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What is the burning sensation in your breast?

By December 13, 2009 - 2:03pm
 
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I am 50 years old, one child, full hysterectomy and taking hormone pills. This morning when I took my shower, I experienced a very painful burning sensation in my left breast right in the nipple. It lasted for about 15-20 minutes. Any suggestions on what this could be?

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Godigo, does that sound like your symptoms?

Have you had any more pain? Or any other symptoms around the breast area, such as discoloring, or a rash, or a dimpling in the skin anywhere?

January 18, 2010 - 8:19am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

This sounds like Precordial Catch Syndrome, which is the most common cause of recurring chest pain. It is also sometimes known as “a stitch in the side” or “Texidor’s twinge”. It occurs most often in children and teenagers, but does persist into adulthood as well. The pain occurs just under the left nipple, near where you feel the heart beat most strongly on the front of the chest, and comes on very suddenly.
This extremely sharp pain causes a person to not want to move or breathe. This is where the “catch” part of the name is derived. Any movement or breathing only seems to intensify the pain. The pain usually lasts for around 30 seconds to 1 minute before disappearing. Sometimes the pain will suddenly disappear upon taking a strong breath or moving suddenly as well. This can almost feel like a pop of an imaginary bubble. After the pain is gone, there is usually a dull ache that lingers.

January 15, 2010 - 2:28pm

godigo,
This sounds painful! There is not much information regarding nipple pain that I could identify, but I hope you find this helpful from MedlinePlus.gov. (The summary: if you have discharge from your nipple along with pain, it is important to contact your doctor. If this is a one-time occurrence, it could have been problems with your skin that your immune system took care of. If the pain occurs again or frequently, you should contact your doctor to rule out infection or other condition).

MedlinePlus: Nipple Problems:
"Nipple tenderness may be caused by dry skin in the areolar region (the darker area surrounding the nipple) of the breast. Women who are breastfeeding can have irritated nipples from too much moisture or if the baby doesn't latch on properly while nursing. Injury to or friction over the nipple area can cause tenderness, as can other skin problems such as bacterial or fungal infections.

A milky-appearing nipple discharge can be normal during pregnancy, shortly after delivery, or when breastfeeding. Birth control pills and chlorpromazine-type drugs can also cause a nipple discharge.

Abnormal nipple discharge can be caused by hormone imbalances, growths in the breast tissue that are not cancer, or, rarely, by breast cancer. Milky discharge can occasionally be caused by pituitary tumors, severe hypothyroidism, or recent severe injury to the chest wall."

December 13, 2009 - 4:27pm
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