn about their proper location and normal condition.
Location of axillary lymph nodes
Localized lymph nodes in the cavity in the cellulose of the base of the arm. Axillary lymph nodes are divided into two groups: superficial and internal. All particles of the lymphatic system are thought of in the human body so that they are responsible for nearby organs. If a person's lymph nodes have increased, then this is a signal about inflammation of the area of the body, infection. Pain, redness, a significant increase - an occasion to pay attention to the state of health.
Normal size of lymph nodes
The size of the lymph nodes depends on the age category, the complexion of the human body and the hormonal background. Standard sizes range from 0.3 to 16 mm in length. In newborns, lymph nodes are difficult to lap, but during the growing up of a child the particle size comes back to normal, by the first year of life, half of them already can feel them. The lymph node in the axillary region should not be more than a centimeter, much like the cervical. Response to various infections is observed in most cases from the age of three months.
How many lymph nodes under the arm and where they are located
An inflamed lymph node under the armpit the doctor will be able to feel and assess the condition of the inflammation. In the hollows, about 5-10 knots are observed, each of which can be of different sizes: 10 mm or more. The patient takes his hands a little to the sides in order for the doctor to more easily examine the site. Straight or slightly bent fingers the doctor enters the depth of the armpit hollow until it stops along the shoulder bone. After this moment the patient drops his hands, and the doctor, pressing his fingers to the chest back, lowers his movements a little down. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times.
Inflammation and enlargement of the lymph nodes in the armpits
Axillary lymph nodes of the body are very sensitive. If there are beginning inflammatory processes in the nearest organs, infectious lesions, they have the property of also gaining volume. The lymphonodus has inflamed under a mouse? Urgently pay attention to the signals that give your body such painful symptoms. The pain and inflammation of the axillary lymph nodes suggests that the organs are near the disease.
Symptoms of
Sometimes the increase in sites is provoked by other diseases, which are accompanied by additional signs. Inflammation of the lymph nodes under the arm is manifested by such basic symptoms:
- enlargement of lymphatic areas in size;
- pain when pressing, touching( sometimes throbbing);
- redness;
- weakness;
- nausea;
- temperature increase;
- sharp deterioration of state of health;
- appearance of severe fever;
- wounds in the foci of the disease, boils, ulcers.
Causes of inflammation of
The primary causes of inflammation of the lymph nodes are:
- Colds, infectious diseases and tonsillitis. Protective reactions of the immune system against harmful infections, viruses are manifested by the production of leukocytes, which fight bacteria. These bacteria settle in the lymph nodes, which become inflamed.
- . Oncological diseases.
- Folliculitis. Inflammation of the hair follicle provokes pain in the joints, redness and fever.
- Diseases of the mammary glands. Inflammation of the axillary lymph nodes in women is often associated with mastitis or other breast diseases. Are acute during pregnancy, menstruation.
If
is painful If the process of increasing the immune-defender nodes occurs with painful sensations, then the reason is:
- neglect of the process of treatment of lymph nodes;
- infectious diseases;
- development of purulent processes, which are often provoked by bacteria of staphylococcus, streptococci;
- thrombophlebitis;
- purulent ulcers;
- erysipelatous inflammation of the sites;
- boil or carbuncle;
- decay of bacteria with further irritation of tissue sites, repeated infection;
- tuberculosis;
- syphilis;
- trichomoniasis.
Do not hurt
The initial stage is not always acute for the patient. If the lymph node is enlarged under the arm, but does not hurt, then this is a signal that the disease process is only at an early stage. After a while, with a light push on the swollen areas, pain can sometimes be felt, sometimes pulsating. The process of transition of a stage to a painful one can turn out to be not limited in time, therefore, once you have seen that the lymph nodes are inflamed, it is better to consult a specialist.
If lymph nodes in the armpits are enlarged, what kind of a doctor should I contact? An oncologist, surgeon or mammologist will help you establish the cause of the disease and conduct a thorough treatment after doing the necessary studies, ultrasound( ultrasound) and tests. If there is a suspicion of the presence of neoplasms in the body, then an analysis is carried out for oncomarkers.
Methods of treatment
How to treat lymph nodes under the arm? It all depends on the causes that cause inflammation. If a person has been exposed to a viral infection, then a week later, without the use of special treatments, the symptoms of an increase in the sites will pass. A serious approach to therapy requires lymph glands, when a person is sick with leukemia, cancer, lymphoma. If the glands swell for no apparent reason, then you can not postpone visiting a specialist, the reasons can be dangerous for the life of the body.
Axillary lymphadenitis and lymphadenopathy
The glands of the lymphatic system do not increase in themselves, so pay special attention to checking the body for other diseases. Lymphadenitis or lymphadenopathy( lymphopathy) is an increase, inflammation of the nodes, occasionally with a purulent process. If the disease is provoked by a virus, bacteria, the symptoms will pass as soon as a person has recovered. Other causes are oncological diseases, direct injuries.
Hyperplasia
The only treatment regimen in this case is not, for the therapy you need to use not one method, but immediately a complex. It is always necessary to treat an infection that provoked lymph node disease. Compresses are often used, which are prohibited for purulent discharge. When abscess is prescribed antibiotic course, vitamins, ultra-high-frequency therapy. If the disease is autoimmune, then self-medication should be forgotten. Referring to a specialist, the appointment of the right drugs will put a person on the path to a speedy recovery without bad consequences.
Cancer
Variations of therapy to combat neoplasm several:
- chemotherapy( destruction of atypical cells in the body according to the individual admission regimen for the patient);
- radiotherapy( exposure to powerful x-ray beams on cancer cells);
- removal of axillary lymph nodes surgically with the removal of infected tissues nearby;
- bone marrow transplantation.
Removal of the lymph node
Excision of the diseased lymph node is indicated in the case of purulent and necrotic areas. If a man or woman has suppuration, the usual methods of treatment become ineffective and the patient should undergo surgery. When the process is not started under local anesthesia, a small operation is performed to remove pus and lymph fluid. When poisoning the body with toxic substances, blood transfusion is prescribed, and immunity is strengthened with drugs.