Stabbing in the right breast – what can that be?

Definition

If a stabbing sensation occurs more on the right side, there can be several reasons for this. Often a problem originating from the heart is the cause of the complaints. This is more likely to be on the left side than on the right side, but the pain can radiate via various nerve connections into superficial regions that are not directly involved in the disease process and are also located somewhat further away. However, there may also be musculo-skeletal problems such as adhesions between muscles and bones or pulmonological causes caused by the lungs.

Causes

In the case of a stitch, the cause of the symptoms must first be divided into two main pillars. It is important to differentiate between potentially life-threatening causes and more harmless and usually easily treatable causes. Among the life-threatening causes, diseases that originate from the heart are to be mentioned with priority.

In the following you will find possible causes from this category: Less frequent causes, which can however be life-threatening, are these:

  • A stable angina pectoris symptomatology in which there is a temporary circulatory disturbance of the heart muscle tissue, often occurring during exercise. In angina pectoris, there is typically also a feeling of pressure in the front chest area and shortness of breath (dyspnoea).
  • An acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) manifests itself in many cases by radiating into other regions. These are usually with decreasing frequency in the front chest area, the left armpit, the left arm or in the area of the neck, lower jaw and upper abdomen.

    All symptoms of angina pectoris can also occur in a myocardial infarction, as both clinical pictures often have the same cause (especially coronary heart disease).

  • Life threatening cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation
  • High blood pressure with blood pressure peaks reaching values of about 230 mmHg can cause a prick in the right as well as the left breast.
  • Pulmonary embolism is an acute occlusion of an arterial vessel in the pulmonary tract. In addition to sudden onset of respiratory distress (dyspnoea), tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), drop in blood pressure and generally reduced general condition, stabbing pain in the right chest can occur. Pulmonary embolism can manifest itself with conditions ranging from asymptomatic to highly symptomatic.

    Due to frequently unspecific symptoms, false diagnoses are currently very common and often an unexpected finding in autopsy.

  • A pneumothorax (air accumulation in the thorax) is also possible. The lung is surrounded by the pleura, which is important for the respiratory function. In a pneumothorax, air enters the gap between the two halves of the lung pleura, which carries the risk of a lung collapse with potentially acute shortness of breath (dyspnoea) and stabbing in the right chest.
  • Inflammation of the pleura (pulmonary pleura), mediastinum (mediastinum) or pericardium (pericardium).
  • A mitral valve prolapse, in which there is a protrusion of the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle, may also be the cause.
  • Tumors in the lung or skeletal metastases in the ribs can cause the described stabbing in the right breast.
  • Aortic dissection, i.e. bleeding between two wall layers of the aorta, can also be responsible for the symptoms.

The second main pillar of the causes of stinging in the right breast is also made up of several different diseases, which together, however, have a much more favorable prognosis.

  • Heartburn due to reflux of gastric acid secretion into the esophagus
  • In a diaphragmatic hernia, parts of the stomach and esophagus can enter the thorax through the diaphragm and cause a stabbing in the right breast.
  • The term musculo-skeletal causes covers both muscular (e.g. muscle ache, tension, torn muscle fibers, etc.) and skeletal (e.g. block vertebrae with radiation, fractures of vertebrae and ribs, etc.) pathologies.
  • Shingles (possible late complications with virus herpes zoster) can also be a potential cause.
  • This can also be observed in problems with the gallbladder or pancreas, as nerve tracts from the right upper half of the body to some abdominal organs.
  • Rare syndromes such as Römhild syndrome can cause increased air accumulation in the abdomen and compression pain in the right chest.
  • The Tietze syndrome is also rare and is characterized by a pressure painful swelling in the area of the rib-chest bone transition typically at the level of the 2nd or 3rd rib.
  • Also, all diseases of the liver are associated with stabbing pain in the right breast, especially in the case of an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly).

    The reason for this is the close proximity of both regions to each other. The liver tissue is actually not pain-sensitive. If, however, pathologies of the liver lead to an enlargement of the organ, the pain-sensitive organ capsule can be stretched and cause pain under the right thorax.

  • Psychogenic causes are often behind the appearance of chest pain.

    They should not be neglected but treated adequately. Often the complaints can be alleviated or completely resolved. Sometimes even special breathing techniques can help.