Printable View
Hello ladies,
I have one spot on my right breast that hurts when pressed. I noticed it more when I was turning over in bed the other day. I felt around for lumps and can’t feel anything obvious. My husband also felt it and can’t feel anything. I’m not googling this time. Has anyone ever had this? Should I go to the docs? And the area that hurts is below the nipple. Right at the bottom.
I’m a 31 year old female btw.
I've had some breast concerns lately and honestly the only the thing that put my fears to rest was seeing my doctor. I imagine you have possibly hurt yourself and maybe forgotten or it could just be hormonal. It doesn't sound sinister but I'm no expert. A quick visit to your doctor will set your fears aside I'm sure.
I personally wouldn't go to the doctor at this point, I think most women have had times in their lives when an odd pain appears in one breast or the other. Firstly you can find nothing that is concerning from your manual examination (presuming you did the correct manual examination; i.e. lying down not using fingers tips etc etc). Breast tissue is like any other tissue, it can get bruised internally, have nerves that play up, get hurt from bangs or ill-fitting bras or lying on your breast in an awkward way, or react to hormonal changes. Pain when pressed, as a symptom on its own, is highly hugely exceedingly unlikely to be anything concerning. If I was you, I would monitor for a few weeks or months. BY 'monitor' I don't mean press it every few hours and prod around lol, I mean leave it well alone and maybe have a look each week at the breast shape in general and the specific area. Pressing and prodding by itself can cause inflammation and bruising. Even IF there is something that is causing the pain internally, then benign causes are the most likely reason anyway, especially for a 31 year old!. If you notice changes over the next few weeks and months, then of course go visit the GP.
Hi!
Thank you for replying guys! I noticed that my right breast (the one that’s a bit tender) has a darker Areola than the left. I don’t know if it was always like this to be honest, I have naturally brown nipple. The left one seems to be a bit lighter. Is this worth checking out? All I can find on google is that it can be Pagets or Inflammatory breast cancer :( Kind of really scared
It was probably always like that, and Google isn't your friend.
Thanks BlueIris. I hope so!
Ladies I know no one can help me online but I’m really panicking. I read that localized one sided pain is more often a sign of cancer than diffuse pain in one breast. I am only 31 :( But according to stats there is a 1 in 228 risk of getting B.C. at this age. I’m just worried because the pain is ONLY there when I press that area or sleep on that side. Otherwise it’s not there.
I’m trying to get a doc appointment but my doc is not in til Monday. I can’t make appointments in advance because then it’s all I think about and it gives me anxiety. So I’m planning on calling Monday to get an appointment for that day. But I am such a wreck. I was looking for reassurance on google because I couldn’t find posts like mine on NMP. But instead of reassurance I found scary information (obviously)
You absolutely WILL NOT find reassurance on google, you will find cancer cancer cancer. Simple as that. I really don't know why you thought you would find reassurance?
You are not reading stats correctly at all. This is obviously what you read....
You are reading something called the 'absolute' risk for the next 10 years!Quote:
Is breast cancer common in 30 year olds?
This means that 1 in 1,732 women in this age group can expect to develop breast cancer. Put another way, your odds of developing breast cancer if you are in this age range are 1 in 1,732. If your current age is 30, the probability of developing invasive breast cancer in the next 10 years is .44%, or 1 in 228.
Breast cancer under the age of 40 is not that common, infact I've just checked our UK cancer research stats and in your age range of 30-34 years old there are 30 cases per 100,000 people anually. This then rises to the peak ages of diagnosis which are 65+ and is obviously much higher. I've checked US stats and it is about the same 25-30 cases per 100,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer per year at your age. I think you will agree that is VASTLY different to what you think it is.Quote:
Absolute risk is used to describe an individual’s likelihood of developing breast cancer. It is based on the number of people who will develop breast cancer within a certain time period.
Now, if you were to look up benign diagnoses in your age range for breast issues, those would be the largest factor. Of course 'some' people get it, but you are describing no other symptoms than a pain you can feel if you press. See your doctor if you feel it is the right thing to do, but its not an emergency :winks:
I will also repeat my post from the start of this thread....
That was only 2 days ago.....and you've not monitored and given it a bit of time to see what happens/changes.....instead of that you have freaked yourself out, probably bothered it constantly and are now panicking.Quote:
I personally wouldn't go to the doctor at this point, I think most women have had times in their lives when an odd pain appears in one breast or the other. Firstly you can find nothing that is concerning from your manual examination (presuming you did the correct manual examination; i.e. lying down not using fingers tips etc etc). Breast tissue is like any other tissue, it can get bruised internally, have nerves that play up, get hurt from bangs or ill-fitting bras or lying on your breast in an awkward way, or react to hormonal changes. Pain when pressed, as a symptom on its own, is highly hugely exceedingly unlikely to be anything concerning. If I was you, I would monitor for a few weeks or months. BY 'monitor' I don't mean press it every few hours and prod around lol, I mean leave it well alone and maybe have a look each week at the breast shape in general and the specific area. Pressing and prodding by itself can cause inflammation and bruising. Even IF there is something that is causing the pain internally, then benign causes are the most likely reason anyway, especially for a 31 year old!. If you notice changes over the next few weeks and months, then of course go visit the GP.
Thank you Carys. I didn’t know those statistics. I feel better knowing the incidence of it is lower than I thought. I have checked for lumps and things roughly. I haven’t laid myself down and done a proper exam because if I do feel something I will lose it. But I have checked while standing and while laying down and I don’t feel anything out of the ordinary. My husband also checked and couldn’t find anything. Maybe I should do a proper self-exam to really judge the seriousness of the situation.
How to do a breast self-exam: The five steps
Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.
Here's what you should look for:
- Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
- Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling
If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:
- Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
- A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
- Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling
https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923434
Breast Self-Exam — Step 1
Larger VersionStep 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.
Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923448
Breast Self-Exam — Steps 2 and 3
Larger VersionStep 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.
Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.
Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923462
Breast Self-Exam — Step 4
Larger VersionStep 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in step 4. https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923475
Breast Self-Exam — Step 5
Larger Version
Katniss, out of all those women who find a lump,and are referred to a breast clinic, in almost 85 percent of cases they are for benign reasons - hormonal changes, injury, fibroids, cysts. The idea behind doing a monthly full self-examination is so that you are aware of what 'normal' is for you. Then the next month you compare to the prior month to see if anything feels different.
Thanks Carys. I did it on the painful area and honestly was shaking because of how scared I was. There isn’t anything out of the ordinary there. It does feel like a bruise of some sort. Maybe one of the kids did it without me knowing. Just while typing this my 3 year old nudged my left breast 4 times!
Have you bumped yourself at all recently. Doesn't have to be a bad knock either. I've tripped up and been in pain for weeks. Turning over in bed was a feat in itself. Underwired bras are a menace as well, they dig in and cause bruises. if you do end up with a doctors visit remember before then you must stop googling. People go searching for headaches and come away with a brain tumour. That's how it works.
the minute you feel the urge, get up and distract yourself. I'm sure you will be fine xx
Hey everyone,
So I wanted to update and also vent :( I booked an appointment for tomorrow afternoon with my doc. The pain is still there. It is absolutely searing and hot when pressed in a specific area. The area I speak of is the lower quadrant of the right breast. I also feel like my right upper back and armpit are sore. I’m really really scared. I know statistics and odds are with me but that minute chance of it being something serious are really freaking me out.
I feel nauseous and hot because I’m so scared. Going to the docs and getting tests and waiting for results is one of my worst fears and I can’t function when going through these things. I need to get a grip but right now all I can think of is my babies. My two sweet little children. I just want “their” mom to be okay: healthwise and mentally.
Could it be costochondritis? IE inflammation of the cartilage (?) between the ribs. I had a similar pain earlier in the year which has just returned. Had a mammogram at the time and it was fine. To be honest - I only got the mammogram because they brought my yearly one forward to save me going back. They were very unconcerned and the very experienced breast cancer nurse said to me breast pain is nearly always due to costochondritis, with the pain radiating into the breast. Another time I had it I think the dog had jumped up at me. I know it's scary - especially as google tells you the worst case scenario - but I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine. Not long to wait until your appointment anyway....
Plus - it's amazing what you notice when you hyperfocus on something. I noticed a brown mark on the breast that hurt, almost like a birth mark. Was sure it hadn't been there before - but probably had! Once you go looking for something, it's amazing what you can find!
Thank you for the reassurance! I hope it’s benign. Appointment is in an hour. I’m so worried :( Will update
Update:
I ended up having a doctors appointment. The doc couldn’t find too much different between my two breasts. She said the right one where I feel the pain has two small nodules but she wasn’t sure if they were cysts or normal anatomy. She gave me an u/s requisition.
I was able to find a place that could get me in right away. The technician told me in her exact words “there’s nothing there. I don’t see any lumps.” I am relieved but since I have OCD I’m worried she may have missed it or misinterpreted. Still waiting the radiologists report
That's brilliant news and what a relief for you. The HA/OCD will no doubt try and make you doubt what you've been told. I was the same after my mammogram that came back ok.....thought the radiologist was very young so maybe not experienced etc etc....It's just the HA.
Thank you Nicole. I’m still waiting for the final report. However, can’t help but wonder what exactly is causing the pain? Will see what the doc says. It would have been easier if they said it’s just a cyst and let it go but the fact that it’s not a cyst or a benign Fibroadenoma is freaking me out. What could it be? I hope they don’t send me for more testing
I would much rather that the doc say it’s normal and you go live your life. I would hate to go through more tests because they don’t know what it is.
Update: got the radiologists report - normal examination. So strange as to what’s causing the pain then? Should I just leave it or ask for more examinations? A part of me just wants to leave it and enjoy life
It could be muscular, could be nerves pinched? I'm still getting breast pain that started earlier in the year. Comes and goes. I'm confident your pain is harmless and that if you can forget about it, it will go away.
I’ve had constant odd pains on both breasts for ages. The more you focus the worse they become. Had loads of changes in my boobs since I hit my thirties. X
Thank you for the reassurance. I have just felt very anxious about this one because it’s not a constant pain. It’s actually not there ever UNTIL that area is pressed. Then the pain comes and it is sharp and searing hot. It radiates throughout my right breast for 30 seconds and then disappears. I just can’t imagine this pain not having a reason. How can it just come out of nowhere? But I will accept the ultrasound results for now and try to be at ease
I think it’s really hard to accept you have pain with no explanation. Normally pain equals a problem so the brain struggles with this one. I have in my times of googling seen that women have had pain in areas they pressed when they had cancer but their tumours always showed up on their ultrasounds right away. So if it was something like cancer they would of seen it right away.Quote:
Originally Posted by katniss
I hope in time it passes but it’s very frustrating not having an explanation for it.
Ive currently got my left nipple twitching/tingling. I just find I seem to constantly have odd pains and problems with my breasts now I’m in my thirties. Nobody tells you about all this. X
Sorry to revive my own thread but I didn’t want to make a whole new thread.
Why is it that it seems like breast cancer is super common in 30 year olds? Statistically it’s not. It’s still more common with older women. However, when you read stories online they’re all 30 year olds! And they all had doctors who brushed them off or clean ultrasounds only to be told they had breast cancer after? These stories literally raise goosebumps on my arms. I’m wondering if I’m doing myself injustice by not probing this further. My ultrasound was clean however, the pain is still there. Again, it’s only there when I press on it at a certain angle, not there otherwise.
The simple answer? 30-year olds are more photogenic, and more likely to have equally photogenic offspring.
Papers like to print stories that will shock their readers normally?
Im currently having exactly the same thing but on left breast. If I push on a certain area (to the right on my nipple) I’m getting horrible pain. Not getting the same anywhere else.
I keep trying to say to myself breast pain is rarely ever cancerous. Health anxiety is so horrible!
If there was something there it would of shown up on your scan x
Hey everyone,
I didn’t want to make a new thread but something new has popped up. Before getting my period two weeks ago I started getting some breast pain in a specific area of my breast. It wasn’t like regular pms pain. Anyway I ignored it and it went away when my period came. A few days ago I noticed that it came back. I pressed around the area and found a tiny soft lump that is mobile. However the lump is quite tender and that is where the pain is coming from. Now Im So worried! The lump is quite small.
I feel like running to the docs but since it’s an actual lump I’m so afraid of bad news or testing. Testing means more waiting. I can’t deal with that. Do you think it’s ok to leave it alone til my next menstrual period and see if it goes away? Or would that be very stupid of me?
Same side/area or different to the one that was checked in July/August at the start of this thread ? A painful, tiny, soft mobile thing, with pain that went away around your period .....but subsequently came back. Firstly, how could this be anything sinister ? The pain went away and came back. I suspect strongly, that you've been checking it so much that you've inflammed a normal duct or lymph node. Yes, of course its ok to leave it ENTIRELY alone until your next period :o ANyway, you've said that you don't want to go to the doctor anyway because you don't want tests and checks.
Yes, same one that was ultrasounded in August. However that pain was definitely my ribs because I still have it and now it’s obvious that it is my ribs and not breasts. I can life the breasts over that pain if it makes sense.. so you think I can leave this lump alone?
Well, my question is - is it new and different from your normal ?
If you are doing checks no more than a once a month it should be obvious if something has just sprung up and wasn't there before - by the way that doesn't mean sinister if something has sprung up ! At your age the chances would be massively on your side that it was one of a number of benign things, the fact that the pain has come and gone would indicate that there is no reason to panic at all. The description you gave of a 'painful tiny soft mobile thing' doesn't ring alarm bells either really does it - as soft and mobile aren't the usual characteristics of anything sinister. How tiny is tiny ?
You already have anxiety about breasts, so it is possible you are being hyper aware of a normal part of your anatomy ? The ultrasound in August (whole breast ?) showed nothing untoward, its only a matter of weeks later....so anything concerning would have been seen in August. If it were me I would monitor it over a few months, unless it becomes larger and much more painful or other issues appear - in which case then go get checked.
How did this turn out? I am having the same problem- sharp pain when pressed, along with swelling in my underarm. Being sent for an ultrasound in a couple days and very anxious. The waiting is the worst.
Nothing really. I don’t check anymore. It’s still there if I press in a certain angle but I think it’s my rib? I don’t know lol. I still worry from time to time. I hope your ultrasound goes well. Keep us updated :)