Sharp pain under right breast is a condition which people feel sometimes but lack the probable causes of it. In some conditions the pain gets too intense that you might feel something serious is going on inside the body. in majority of the cases however the pain under right breast is caused by some temporary conditions like bloating and the treatment of such temporary cause is easy as well.
The pain under right breast is something which you should never ignore; try to find out the causes as it can be a marker of some underlying health conditions which need immediate medical supervision. The sharp pain under right breast if continues for a long indicates some serious kind of health concerns.
Some of our important body organs are located in close proximity to the breast and hence any pain under the right breast can indicate some sort of problem in the underlying organs. In this article we will study the main causes of pain under right breast and what should be done accordingly.
Contents
Causes of pain under right breast:
There are several causes which can result in sharp pain under right breast. It is always important to consult doctor if you are experiencing the pain for few consecutive days.
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Injured Ribs:
The extremely delicate organs of the body are located under the ribs; the main function of ribs is therefore to protect the internal delicate organs. Sternum (breast bone), costal cartilages as well as thoracic vertebrae combine to form ribs. Ribs are generally very strong unless some external physical assault breaks them. Once there is some disturbance in the ribs or associated muscles, one can feel sharp pain under right breast. If the pain persists for few days it is advised to consult health care provider for further diagnosis. Sharp pain under right breast that comes and goes can be due to damaged ribs.
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Stones in gall bladder:
The modern day dietary habits have brought several health concerns to us. One of the serious health concerns is the formation of stones in the gall bladder. Improper diet triggers the formation of gallbladder stones. In initial conditions these stones can be treated with the help of medication while in some extreme cases the surgical invasion is needed and gall bladder is removed totally. When stones are found in gall bladder, one can experience sharp pain under right breast. Sharp pain under right breast while breathing is caused generally by stones in gall bladder.
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Inflammation of cartilages (costochrondities):
The strains to breast bone (sternum) can cause the inflammation of cartilages which are located near the sternum and ribs. The inflammation can also occur due to persistent flu or cough. Under these entire conditions one can suffer from constant dull pain under right breast.
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Kidney stones:
Stones are not only formed in gall bladder, the stones in kidneys which are medically known as renal calculi can often result in acute pain under the breast. These stones are made up of excessive minerals like calcium and some salts. Under normal conditions some tiny stones are formed in the body occasionally but since they are too small they can easily be passed out of the body along with urine. The stones which gather more mass cause problems and medical supervision is needed to treat them. Change in the color and composition of urine along with fever along with acute pain are some of the symptoms of renal stones. These stones at initial stages can be treated by simple medication while if the condition goes unchecked, the stones get massive and surgery is needed for their removal.
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Pancreatitis:
A small leaf like organ in the body for the regulation of blood sugar level in the body is known as pancreas, besides it also produces some digestive juices for the digestion of food. Pancreas is located just under the stomach. Any inflammation of this organ is known as pancreatitis and can cause sharp pain under right breast bone.
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Hiatal Hernia:
Any protrusion of stomach or any of its part particularly the esophagus if it gets larger as compared to its normal size, the condition is known as hiatal hernia. As this takes place near the breast hence the sharp stabbing pain is felt under the right breast. Along with pain some other symptoms which are felt are heart burn, breathlessness etc. bloating after meals is also sometimes associated with this condition.
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Stress in the intercoastal muscles:
Strain in the intercoastal or rib muscles can often result in pain under the breast. Exercise without adequate rest to the muscles or any physical assault can cause stress in the muscles across ribs and hence the pain is felt in the neighboring areas. Pain under right breast when coughing, is generally caused due to strain in the rib muscles.
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Blockage of food in esophagus:
The esophagus is also known as food pipe which transports the bolus to the stomach for further digestion. Sometimes due to faster eating the food is not chewed properly. This results in the blockage of food in esophagus. When this happens pain is likely to be felt under the breast. You also need immediate medical attention to get rid of the blocked food.
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Hepatitis or inflammation of liver:
Inflammation of liver can also result in sharp pain under right breast though it is located at some distance from the breast. There are several factors which can cause liver inflammation, these include alcohol intake, exposure to certain chemicals and toxins etc. dirty and contaminated food can also cause liver inflammation or hepatitis. If you feel pulled muscle under right breast, this might generally be due to liver inflammation.
The diagnosis of the pain under right breast:
The pain under right breast is caused by certain conditions as discussed above. Immediate medical supervision is needed. The doctor might advise following test:
- X-ray
- MRI
- Ultrasound
- CT scan
Your doctor will keep a record of the symptoms before advising the test keeping in mind your medical history. It is important for you to consult doctor in time and not to avoid such pains as they are usually indicator of some underlying serious health concerns.
Conclusion:
Pain under right breast is caused by several factors and one has to seek immediate medical supervision in case of experiencing such sort of pain. These pains generally indicate something is going wrong inside a body. Health care provider will suggest some diagnostic tests and will provide the treatment accordingly.
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