Are these Lumps Caused by Alcohol?

Q.I have just discovered my 30 year old daughter is an alcoholic I have the obvious worries, but one of my concerns is that she has a number of under arm lumps which she told me are very painful. She refuses to seek medical help. Could they be related to her drinking?

A.

Dealing with a relative who has alcohol problems, particularly a close one such as your daughter, is always going to be hard. And coping with an additional worry such as lumps under the arms won’t help either. Refusing to seek medical help is sadly a common factor for those with alcohol abuse problems and your daughter is probably worried that should she visit the doctor she will expose herself to scrutiny over her drinking. This is possibly why you are being met with refusal.

Alcoholism or alcohol abuse-related conditions do not necessarily cause lumps under the arms, although alcoholics often have a poor record when it comes to taking care of themselves and simple personal hygiene issues could be a factor here. Poor liver function can also have many symptoms so it’s possible that her alcoholism may indirectly have caused these lumps. But lumps under the arms can be caused by many things, from simple factors such as small sebaceous cysts to much more serious causes such as lymphatic cancer.

Whatever the condition it’s very important that your daughter is seen by a medic, as without proper diagnosis it is impossible to identify the cause correctly. If your daughter is nervous about seeing a doctor, perhaps make it clear to her that you are happy to go with her, and also that she need not address any of the other problems until she is ready. It’s far better to tackle this problem in isolation than not at all, and if she feels reassured that her alcoholism may not necessarily be explored at the same time, she may feel more able to book that appointment.

Sadly, without her cooperation there is little you can do to make her go to the doctors and gentle persuasion and support rather than all-out tactics or confrontation will help. She could well be very frightened and unable to face the possibility of it being something serious, plus also terrified that seeing a medical expert will expose her alcohol abuse or even further complications. It’s her body though and her life, and although it’s very difficult for you to have to stand by and watch, you can only be there to try and guide and support her. Good luck

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