Hidden clues in your armpits that your breasts want you to notice

When it comes to breast health, most women focus only on the breasts, looking for lumps, changes in shape, or nipple discharge. Our bodies often send early signals long before a problem turns serious, and the most overlooked area for those signals is the armpit. Though armpits are small body parts and often ignored, this area can reveal significant information about your breast health. What may seem like a minor lump or tenderness could be the body’s way of drawing attention to something deeper.

Link Between Armpits and Breasts

The armpit and breast are more connected than most people will ever know. They share the same lymphatic channels and fatty tissue that help to drain toxins from the body and have a function to support the day-to-day functions. That’s why changes in anyone can actually tell what’s happening in the other.

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas, Chairman - Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Onco Robotic Surgeries, North west Cluster, Manipal Hospitals, shares that, “If you notice a lump or continuous swelling or discomfort in your armpit that doesn’t reduce or go away within a few days, then it needs to be checked immediately. Sometimes, it’s just a simple infection or reaction to deodorant. Although many cases have been noticed where this ignorance is leading to serious breast-related issues like enlarged lymph nodes, cysts, and even breast cancer in extreme cases. Similarly, redness, creasing of skin, or a warming sensation from the breast to the underarm shouldn’t be ignored. Also, it is important to include the underarm in the monthly body check-up and gently use the pads of the fingers to check any new textures, swelling, or tenderness.”

Clues you shouldn’t ignore

People should watch out for the signs before it is too late:

1. A lump or swelling that wasn’t there before: A small, painless lump in the armpit is usually caused by an infection or a clogged hair follicle. However, if it lasts more than two weeks, feels hard, or increases over time, it may indicate that the lymph nodes are reacting to cancer cells from the breast.

Representative image of a women Photograph: (Freepik)

2. Discomfort in the armpit: While soreness can be caused by shaving, deodorants, or muscle strain, persistent pain or swelling on one side, particularly if it does not improve, should be checked immediately

3. Thickened skin near the armpit: Early inflammatory breast cancer may cause the skin to look pitted or thickened. If this spreads to the armpit, it is a red flag that should not be ignored as a rash.

4. Unexpected warmth, redness, or fluid discharge: Any unidentified warmth, redness, or discharge in the armpit area, particularly if not associated with an illness or shaving injury, requires medical treatment.

5. Changes in hair growth or sweating: In rare cases, sudden asymmetry, such as one armpit sweating less or feeling numb, may be caused by nerve involvement from deeper breast or lymphatic abnormalities.

Treatment and Prevention options available

While not all breast or armpit changes are preventable, adopting healthy practices can significantly minimize the risk. Perform monthly self-exams, including the armpit area, and arrange annual mammograms or clinical check-ups after age 40, or earlier if there is a family history. Maintain a healthy weight, be physically active, and limit alcohol use to regulate hormones. Avoid tight clothing and harsh deodorants, which can irritate the underarms or hide early symptoms. When diagnosed early, therapy options like lumpectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, radiation, and targeted therapies provide favourable outcomes. The idea is to be aware of subtle changes and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Small changes in your armpits, like staying alert to lumps or skin changes and combining self-check-ups- ups with timely medical care and supportive therapies, can help to maintain armpit health as well as the breasts. After all, armpits are not just under your arms; they’re actually the windows of your breast health

About the doctor

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas, Chairman - Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Onco Robotic Surgeries, North-west Cluster, Manipal Hospitals