Costochondritis is the most common cause
The most common cause of sternum pain is a condition called costochondritis. This occurs when the cartilage that connects your ribs to your sternum becomes inflamed. Symptoms of costochondritis include: sharp pains or aches on the side of your sternum area.
Costochondritis. This condition, an inflammation in the chest wall between the ribs and the breastbone, can trigger a stabbing, aching pain that's often mistaken for a heart attack. Costochondritis is commonly caused by trauma or overuse injuries, often during contact sports, or it may accompany arthritis.
Causes include an injury to the rib cage, heavy lifting, an infection, and arthritis. Experts note, however, that it often has no identifiable cause. Your doctor may recommend OTC or prescription-strength pain relievers and anti-inflammatories or steroids.
Hormones are making your breasts sore.
Hormonal fluctuations are the number one reason women have breast pain. Breasts become sore three to five days prior to the beginning of a menstrual period and stop hurting after it starts. This is due to a rise in estrogen and progesterone right before your period.
Intertrigo. Intertrigo is a skin condition that occurs when two skin surfaces rub against each other. The result can be a red, irritated, and inflamed skin rash that sometimes has a smell. Friction, such as the breasts rubbing together, can cause intertrigo.
Costochondritis can be aggravated by any activity that places stress on your chest area, such as strenuous exercise or even simple movements like reaching up to a high cupboard. Any activity that makes the pain in your chest area worse should be avoided until the inflammation in your ribs and cartilage has improved.
A woman's cleavage is the space between her breasts, especially the top part which you see if she is wearing a dress with a low neck.
Call 911 or have someone take you to the closest emergency room right away if you have chest pain that lasts longer than five minutes and doesn't go away when you rest or take medication. Cardiac chest pain can be life-threatening. Chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack.
Anxiety, indigestion, infection, muscle strain, and heart or lung problems can all cause chest pain. If your chest pain is new, changing or otherwise unexplained, seek help from a health care provider. If you think you're having a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number.
Costochondritis most often goes away on its own in a few days or weeks. It can also take up to a few months.
Use unscented soaps, lotions, and moisturizers. Apply a cool compress to the affected area. Calamine lotion can help reduce itching. Drying powders such as Gold Bond Extra and Lady Anti Monkey Butt help prevent rashes.
Use skin barrier creams or anti-chafing gels: Creams or ointments with zinc oxide and/or petrolatum can help reduce friction between your affected skin by creating a barrier. Use fiber skin barriers: Use materials such as clean gauze or cotton to separate the affected skin that is touching can help reduce friction.
Candidiasis can develop almost anywhere on the surface of your body. But it's most frequently found in moist, warm areas of your skin, such as the skin folds under your breasts.
Hormones can also affect cyclical breast pain due to stress. Breast pain can increase or change its pattern with the hormone changes that happen during times of stress. Hormones may not provide the total answer to cyclical breast pain. That's because the pain is often more severe in one breast than in the other.
What foods contribute to fibrocystic disease? Some studies have shown that caffeine may worsen the tenderness and pain that is associated with fibrocystic condition. Some women may find that chocolate may worsen the pain. Neither caffeine nor chocolate cause fibrocystic problems.
Calling 911 for Chest Pain
A visit to the ER for chest pain can be life-saving. When your chest pain persists, is severe, or is accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, radiating pain, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure, call 911 immediately.
How can chest pain be treated? If the chest pain is due to a blockage in one of the arteries of the heart, it is usually treated in one of three ways: 1) medication, 2) a stent, or 3) artery bypass surgery.