How to identify axillary lymph nodes?

Swollen axillary lymph nodes can be benign or malignant, so when you find similar symptoms, you must pay attention to it and go to the hospital for a more comprehensive and thorough examination in time, because malignant ones can metastasize and cause lung cancer, stomach cancer, or breast cancer, etc., which can threaten life.

1. Benign swelling, including swelling caused by various infections, connective tissue diseases and allergic reactions.

2. Malignant swelling. It includes malignant tumors originating in the lymph nodes, such as lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia and malignant histiocytosis, as well as lymph node metastasis of other malignant tumors, such as lung cancer, gastric cancer and breast cancer. The clinical course is malignant, with persistent and progressive enlargement of lymph nodes. If not treated actively, the disease will often progressively worsen and lead to death.

3. Acute nonspecific lymphadenitis is characterized by local infection and enlarged lymph nodes in the corresponding area. Acute infection of the facial features or head often causes enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, submandibular, behind the ears, and behind the occipital bone; acute infection of the upper trunk, breast, and chest wall causes enlarged axillary lymph nodes; infection of the lower limbs and perineum causes enlarged inguinal lymph nodes.

4. The most common site of chronic nonspecific lymphadenitis is the submandibular lymph nodes, which are more common in people with past nasopharyngeal or oral infections. The second most common site is the inguinal lymph nodes, which are caused by chronic inflammation of the lower limbs and reproductive organs.

5. Many systemic infectious diseases can cause lymphadenopathy, which is generally widespread and may not cause obvious pain or tenderness. It is often accompanied by fever, hepatosplenomegaly, etc. The most common ones are as follows: infectious mononucleosis, rubella, scrub typhus, brucellosis, bubonic plague, leptospirosis, kala-azar, etc.