The breasts of an adult woman are milk-producing, tear-shaped glands. They are supported by and attached to the front of the chest wall on either side of the breast bone or sternum by ligaments. They rest on the major chest muscle, the pectoralis major.
These bones can be felt beneath the skin. Clavicle (collarbone). This marks the upper boundary of the breast tissue. Sternum (breastbone).
The chest wall includes the bones, skin, fat, muscles, and various other tissues that protect the organs between the neck and the abdomen. The bones that make up the chest wall include the ribs, the breastbone (which a person can feel in between the breasts), and the spine.
The structure of the female breast is complex — including fat, glandular and connective tissue, as well as lobes, lobules, ducts, lymph nodes, blood vessels and ligaments.
Breast density reflects the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in a woman's breasts compared with the amount of fatty tissue in the breasts, as seen on a mammogram. The breasts are almost entirely fatty (about 10% of women). A few areas of dense tissue are scattered through the breasts (about 40% of women).
Fat fills the spaces around the lobules and ducts. There are no muscles in the breast, but muscles lie under each breast and cover the ribs. Each breast also contains blood vessels and vessels that carry colorless fluid called lymph. The lymph vessels lead to small bean-shaped structures called lymph nodes.
Many conditions can cause pain in the sternum, including injuries, pneumonia, bronchitis, and costochondritis. Gastrointestinal problems, such as acid reflux, can cause pain behind the sternum. People may believe that their sternum pain is a heart attack symptom. However, it is possible to differentiate the two.
Some common causes of sternum pain include inflammation, arthritis, muscle strain, heartburn and acid reflux, heart attack, and sternum injury. Was this information helpful? Thank you! Buoy values your feedback.
Shape and size of a breast lump
A tumor may feel more like a rock than a grape. A cancerous lump is usually hard, not soft or squishy. And it often has angular, irregular, asymmetrical edges, as opposed to being smooth, Dr. Comander says.
Some people have lumpier breasts than others. If your breasts feel the same on both sides, it's probably normal for you. But lumps that feel harder or different may be a cause for concern. If you find a new lump or notice a change in the lumps you already have, it's a good idea to contact a healthcare provider.
"More often than not, breast lumps are harmless. But, any lump could potentially be breast cancer, and it's impossible for a woman to determine whether her lump is cancerous or benign just by feeling it."
Breast tissue has natural lumps and bumps that you may feel, and you might just be more likely than others to develop lumps in your breasts. If you feel the same lumpiness in both breasts, or there isn't one lump that's firmer than the others, it's most likely your normal breast tissue.
Most likely breast pain is from hormonal fluctuations from menstruation, pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and breastfeeding. Breast pain can also be associated with fibrocystic breast disease, but it is a very unusual symptom of breast cancer.
Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone).
The thymus gland is a small organ that lies in the upper chest under the breastbone. It makes white blood cells, called lymphocytes, which protect the body against infections.
Costochondritis is inflammation where your ribs join the bone in the middle of your chest (breastbone). It can cause sharp chest pain, especially when moving or breathing. It usually gets better on its own over time.
Sternum pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles and bones near the sternum and not the sternum itself. Pain felt just behind or below the sternum is called substernal pain and is sometimes caused by gastrointestinal problems. Some of the most common causes of sternum and substernal pain are: costochondritis.
Signs and symptoms
When the costochondral joint becomes inflamed it can result in sharp chest pain and tenderness, which may develop gradually or start suddenly. The pain may be made worse by: a particular posture – such as lying down. pressure on your chest – such as wearing a seatbelt or hugging someone.
Costochondritis is when the cartilage (connective tissue) that joins your ribs to your breastbone is inflamed. Doctors call this area of your body the costochondral joint. If you press on your upper ribs and it feels tender, or if your chest hurts when you move around, you may have it.
Costochondritis (kos-toe-kon-DRY-tis) is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). Pain caused by costochondritis might mimic that of a heart attack or other heart conditions.
Stimulating, caressing or simply holding breasts sends nerve signals to the brain, which trigger the release of the 'cuddle hormone' called oxytocin, a neurochemical secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland in the brain.
Breast weight (mean = 484 grams) accounted for 3.5 percent of the total weight of body fat, and at most, 12 percent of the estimated quantities of sex-specific fat.
Even so, clear skin is the best indicator of good breast health. When your body is healthy, circulation causes the temperature to be consistent everywhere, including the breasts. Breasts should be warm like the rest of the torso. Reporting any unnatural warmth to your doctor can help prevent breast cancer.