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Constochondritis? pain in nipple/lump below collar bone

Julied1000
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Hi. I have just joined today because I am incredibly anxious about my symptoms. I am very worried about breast cancer. I developed pain about 5 days ago - worse if I lean forward and it alternates between burning and is sensitive to touch.  
 

yesterday I found a large lump under the collarbone. It seems quite hard. It's the same side as the pain. Having pressed it a lot it is throbbing and now into my neck as well. 
 

I saw the GP today who said to give it a week. It might be constochronditis.  She thought it might be inflammation. Said to take ibuprofen and see if the swelling goes down. Go back in a week if no better and they will refer me.  
 

It's on the right and I don't have chest pain (like Dr Google refers to) but localised pain from all the prodding now worse as going into my neck as well as the nipple pain. My anxiety is off the scale!

 

Does this sound reasonable advice?  I think the lump must have been there a while but I didn't notice until the nipple pain.  I can't find any other lumps.  
 

I am stressed and keep bursting into tears so not sure how I will wait a week. Does anyone have tips for managing constochondritis-if that's what it is? Has anyone else been through this process?
 

Any help, advice, soothing words, honesty would be appreciated.   Thank you. 

 


 

 

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    Thanks Jess.  I think that's great advice but the damage is done. I have now talked myself into all sorts of things.  Google is great but as you say is not the best for situations like this.  I appreciate you taking time out to reply.   It's hard to forget about it when you can feel it all the time. 

     

    I hope that whatever situation fell upon you is now okay and that the things you googled were not applicable.  Or that you are on the road to recovery. 

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    Hi Julied,

    yes it IS a bit like torture feeling sineyhibg isn't right and fearing the worst. I think most of us have been there. 
     

    Just wanted to say I do occasionally suffer with costochondritus. Had it about 3x over a 10 year period. It's very painful and burns as you describe. It also hurts more when I lean forward. 

    Quite separately I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. With that I felt no pain at all. It was quite different from the costochondritus. 
     

    I am not sure if this helps but hoping it will. Hold on. The prodding really doesn't help!! You end up with a slight tender bruise??!! 
     

    Go well and good luck!

    Kebbs x 

     

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    Hi

    I'm sorry you are feeling so anxious but please have trust in your doctor if they were concerned they would have done an immediate referral for you.

     

    I've also suffered from costochronditis and it really is a painful condition. Initially my chest felt tender / bruised but then it felt like the bones in my chest were being crushed and felt like I needed a good stretch out. For me this lasted for around 5 months of almost constant discomfort. Regular paracetamol and ibrufen helped to ease the symptoms.

    Try and ease up on the touching / prodding to give chance for the bruising to heal then hopefully when you see your gp the lump would have gone. 

    Best of luck x

     

  • Offline in reply to kebb

    Thank you Kebbs. That is helpful.  I know I need to stop panicking - I have a tendency to catastrophise everything anyway.

     

    I am sorry you were diagnosed with breast cancer and I hope that you are now recovering. X

  • Offline in reply to HA1

    Hi HA1 - thank you for responding.  5 months sounds awful. The tips to manage are good to know. I am taking ibuprofen and trying to resist the urge to prod.  The pain in that area and my neck seems to stem from all the prodding tbh so if I can master that-then hopefully it will settle.  I hope!
     

    Could I ask, did you get referred pain? I am not sure at all about whether the two issues I have are linked? And the other pain/burning hasn't gone even if the chest bruising has improved with tablets. 
     

    Thanks again
     

     

  • Offline in reply to Julied1000

    Hi Julied1000

     

    My pain started in the centre of my breast bone then radiated across to the whole right area of my chest. It really was painful initially then more tender than pain, with spikes of pain at times. All through this I could tell it was a 'bony pain' rather than in my muscle or anywhere else if that makes sense. I also found that mine was worse when I was stressed or tense as I think i held my body more rigid which aggravated the condition. 

    I'm terrible for googling and thinking the worse, but I did come across an American chat site for costroconditos and there was a wide range of symptoms on there and that made me realise that my symptoms matched some of theres. 

    Its hard not to jump to conclusions and it will be a long week for you but please try relax and hopefully it will ease up by the time you go back to your GP. 

    Xx

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