Worried about possible armpit 'node'

[KeeKee]

I have a small bumpy thing near my armpit that I'm concerned could be a swollen lymph node. It's not in my armpit but I did Google armpit anatomy (don't ask me why) and where I can feel it is classed as axillary nodes so I'm wondering whether I should be worried or not.

It is small but doesn't feel squishy and is rather pebbly to be honest. I've had lymph node worries in the past as I thought I had one in my groin but GP said it's ligament so I'm trying to stay level headed as it may not even be a swollen node (I only have the groin 'ligament' in one side so guess this could be the same). However my Mother had breast cancer last year and it's got me worried. I did have a breast exam around May which GP said was fine. Hoping it too could be ligament as it's on the same side as my groin one (right and I'm right handed).

[Fishmanpa]

Ok... you've obviously been poking and prodding and you're not even sure it's a node! I'd lean toward nothing and you're looking for something to latch onto based on your HA and your mother. 99.99999999999% sure it's nothing.

Positive thioughts

[Smirk]

Is there one on the other armpit area? Regardless there is gristle and tendons everywhere and among many things I have feared lymphoma and lymph nodes are one. When I saw my gp he told me that swollen lymph nodes cancerous or not can be seen without pressing hard at all. In fact 80% can be seen from the surface. On top of that it is only regarded abnormal when it's 1.5cm or larger and even then some modes are just bigger than others. My advice is to not prod , maybe check once a month or once a week at first and ween your way down. Check for obvious changes or you will make it larger by prodding it!

[KeeKee]

Thank you both for replying. I'd say it's definitely not 1.5cm, probably not even 1cm. I haven't really been that health anxious in the whole of 2016 (did have a little worry in March but didn't let it take over my life) and don't want to begin now.

It is only on one side, however so is the thing in my groin so hoping it's something similar. I think I'll wait a week and see if it has changed at all.

I am doing therapy at the moment however my health anxiety hasn't really been addressed this time round as i also have other issues which are generally much worse than my HA.

What nags me the most about having HA is knowing whether to get something checked out or not. I know things such as changing skin lesions, actual breast lumps, unusual bleeding etc should always be checked out to be on the safe side, but what about other things such as perceived swollen nodes, headaches, easy bruising etc. It's really hard knowing when to actually book an appointment or not.

[swgrl09]

I know the feeling about whether or not to get things checked out. A lot of times I ask my husband, who doesn't have anxiety, what he would do because I literally cannot gauge what is problematic and what is not. Lately I have been trying the "2 week" rule. If it is still there in 2 weeks and I am still anxious about it, time to see the doctor. If it is not there or I am not worried anymore, problem solved.

But I think if it's smaller than 1 cm probably nothing to worry about at all. Our bodies are filled with lumps and bumps all over the place.