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Pain Under Breast Radiating To Back. Blood And Cardiac Test Clear. US Showed Fatty Liver And Fibroids. Advise?
Question: My mother (mid 50s) has severe pain under her right breast radiating to back. The pain goes with time and comes back severly. All blood tests and cardiac tests were clear. She has also undergone an ultrasound and endoscopy. The ultrasound showed mild fatty liver and fibroids in the uterus while the endoscopy was clear. Please advice on what can be the cause of such pain.
Brief Answer:
CT scan of the abdomen for stones and Pancreatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Does the pain reduce with simple pain killers like Ibuprofen? If yes it could be muscular pain. It subsides spontaneously after few days.
Is there some rash or pain over the breast? If yes we need to look at the infectious causes like shingles.
Was an Xray of the chest done? What is her blood pressure? Does she have any significant medical history like Diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol /triglycerides?
At this stage where the commonest things are ruled out we should check for common things that can cause such pain like Pancreatitis. I would order for CT scan of the chest and abdomen.
Let me know if my views are clear.
CT scan of the abdomen for stones and Pancreatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Does the pain reduce with simple pain killers like Ibuprofen? If yes it could be muscular pain. It subsides spontaneously after few days.
Is there some rash or pain over the breast? If yes we need to look at the infectious causes like shingles.
Was an Xray of the chest done? What is her blood pressure? Does she have any significant medical history like Diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol /triglycerides?
At this stage where the commonest things are ruled out we should check for common things that can cause such pain like Pancreatitis. I would order for CT scan of the chest and abdomen.
Let me know if my views are clear.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Hi. Thanks for ypur reply... The first time the pain occurred was about 8 months back, was diagnosed as pleurisy and was treated.. She was asymptomatic since then, However the pain recurred 15 days back and another sequence of tests began...
Can this be pleurisy again or can it be some illness related to her breasts maybe.
She is very concerned, restless and stressed because her sister expired a few days back who was suffering from Cancer...
Can this be pleurisy again or can it be some illness related to her breasts maybe.
She is very concerned, restless and stressed because her sister expired a few days back who was suffering from Cancer...
Brief Answer:
pleurisy can recur
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I could think of pleurisy as well hence was asking about Chest Xray. There is thin liquid film in between the layers covering the lung, they are called pleura. When the thin film disappears because of various reasons such pain can be experienced.
If she is stressed out and if she observes rash and redness on the skin over the breasts shingles can be thought of.
You had not mentioned what was her sister's cancer? She may most often require some counseling as there is obvious bereavement. she may relate this pain to the cancer as well. If she is seeing me in my clinic I would counsel here well after ruling out pleurisy and shingles. I suggest you to do the same with a local doctor and counselor.
Hope this gives you some direction.
pleurisy can recur
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I could think of pleurisy as well hence was asking about Chest Xray. There is thin liquid film in between the layers covering the lung, they are called pleura. When the thin film disappears because of various reasons such pain can be experienced.
If she is stressed out and if she observes rash and redness on the skin over the breasts shingles can be thought of.
You had not mentioned what was her sister's cancer? She may most often require some counseling as there is obvious bereavement. she may relate this pain to the cancer as well. If she is seeing me in my clinic I would counsel here well after ruling out pleurisy and shingles. I suggest you to do the same with a local doctor and counselor.
Hope this gives you some direction.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Hi..
Thanks for your reply. My mother's doctor ordered all the tests and reports came out clear.
Only thing that the Calcium levels are low and there is high cholestrol level. He is of the opinion that there is fat deposition on organs.
But what is the reason for the pain which varies in severity significantly. Some days it is non existent while some days it pains like hell.
Please advise.
Thanks for your reply. My mother's doctor ordered all the tests and reports came out clear.
Only thing that the Calcium levels are low and there is high cholestrol level. He is of the opinion that there is fat deposition on organs.
But what is the reason for the pain which varies in severity significantly. Some days it is non existent while some days it pains like hell.
Please advise.
Brief Answer:
Costochondritic pain recurs and sometimes severe
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You can check with the doctor if Costochondritis fits the reason why your mother is having recurrent and sometimes severe pain under the right breast and referring to the back.
Fatty liver can mildly enlarge but not so for the capsule around the liver to stretch and cause pain. Your mother has to follow up with the doctor for this fatty liver, termed as XXXXXXX (Non alcoholic steato hepatitis). She can take necessary diet and medicines for this so that the progression can be arrested in the early stages.
I still insist the need for better investigations like CT / MRI to check the reason for the pain and its origin.
Costochondritic pain recurs and sometimes severe
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You can check with the doctor if Costochondritis fits the reason why your mother is having recurrent and sometimes severe pain under the right breast and referring to the back.
Fatty liver can mildly enlarge but not so for the capsule around the liver to stretch and cause pain. Your mother has to follow up with the doctor for this fatty liver, termed as XXXXXXX (Non alcoholic steato hepatitis). She can take necessary diet and medicines for this so that the progression can be arrested in the early stages.
I still insist the need for better investigations like CT / MRI to check the reason for the pain and its origin.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
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