Pain under the nipple | Pain under the chest

Pain under the nipple

Pain in the area of the breast can cause discomfort not only under the breast but also directly under the nipple. The reasons for this are manifold. Especially women experience pain under the nipple.

The most common reason for this are processes during the female cycle. The hormones released during this process often cause a feeling of tension under the nipple, which some describe as pain. Therefore, women who suffer from similar complaints should pay attention to whether the pain is cycle-dependent.

Similar processes cause pain under the nipple during pregnancy. The remodelling processes involve the growth of fat and mammary glands. There are also other causes for pain at the nipple or under the nipple.

In some cases these are caused by inflammation of the mammary gland. This happens especially in breastfeeding women. This is accompanied by a reddening of the breast.

In rare cases, a malignant disease is responsible for the pain under the nipple. This is a special form of breast cancer, the inflammatory breast cancer. This is also accompanied by redness and skin changes. This disease is rare. However, if the symptoms persist for a long time, it is recommended to see a doctor to find out the exact cause.

Therapy

The treatment of pain under the breast depends of course on the cause. In most cases there is a harmless cause behind the complaints. Pinched nerves or joint blockages are treated by physiotherapy and light painkillers.

Muscular pain under the breast can also be relieved by moderate exercise and rest. The therapy also includes massages and heat applications. Pneumonia must be treated with antibiotics.

This can be done at home or in hospital, depending on the extent of the symptoms and the condition of the patient. Rapid treatment is important if the heart or a blocked pulmonary vessel is the cause of the pain under the chest. In both cases the therapy consists of reopening the vessel.

A heart attack is usually treated in a heart catheter laboratory. Here the blood clot is removed directly with a catheter. Alternatively, and in the case of a pulmonary embolism, a drug is used to dissolve the clot.

Bruises of the ribs or sternum are treated conservatively with painkillers. Even rib fractures rarely require surgery. A collapsed lung (pneumothorax), which causes pain under the chest, must be treated by a suction drainage in the chest.