Introduction
The human body contains 600-700 lymph nodes, which serve as a kind of filter station for the lymph fluid. In the lymph nodes is an important defense station of the immune system, which reacts to washed up pathogens or other disturbing influences. Most lymph nodes are located in the head and neck region, followed by the armpits and the groin region.
The remaining lymph nodes are distributed over the chest, abdomen and the rest of the body. If these filter stations react to disturbing events, the lymph nodes swell. This is an expression of the immune reaction.
In most cases, these are inflammatory processes in the context of simple infectious diseases, but the lymph nodes can also be enlarged in malignant diseases. In order to distinguish malignant from benign lymph node swelling, there are various clinical indications that provide good orientation. A biopsy can be used to confirm the diagnosis in an emergency. Whether a swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit is dangerous or not is therefore decisive in determining what the trigger is.
How dangerous is lymph node swelling in the armpit?
Whether a swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit is dangerous or not depends on the trigger or cause. In most cases, it is simply a reaction of the immune system to a simple harmless infection, such as influenza. Then the swelling usually disappears again when the infection subsides and is not dangerous.
Even after a vaccination, swelling of the lymph nodes is not dangerous. Pressure painful lymph nodes, which have a reddening of the skin above the lymph node and are easily displaced, are more likely to be harmless. In rare cases, the swollen lymph nodes may be caused by a malignant disease or a serious infection.
If the lymph node swelling does not occur in connection with an infection, a more dangerous infection can be the trigger. If the lymph nodes are not painful and do not move, this also indicates a malignant cause. In this case a doctor should be consulted for further clarification.
