Large cyst under the armpit Cysts in the armpit area are a problem that affects both men and women. They are often painless, but can also hurt if infected.
A cyst is a non-cancerous “closed pocket of tissue that may be filled with fluid, pus, or other contents” [webmd.com] with an outer wall known as a capsule. They feel like peas (or pimples) under the surface of the skin (and on internal organs such as the kidney, liver, etc.) and can appear anywhere. Can occur in men and women of all ages.
The most common cysts in the armpit are acne, sebaceous cysts, and epidermal inclusion cysts (EIC). Pilonidal cysts can also sometimes appear, although they are usually "found on the skin near the buttocks."
Allergens and skin irritants
Many deodorants, antiperspirants, body washes, and laundry detergents contain skin irritants and allergens. They can lead to allergic contact dermatitis, which causes redness and tiny blisters.
Likewise, irritant contact dermatitis can cause redness, pain, and swelling. Pets and environmental factors also carry known allergens that trigger an immune response and thus underarm pain.
Cyst in men
As mentioned earlier, this problem affects everyone, including children, teenagers and adults. Any of the above can be the cause of cysts in men, with the exception of reasons that only apply to women. However, epidermoid cysts and sebaceous cysts (with the use of androgenic steroids or with high testosterone levels) are more common in men than in women.
Atheroma is a neoplasm that is localized in the tissues of the sebaceous gland. Its appearance is associated with a violation of the outflow of secretions due to blockage of the outlet of the duct. Treatment involves surgical intervention, since when the contents are removed, the separated secretion will again accumulate in the resulting capsule. Home remedies are ineffective and can only be used to maintain the condition until a visit to a specialist.
Peripheral artery disease
With the disease, the small blood vessels of the arms and legs narrow, and the flow of oxygen to surrounding tissues decreases. Deprived of oxygen, muscles and cells begin to die, which is a very painful process.
A person should seek medical help if armpit pain becomes severe or interferes with daily activities. Minor complications such as colds, muscle soreness and bacterial infections are the most common causes of armpit pain. But pain can be a sign of serious infections and immune conditions, including cancer and HIV.
Although rare, serious health complications include:
cancer;
tuberculosis;
Some sexually transmitted infections, especially syphilis;
Feline fever, caused by a bacterial infection from a cat scratch or bite;
Toxoplasmosis, a virus found in raw meat and feces
HIV.
Symptoms that may be a sign of more serious health risks that require medical attention include:
Enlarged lymph nodes that do not go away for more than 1-2 weeks;
Extremely sore armpit area;
Enlargement of several lymph nodes in the body, such as the groin, head and neck;
Fever and night sweats;
Difficulty breathing and swallowing;
Unexplained weight loss;
Constipation.
Treatment methods
In most cases, armpit cysts disappear on their own. However, some may require treatment, which depends on the cause of the problem. To understand that it is a cyst, “you need to try to move it back and forth with your thumb and forefinger. If the lump is mobile, it is probably a cyst" [Health.howstuffworks.com]. A biopsy may be needed if it is suspected of being cancerous. However, axillary cysts are rarely cancerous.
Extrusion and drainage
Some may require opening and drainage for symptoms to resolve. This may require a scalpel or needle and the procedure should be carried out by a specialist. This method does not cure, but relieves symptoms, especially if purulent contents are present. And it increases the likelihood of the bumps reappearing.
Medicines and injections
Cortisone injections may be used to shrink cysts. This is a steroid injection that reduces swelling. Infections may require medications such as antibiotics or antifungals.
Surgical removal
If all of the above treatments fail to resolve the problem, surgical removal should be considered. Recommended for large sizes and severe anxiety symptoms. Laser surgery may also be used.
Home Remedies
Some of the popular home remedies that you can try include hot compresses, washing with antibacterial soap. If the cyst bursts, it is necessary to clean it and then apply an antibacterial ointment to reduce the infection.
However, you should not squeeze or open it, as this leads to scarring, infection, and may increase the chances of recurrence. However, if the bud is ripe, you can squeeze it out and clean it.
Methods to prevent armpit pain
Using ice packs to reduce muscle pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen.
Using hormonal, antifungal, or medicated creams to treat a skin condition that causes armpit pain.
Using moisturizers to prevent excessive dry skin.
Keeping the armpit clean to prevent infection.
Avoid detergents that contain allergens and irritants.
Avoid excessive exposure to hot water.
Wear loose clothing to avoid chafing.
Avoid shaving your armpits.
Atheroma
Atheroma – sebaceous gland cyst
Atheroma is “a cyst that arises from the sebaceous glands and contains sebum” [Wikipedia.org]. They are less common compared to epidermoid cysts.
Sebaceous cysts in the armpit often appear when these glands are blocked, high testosterone levels are present, androgenic anabolic steroid use, hereditary factors, or inflamed hair follicles. This problem affects people of any gender and age.
Symptoms
Some common symptoms include skin soreness and tenderness, redness, a “grayish-white, foul-smelling, curd-like content that is released” [nlm.nih.gov] and fever in the affected area.
Treatment
As a rule, it does not require medical treatment, especially if it is small in size. For relief, you can use a damp, warm compress. However, if the atheroma causes discomfort or is large in size, you can resort to surgical removal. This is a simple process that removes the bag and all its contents. Antibiotics may be recommended if the cyst is infected with bacteria.
How to treat atheroma at home and what it is
There are also recipes with rather unusual natural ingredients, such as chicken egg films, sour cream, and silverware.
Treatment of atheroma with lotions must be carried out until they open on their own and the contents come out
Here are some recipes from traditional healers:
- There are good methods for treating behind the ear: Melt a little lamb fat, cool it until warm and rub it into the area of atheroma. We do this as often as possible, but at least three times a day. For greater effect, you can add a little garlic juice and vegetable oil to the lamb fat.
- Sour cream ointment. Take equal parts of sour cream, salt and honey. We mix the ingredients and get a kind of ointment, which we apply to the area affected by atheroma. After half an hour, it should be washed off the skin. This ointment is beneficial for the treatment of atheroma in the chest and genital area. In this case, the mixture should be smeared onto the skin, which has previously been slightly heated and well dried.
- Treatment of atheroma with aloe juice is very effective. Everyone knows the benefits of this unique plant for our skin and its anti-inflammatory properties in inflammatory processes. The treatment is very simple: squeeze the juice from the plant a couple of times a day and apply it to the affected area. This method is especially good for treating diseases in the ear and earlobe areas.
- An unusual method of treatment using silver products. Any product made of pure silver that is convenient for you can be used. Just apply this product to the cyst for a couple of minutes several times a day for one month.
- A very original way is to eliminate the tumor using films from chicken eggs. In a chicken egg, closer to the shell there is a white dense film. You need to separate it from the shell of a hard-boiled egg and apply it to the site of the cystic formation and the tumor will begin to resolve.
Positive reviews from patients who have used these folk recipes indicate their effectiveness. Although they are considered effective and efficient, in any case, if they do not help you, you should make an appointment with a qualified specialist. After all, atheroma is not just an unpleasant cosmetic defect, but also a danger to your health. And in most cases, the only sure way to get rid of this problem once and for all is through surgery.
Tumor localization
The main condition for the formation of a cyst is the presence of sebaceous glands. Typically atheroma affects:
- scalp area;
- face, mainly cheeks and chin;
- lobes and area behind the ears;
- cervical and shoulder region;
- back and armpit area;
- area of genital folds and buttocks;
- less commonly female mammary glands.
Atheroma on the earlobe
In most cases, the cyst is located on the earlobe, but can also involve the auricle. In this place, atheroma is rarely presented as several formations; usually it is a wen measuring from 5 mm to 4 cm. Tumors in this area are most susceptible to trauma. Their education is related to:
- violation of metabolic processes in the body;
- injuries;
- hyperhidrosis;
- hypothermia;
- failure to comply with hygiene standards;
- endocrine and hormonal disorders.
If the ear formation is damaged, the swollen area increases in size, the patient is bothered by itching, redness, burning, the ear and the area around it hurt, and in some cases the body temperature rises.
Is it worth treating asteroma at home?
As mentioned above, not all people are ready for surgery or the atheroma is very small in size. Sometimes inflammation of the atheroma occurs with its suppuration, it can even ulcerate. Then the specialist can prescribe its treatment, which the patient carries out at home independently. Or those who are more fearful begin to turn to traditional medicine.
However, it should be remembered that when atheroma is inflamed, self-medication is useless and often dangerous.
Still, you should visit a surgeon to get qualified help. There are not many ways to cure atheroma yourself at home.
Here are some of them:
- In this case, treatment with Vishnevsky ointment is considered quite effective. Over the course of several days, a compress with ointment is made, which is fixed to the skin with a band-aid and changed up to 3 times a day. This method is considered the most popular and gives good results if the cyst is still small.
- In case of inflammation, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics. The doctor selects the medications individually, depending on the patient’s condition. Indeed, when atheroma becomes inflamed, it becomes painful when pressed, it changes in color and size, and the condition is worsened by an increase in body temperature.
- There may also be a purely medicinal method, when the patient is prescribed pills, when taken, the neoplasm resolves.
- And the last, perhaps the most popular way to get rid of atheroma is treatment with folk remedies.
Symptoms
A sebaceous cyst usually does not cause discomfort to the patient. Atheroma can be recognized by external signs:
- at the site of formation of the wen, a bulge with clearly defined edges appears;
- the surface of the ball is dense and elastic;
- upper skin without visible changes;
- in the center of the atheroma there is a black dot.
If the wen becomes inflamed, the symptoms become more pronounced, the patient experiences:
- redness and swelling of the epidermal layer;
- Painful sensations occur on palpation;
- periodic breakthrough of the formation with the release of purulent contents.
What is the danger of wen formation
The growth of atheroma can continue for many years without harming human health. Even reaching 8 cm in diameter, it does not limit the functioning of organs, which is due to its superficial formation.
The danger arises when the capsule becomes inflamed. In addition to redness and swelling, an abscess forms. Gradually it pours into adjacent tissues or transforms into a fistula. When pus comes out, an unpleasant odor is felt. If the cyst destroys the capsule and is absorbed into the intradermal layer, then poisoning of the body occurs. Toxic substances enter the bloodstream, as a result of which the inflammatory process spreads to muscle and bone tissue.
The difference between atheroma and lipoma
A lipoma forms under the skin from fat cells. Sometimes bone, vascular and muscle tissue is involved in the process. Localization of formations can occur in internal organs and joints.
The structure of the lipoma is heterogeneous, loose, divided into small lobules, can be deformed when squeezed, but the atheroma does not change its shape. When you press on the formation of a lipoma, it slips under your fingers, while the atheroma practically does not move from its place.
Diagnostics
Usually, when examining a patient, a doctor can make a diagnosis without resorting to other examinations. If suspicions arise, a histological examination of the formation is carried out, which helps to exclude fibroma, hygroma and lipoma.
