Diagnosis | Stabbing in the right breast – what can that be?

Diagnosis

In the context of a diagnosis, special importance is initially attached to the medical consultation. Here, the physician hopes to obtain specific indications based on information about the time, duration, trigger and possible activities to clarify the stabbing pain in the right breast. Due to the broad spectrum of potential causes, a detailed clinical examination should follow.

In this context, listening (auscultation) of the heart and lungs as well as palpation of the organ systems of the abdominal cavity are very important. Of course, other diagnostic procedures such as x-rays or CT are also used. In principle, all means of diagnosis are possible (e.g. also a biopsy if tumors in the thorax are suspected).

Associated symptoms

Depending on the cause of the stabbing pain, different accompanying symptoms can be found. Musculo-skeletal problems often involve movement-dependent, easily localized pain. In the case of vertebral body pathologies with impairment of the associated spinal nerves, a loss of movement and sensory impressions in the affected segment can occur.

In principle, accompanying symptoms such as the occurrence of panic attacks, anxiety, cold sweat, tachycardia, etc. are possible. The pain in the right chest can also make breathing more difficult.

Therapy

The treatment of stabbing pain in the right breast can be divided into a causal treatment of the underlying disease and a symptomatic therapy with relief of the accompanying symptoms. In acute cases of panic attacks or tachycardia caused by pain or anxiety, the patient can be given a sedative or anxiety-relieving drug (e.g. lorazepam or diazepam). The stabbing pain can also be treated with opioids (e.g.

morphine) or initially with non-opioid analgesics (e.g. ibuprofen or diclofenac). Causal treatments – if available – can be considered for all triggering diseases. The spectrum ranges from the therapy of a myocardial infarction to surgical interventions, e.g. for vertebral body fractures.

Duration and prognosis

Due to the wide range of possible causes, the stinging in the right breast can be both temporary and chronic and persistent. The stabbing in the right breast can be a manifestation of many diseases and therefore a general prognosis is not possible. This depends on the disease or cause and the extent of the disease.