# What's this lump in my armpit (slight TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829 "2003-08-31T17:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/21 "2003-09-02T01:02:42Z")
Thanks to the diligent researches of **Astroboy** and **Helena** , we’ve found that your abscess, **Scott** , is world famous, being even [the imprint on Korean girls’ T-shirts.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=70269) ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/22 "2003-09-02T01:15:34Z")
Then I’ll call it a subcutaneous cyst, then. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/23 "2003-09-02T01:23:15Z")
It might also be (drum roll please) hydradenitis suppurativa. Look it up. Of course QtM is a real doctor, and as everyone knows, the net can’t substitute for that. Since we all know this, there is nothing unethical about QtM, who is always very careful to make sure this is understood. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/24 "2003-09-02T01:36:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*Abscesses happen. \*\* Band name. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/25 "2003-09-02T03:22:25Z")
Thanks, **Dr\_Paprika**. While it doesn’t look like some of the (gross) pictures I found, some of the other manifestations I do have. I think I might go to the dermatologist with this one. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/26 "2003-09-02T04:37:04Z")
Anyway, I left my manager a voicemail saying I wouldn’t be in, because I had to take care of this before it turns into something nasty. I’ve blown off work tomorrow. Yay. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/27 "2003-09-02T06:05:58Z")
I’ve had those and my doctor said they were from shaving. They might have been, though the first time I had one, I soon developed mononucleosis and the second time I was getting sick with tonsillitis. I hope yours is just a plain ole’ cyst that gets better soon. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/28 "2003-09-02T16:07:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scott evil \* > \*\* > Be sure to come, and be sure to wear a red dress. \*\* No way! Red makes me look too big! I wear black on all occasions. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/29 "2003-09-02T16:13:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scott evil \* > \*\*I’ll just refer you to **Polycarp** ’s post. You’ll note that he and I have been around a lot longer than you. \*\* La Dee Da! ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/30 "2003-09-02T22:19:30Z")
**gluteus maximus** , I invite you to read the SDMB registration agreement, the FAQs (particularly the part where it says “Don’t be a jerk”), and to kindly stay the hell out of my thread. You’re not contributing anything. Anyway, I saw the doctor. He put me on Cipro as well as topical erythromycin in alcohol, and I have to go back on Friday to see if it’s gone down, or if it’s time to lance it. (He said it wasn’t mature enough to lance.) ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/31 "2003-09-03T01:38:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gluteus maximus \* > \*\* > No offense meant to the “real, live” doctors, but, isn’t it a _bit_ unethical to give medical advice over the web? I mean, without a webcam, webthermometer, webstethoscope, webtonguedepresser, etc…? > \*\* Just a little tip: to save keystrokes and to make it as trendy sounding and annoying as possible, all you have to do is put an “e” or “i” in front of the word. e.g. eThermometer, eStethoscope, iTongueDepresser, etc… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/32 "2003-09-03T02:04:14Z")
I had a similar lump in my armpit back in 1980. It got more swollen and painful. It wound up being removed surgically (local anaethetic). They called it a lipoma. I didn’t take them seriously when they said I needed surgery, so I bicycled to the hospital (I was a college student without a car). After the surgery I realized that this was some traumatic shit done to my body; I couldn’t move my left arm at all without serious pain (stitches too!). That two mile bike ride home was the longest two miles I ever did. BOTTOM LINE: GO TO THE DOCTOR!!! ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829/33 "2003-09-03T02:26:57Z")
I did go to the doctor. I’m on antibiotics, and I’m going back Friday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-lump-in-my-armpit-slight-tmi/198829.md?page=1)