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Pain under the right breast
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

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Pain under the right breast is a rather unpleasant problem that can be associated not only with certain discomfort and temporary deterioration in health, but also with serious illnesses and even death.
To get at least a first idea of what such pain can be directly related to, you need to remember your school anatomy lessons and answer the question of what human organs are located in this place. So, under the right breast are such important human organs as the liver, gallbladder, intestines (of course, not all of them, but only part of them), as well as part of the diaphragm.
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Causes of pain under the right breast
So, let's move on to a more detailed identification of possible causes of pain under the right breast:
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract (namely gastroesophageal reflux disease or stomach ulcer, liver diseases, for example, various types of hepatitis, pancreatitis and others);
- Diseases of the respiratory system (the cause of the pain in question may be tuberculosis, lung tumor, pneumonia, pleurisy, inflammation of the trachea and bronchi);
- Heart problems (most often, heart problems such as aortic aneurysm, angina, myocardial infarction and other diseases are expressed by painful sensations in the left chest - in the area of the heart, but there is also pain in the sternum as a whole or in the right part of the chest);
- Diseases of the circulatory system (pain in the right chest is typical for acute leukemia);
- Injuries to the spine, chest or other organs in this area (everything is quite simple here - pain can be caused by both a minor bruise and fractures and even vertebral displacements);
- Psychogenic causes (for example, hysterical syndromes).
Pain on the right side under the breast
So, the first thoughts that should come to your mind when you experience severe pain under your right breast are the possibility of injury/damage or some disease of these organs, and the existing pain and discomfort are one of the possible symptoms. You must agree that this is quite spatial information and cannot provide certainty. If we talk about the most common painful sensations, then the severity and intensity of pain and discomfort can provide quite a lot of information, but if we are talking about pain under the right breast, then even its nature is not a guarantee of a clear diagnosis and determination of the root causes of the problem. In this situation, only a thorough and balanced analysis of the problem can give a clear picture, and, as a rule, with the obligatory intervention of qualified specialists in this process.
Symptoms of pain under the right breast
The symptoms of pain under the right breastbone can be quite varied. Doctors and patients, as a rule, qualify the types of such painful sensations quite differently - strong, sharp, acute, stabbing, aching and dull. As you can see, there are quite a variety of epithets. In some cases, two identical patients can describe the pain they experience with two different epithets, for example, sharp and acute. In the same way, patients can use the same epithet to describe completely different types of pain. Moreover, with some diseases, atypical pain sensations are possible. It is for this reason that the patterns described below may have exceptions, and it is impossible to make a diagnosis based on the nature and intensity of pain under the right breast.
Severe pain under the right breast
Severe pain in the area of the body we are considering, as a rule, causes the greatest discomfort, since it not only reduces the level of comfort, but also interferes with normal life. Most often, severe pain under the right breast is evidence of a fairly serious disease or problem. So that you understand that this is not some kind of prejudice or intimidation, we will say that severe pain accompanies such diseases as myocardial infarction, stomach ulcer, pneumothorax or angina. At the same time, it is important to understand the fact that the pain threshold differs in different people, albeit within certain limits. Of course, the situation when one person describes the pain as "severe", and another - "aching" is rare, but it is also possible. Most often, such pain quickly forces the person experiencing it to take active steps and consult a doctor.
Sharp pain under the right breast
A sharp pain under the right breast most often indicates problems with the spine. It is very important to promptly and clearly identify such pain and take the right measures. The thing is that the spine does not tolerate jokes and inattention, and if you endure sharp pain and do not react to it in a timely manner, you can aggravate the disease, which can reach an intervertebral hernia and protrusion. It is very important to correctly diagnose sharp pain. If the pain intensifies when inhaling, moving the body or bending forward, and in a calm state becomes less pronounced, then this is the first suspicion of problems with the spine. It is clear that there should be no delays and expectations in the event of such pain.
Sharp pain under the right breast
Acute pain in the right chest area is quite typical for various diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. For example, acute pain in the part of the body in question is a typical symptom of pleurisy, pneumothorax, and infectious diseases of the lungs. In addition, acute pain under the right chest can also occur with other diseases that are characterized by an acute course (a very illustrative example is acute leukemia), as well as with severe bruises and injuries. At the same time, in some patients the pain can be acute, while in others it can be dull and aching, which is mainly due to the course of the disease. Sometimes acute pain can be paroxysmal, sometimes approaching and reaching a painful peak, then retreating, as if giving the patient a break.
Stabbing pain under the right breast
A stabbing pain on the right side of the chest can occur with heart problems, but they are no less typical for problems with the gastrointestinal tract. If we talk about stabbing pain due to heart problems, then the main "candidate" for the cause of such obvious discomfort is pericarditis - inflammation of the outer shell of the "main muscle" of the human body. The problem can be aggravated by the fact that pericarditis is often a complication of other diseases, and not as an independent disease. If we talk about gastrointestinal causes of pain under the right breast, then it should be noted that stomach colic and other gastrointestinal problems can manifest themselves not only in the area of these organs, but also slightly higher - near the chest.
Dull pain under the right breast
Dull pain under the chest can also be associated with heart disease. The same pericarditis can be accompanied by a dull pain under the right chest. Angina pectoris, cardioneurosis, myocarditis, myocardial infarction can also be accompanied by dull painful sensations. Again, there are no clear rules here, and some heart patients describe the pain as dull, others as sharp, and others as stabbing. This is due to both the difference in sensations in patients and the individual characteristics of the disease. These very individual characteristics must be taken into account when diagnosing and treating patients who complain of a similar nature of pain.
Aching pain under the right breast
Aching pain on the right side of the chest is not always a minor and easily tolerated discomfort. Yes, in some cases, with mild bronchitis or tracheitis, such pain under the right breast does not become something critical and very unpleasant, especially against the background of other significantly expressed unpleasant symptoms. At the same time, aching pain is also possible with pneumonia, and this, you must agree, is no longer a joke problem, which should always be taken very seriously. Also, this type of pain can be characteristic of minor injuries and damages that occur in the chest area. Although here too, there may be "pitfalls", when a fracture or crack in the rib is hidden behind the aching pain...
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Diagnosis of pain under the right breast
As we have already said, the nature and intensity of pain in the area of the right breast cannot serve as a sufficient basis for an accurate diagnosis. Likewise, due to the rich variety of root causes of such pain, it is possible to make a diagnosis independently and without the help of a specialist only in individual cases, and even qualified doctors, in most cases, do not rush to conclusions and findings, which only confirms the seriousness of their approach. They actively prescribe laboratory tests, look for other symptoms that are present in addition to the painful sensations we describe. To identify the cause of unpleasant problems, the doctor may need:
- anamnesis;
- careful examination, measuring blood pressure and pulse;
- chest x-ray;
- electrocardiogram;
- tomographic examination;
- blood tests.
And only by creating a complete picture of the state of health can one accurately determine the disease that caused the pain under the right breast.
Treatment for pain under the right breast
First of all, you need to understand that pain under the right breast, in most cases, is only a symptom of the disease, and a dismissive attitude and untimely treatment of pain and discomfort in the area of the right breast can cause much more serious and unpleasant complications. It is for this reason that the main recommendation for any person who faces this problem is a timely appeal to qualified specialists - general practitioners, and subsequently, after the initial diagnosis of the problem - to more specialized specialists. A doctor and only a doctor can quickly identify other unnoticeable symptoms of the disease and prescribe the correct treatment. As you understand, pain under the right breast is such a generalized problem that can be either a minor injury that can be treated with simple analgesics or other general medical drugs, or a symptom of very serious diseases of the internal organs, which can even entail surgical intervention. Be that as it may, but the general rule for any health problems in our situation also remains effective - the sooner you seek help from specialists, the faster and easier the treatment and overcoming of the problem can be.
If you have pain under your right breast, you need to treat the causes of the disease, not the symptoms. Below are the main recommendations for treating the most common diseases that cause pain under the right breast:
- Probiotics are actively used to treat ulcers and other problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract - drugs that stimulate natural digestive processes. Treatment cannot be done without strict diets during exacerbations, and a balanced diet with the exclusion of harmful products during relief. Many folk methods of treatment using medicinal herbs, such as chamomile and marigold flowers, birch leaves, wormwood herbs, etc., have also proven their effectiveness.
- When treating respiratory organs, bed rest, therapeutic nutrition, antibacterial therapy, inhalation drugs, anti-inflammatory and other medications are prescribed. Diseases such as bronchitis and tracheitis can be treated at home, but consultation with specialists will not be superfluous.
- Heart problems are usually treated for years, if not a lifetime. Regular medical check-ups and timely treatment adjustments are necessary during treatment. In acute and critical situations, surgical intervention may be required - for example, bypass surgery or pacemaker implantation. After surgery, rehabilitation programs and physiotherapy procedures are prescribed.
- Acute leukemia must be treated immediately after diagnosis, as the disease can progress very quickly. Effective therapy is only possible in specialized medical centers. The basis of leukemia treatment is chemotherapy, which is carried out in two stages: induction of remission and chemotherapy after remission.
- In case of spinal injuries, it is necessary to ensure immobility for the damaged vertebrae and create conditions for their fusion. Both conservative treatment (use of corsets) and surgical intervention are possible. Outside of periods of exacerbation, physiotherapy methods and massages can be used. In case of rib contusions and minor tissue damage in the area of the right sternum, local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointments can be used.
- In hysterical syndromes, psychotherapy is used, as well as general strengthening treatment. Sedatives such as valerian, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills can be used. Occupational therapy is considered an effective treatment method.
How to prevent pain under the right breast?
Speaking about the prevention of pain under the right breast, it should be noted that this is a rather complicated issue. The thing is that practically no one can be insured against such troubles as injuries or common diseases. In other words, no recommendations or instructions can guarantee the absence and prevention of this problem. However, paying attention to all the root causes that may be associated with these painful sensations, you can significantly minimize the risk of their occurrence. So, if you eat right, do not drink alcohol and unhealthy foods, you can reduce the risk of problems with the gastrointestinal tract. If you quit smoking, do not expose the respiratory system to adverse environmental influences, you can keep the lungs and other organs of the respiratory system in good shape and health. If you lead an active lifestyle, engage in health-improving sports and do not have hereditary problems, you can prolong the smooth functioning of the circulatory system and heart. If you avoid unfavorable loads and minimize the risk of injury, both at work and in your leisure time, then you can not worry about the performance of the spine and the integrity of the chest. If you avoid stressful situations, do not shake the nervous system, then mental health will be at its best. All these aspects individually and in combination can become a good prevention of painful sensations under the right breast.
Pain under the right breast is a fairly common and non-specific problem that any person can face, regardless of their lifestyle and specific activities, level of income and other factors. But timely identification of the causes of such pain can not only save you from more serious problems and diseases, but also quickly return the desired comfort and joy of life, which in the current conditions is quite important, if not paramount.