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Published on: 3/5/2025

What Could Cause Pain in the Armpit Muscle?

Pain in the armpit muscle could come from muscle strain or inflammation, and sometimes nearby lymph nodes or nerves might be involved.

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Explanation

Your armpit muscle pain might be caused by a few things. One common reason is muscle strain. This can happen when you use your arm a lot or if you have an injury while exercising. The muscle gets tired or tiny tears happen, causing pain. Sometimes, pain can also come along with swollen lymph nodes, which means your immune system is fighting off an infection. This type of pain, known as myalgia with lymphadenopathy, can make the area sore. There are also rare cases where pain in the armpit may be connected to nerve irritation. One study showed that persistent arm pain after surgery or injury could come from nerve issues in the area. In other words, the pain might not just be from the muscle itself but from nearby tissues like lymph nodes or nerves. If the pain continues or gets worse or persists for more than a few weeks, it is a good idea to have a doctor check you out to figure out exactly what is going on. This way, you can get the right care and feel better sooner.

(References)

  • Haq I, Moss K, Morris VH. Myalgia with lymphadenopathy. J R Soc Med. 2001 Oct;94(10):521-2. doi: 10.1177/014107680109401008. PMID: 11581347; PMCID: PMC1282207.

  • Langford DJ, Paul SM, West C, Abrams G, Elboim C, Levine JD, Hamolsky D, Luce JA, Kober KM, Neuhaus JM, Cooper BA, Aouizerat BE, Miaskowski C. Persistent arm pain is distinct from persistent breast pain following breast cancer surgery. J Pain. 2014 Dec;15(12):1238-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2014.08.013. PMID: 25439319; PMCID: PMC4254679.

  • Mikolajczyk AE, Zhang L, Zaman A. Atypical cause of axillary pain. _Am J Med_. 2016;129(2):e29-e30. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.09.039

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