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What Causes Hard Tender Lump In Arm?

Posted on Mon, 29 Jun 2015

Question: I have a tender hard lump in my arm. I am panicking like mad i have just found it. My arm is red where lump is you can only feel it by pressing you cant see lump. I am really scared please help and answer assp. I think arm red cos i keep feel lump it size of a grape

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seems a bacterial skin infection; Oral antibiotics & Oral antiinflammatory

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us

I have gone through your query and I have understood it.

Going by your description this seems like a bacterial skin and soft tissue infection i.e most likely a furuncle with surrounding cellulitis.
Redness, tenderness and swelling/ lump are very suggestive of this.

If I were the treating doctor I would start you empirically on a course of an Oral antibiotic for a week.
My choice of an Oral antibacterial would be either Flucloxacillin Or Cephalexin for a week.
Oral antibiotics are prescription drugs and therefore I suggest that you talk to your doctor for the needful.

An OTC oral antiinflammatory e.g ibuprofen, once Or twice daily will provide you symptomatic relief from pain and swelling.

I suggest that you visit a doctor in your vicinity for a clinical confirmatory diagnosis and for the needful.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (10 minutes later)

You cant see the lump it deep in my arm. I worried about cancer

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Kindly visit a doctor for a clinical examination

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Please don't panic. This does'nt seem like a cancer to me.
This seems most likely either a bacterial skin and soft tissue infection Or a localized inflammatory process e.g a panniculitis, which is inflammation of subcutaneous fat.
Pain/ tenderness, swelling and redness are very indicative of an infectious Or inflammatory pathology rather than a cancer.
Therefore, I would stick to my earlier advice i.e Oral antiinflammatory and Oral antibiotics for a week.
I suggest that you visit a doctor in your vicinity for a clinical examination and for the needful. That would be conclusive.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (27 minutes later)

Thank you very much

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
you are welcome

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for writing to us.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (19 hours later)

My arm has like a red mark and looks bruised with a very hard lump that is painful only palpable when press on skin. Do you still think it is nothing sinister. Thank you x

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Does'nt seem a serious condition.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Does'nt seem a serious problem to me. Please don't worry and I will stick to my earlier advice.
I also wish that you visit a doctor in person for a clinical confirmatory diagnosis. Let me know what your doctor says.

Regards
Take care.

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj