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Armpit pain

Seryn

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My eldest has complained of a pain in his armpit today, just going to bed and he's in agony, can't lift his arm. There's no mark at all, he's not done anything to pull a muscle and there no visible lump, Think I'll get him to book an apt tomorrow but I'm worrying now and can't sleep! I hate anxiety but anxiety over your kids is another level of fear. Can you see swollen lymph nodes just by looking? He's pointing to the area where there would be one. I couldn't feel anything but he'll barely let me touch and he didn't think he could feel anything. Anyone had anything like this before? I am not googling because I no damn well what it will suggest with sudden armpit pain. He's complaining of a headache but he had a late night and few drinks then on a long walk up the mountain and for once it's quite warm here. Just hoping it's like sweat rash? But like I said I can't see anything and he said it feels like he's been hit pain rather than burning.
 

bin_tenn

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There's no mark at all, he's not done anything to pull a muscle
From personal experience, you can pull a muscle and not recognize the cause. Much like getting a bruise and not having any idea what caused it. It happens.

Can you see swollen lymph nodes just by looking?
Not necessarily. It depends on how swollen the lymph node is as well as other factors. Some people can see some lymph nodes even when they're not swollen because that's just how their body is. Others may not see them even if they're swollen.

Could be muscular, could be a nerve issue, could be a minor bruise that isn't visible on the surface. Lots of benign reasons. There's nothing wrong with a Dr appointment, but I personally don't believe there is any reason to be terribly concerned.
 

Beautiful Disaster

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I am thinking the same thing as Bin. He may not have done anything to pull anything there, but all of the back and shoulder and chest muscles meet in the armpit area. If any of those are pulled, you can have pain in the armpit area. Or even referred pain where you have a Muscle spasm somewhere else but hurts in a different area. I have had armpit pain that I realized came from a muscle, and yes it can really hurt. I know you don’t have to see a gland for it to be swollen, but if it was that painful and it was caused by a gland, I would think you would see or feel it. I don’t think a small one would cause that much pain. Hope this helps.
 

Seryn

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Thanks both so much that's calmed me down. He does go to the gym regularly so I'm hoping it's that? But he said he hasn't been for 2 days so seems a bit delayed. He refused to book an appointment today and wanted to see how he got on with pain killers so I'll have to trust his judgement he is very nearly 18 so I can't mother him too muchand he'll get annoyed if I keep fusing around him ha!
 

Beautiful Disaster

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Sometimes it takes a day or two for muscle soreness and if some muscle was overworked, then he might have pulled it just living life -no different than one day just bending over and boom, pulling your back. If he couldn’t feel any lumps or bumps, then I would wait too. Hopefully he is feeling better today.
 

Seryn

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It's worse today and there is a big flat red mark. I wouldn't say rash it's literally an area where the skin has turned very red. About 10cm wide. He said the pain wasn't as bad but he went to reach something from the cupboard and had a surge of pain and now it's worse than last night. which sounds like a muscle injury. Not sure about the big red area though. Rang our GP for an appointment and the receptionist told us the Dr has just had to go home sick so thats great ha. There's an out of hours number we've rung which will be a hospital appointment and they're like gold dust so will wait and see. Hoping it's not a staph infection as he's had one before that was hard work to get rid of
 

Hobbit

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Ya I'm betting on muscular too . Even walking up a mountain causes you to use different sets muscles he may not realize , like chest muscles .
 

Seryn

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I think it is too especially how he's describing the pain but it's their weird red mark that's puzzling us. It's not a rash or a bruise. I've had infections before and it's the same colour and shape one would be but it's not warm or swollen either so who knows the out of hours Dr wants to check it out so we're just about to trek up to the hospital now. Thanks for keeping me sane guys!
 

Seryn

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Back from the drs and he thinks it's a skin infection again so possibly the MRSA is back. Uuurgh we narrowly avoided hospital iv antibiotics last time. This doesn't look anything like the MRSA he had last time. Hoping his antibiotics work. I hate having kids on antibiotics always makes me worry. I mean he's nearly an adult but still makes me worry. Especially when the Dr wasn't certain and said he'd also not seen anything like it. Not what you really want to hear! He was sure it was an infection but not sure what is causing it. Good news he didn't think it was nodes.
 

Hobbit

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Geez more worries for you. I don't think you ever stop worrying about your kids do you ? I don't have kids but my mom would still tell me to be careful crossing the street when I would visit her , I was 50 LOL . Ya hope the antibiotics do their thing , good that he went then .
 

Beautiful Disaster

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Back from the drs and he thinks it's a skin infection again so possibly the MRSA is back. Uuurgh we narrowly avoided hospital iv antibiotics last time. This doesn't look anything like the MRSA he had last time. Hoping his antibiotics work. I hate having kids on antibiotics always makes me worry. I mean he's nearly an adult but still makes me worry. Especially when the Dr wasn't certain and said he'd also not seen anything like it. Not what you really want to hear! He was sure it was an infection but not sure what is causing it. Good news he didn't think it was nodes.
Thank you for updating! Yikes!! Red streaks is usually a sign of infection! Good that he got in to the dr. Don’t stress about the antibiotics- yes there are times you don’t need it, but it sounds like he needs it now. He will be ok! So glad you do not have to worry about glands! Deep breaths!
 

Seryn

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Thanks both. Yeh the red area looks most like an infection but the area itself isn't warm or itchy and the way he's describing the pain you'd think it was certainly a muscle injury. Possibly caught early cellulitis which is a staph strain similar to what he had before. They've put him on Flucloxacillin which is the first line of treatment. It didn't work at all the last time and would come back within a week. Just praying it works and we don't have to go through all the bloods and strong antibiotics again. Kid is just about to finish college for the summer feel sorry for him as he can't play sports now it's hurting so much. I can tell I'm on edge thinking the worst, I'm waiting for him to get up now and hoping the rash hasn't spread, can't concentrate on work! I am glad I can work from home at least. I need to stop fussing like an old mother hen but can't help it!

PS he got up as I was writing this the red mark hasn't spread anymore thankfully but he's still in a lot of pain. Very strange.
 
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