Pain right side of chest/ under right arm....any advice?

[Rebeccad24]

Hello! New person here.

Wondering if I could get some advice.

In August last year I noticed a pain just right from center in my chest. Kind of nagging pain.

It went on and off, checked my breasts constantly as I was convinced perhaps I would find a lump in the right one....I found nothing but I went to my gp.

It did feel like it was in my breast ...the gp couldn’t feel anything but I was sent for a breast ultrasound there and then as she thought perhaps there was a cyst. There was definitely a main place that hurt when she pressed.

The check was clear. I had mentioned to the gp that the pain wasn’t constant- but it did feel like it was contained around my right rib area...actual ribs felt sore to the touch..but she felt and said my reactions to her pressing my ribs showed that they weren’t that sensitive or sore.

So with the all clear on the breasts I tried to forget about it. But the general pain around that right side continued,sometimes in the same spot it began, often at the bottom or the sides of the right rib area.

So I went back to the gp. I explained that the discomfort is centred around the right chest, ....she now thought diet /acid related.

Got given anti acids (which I took then I had a very bad tummy upset so I stopped...) and sent for a stomach ultrascan. That was clear. I was also sent for blood tests. All fine.

We also talked about the fact I had a chest X-ray for an ongoing cough in 2018, it was all fine....and the gp thought that another one wasnt really advisable.

Last time I heard from the gp was an email saying my blood tests were all clear and my stomach ultrasound was all clear.

The discomfort continues. I don’t notice any difference when I lie down / sit up etc. It’s kind of nagging and sometimes it’s back in the original place,other times I feel it down my right side. Always the right side.

Before this pain appeared last year I found a little pea sized lump in my right armpit. I was terrified but before I got chance to get it checked out it had gone. I’ve told the gp about this and there’s no concern. Was told it was just a little infection / inflammation. I think that was the beginning of the discomfort.

So ... ultrasounds clear, blood test results fine....

Do I press for an X-ray? Or an MRI?

Do I re try the anti acids (which the doc advised because she said the tummy upset is unlikely to have been caused by these...)

Do I continue to worry about this? It’s not hampering my life...it’s just there...and I worry there’s something sinister going on 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬

Ps I’m 37 year old female..but I guess you already worked out the female bit...😁

Thanks for reading x

[cyberbarn]

I know they have said it is nothing to do with the ribs, but I am wondering if the GP has eliminated costochondritis from the picture yet? That ongoing nagging ache might be a sign of that. There are also muscles in-between all the ribs that can cause problems.

The good thing is that all the serious things have been ruled out, but that alone doesn't make the situation go away, which is really frustrating! I hope you can find the problem.

[Schoeytravels]

Keep pressing for help.

After having pneumonia and a pulmonary embolism I had pain even though everything else had cleared. The respiratory specialist diagnosed peripheral neuropathy caused by the original inflammation and muscle spasms. He prescribed Gabapentin for the neuropathy and I was also on Robaxin - a muscle relaxant which helped a lot but it is now unavailable so they are looking into a suitable substitute.

Your problem may be entirely different but your description sounded very similar to how I felt. I don’t have sensitivity when people press my ribs either. The pain feels sort of internal but is difficult to describe.

There are also autoimmune disorders that could be considered. Look up sarcoidosis and see whether there’s any resemblance.

I do hope you get sorted. Keep going back to your GP. If you don’t get help try another GP.

Good luck. Take care.

[Rebeccad24 in reply to Schoeytravels]

Thanks for this, I looked up sarcoidosis but I don’t think it’s that. I have had a cough this winter but this kind of uncomfortable feeling in my right side has been around since Aug last year and I had no cough prior to it appearing. It’s just very odd. As I explained, it started in one place and now seems to kind of pop up in other places on my right upper side, often at the side of my body, under my right arm and at the bottom of my right ribs. But , like you, my ribs are not particularly sore to touch. The doc said it’s possibly muscular and so did the gynaecologist at my recent ‘well woman’ check- at the time of that appointment the discomfort was at the right side under my arms and she said muscular for sure.

It just bothers me but at the same time doesn’t have a huge impact on my life, I suppose I just want to know what’s causing it. That way I can stop the worrying about it that I sometimes find myself doing 😬😬😬

Rebecca

[Schoeytravels in reply to Rebeccad24]

I just hope you get an answer soon. ❤️

[LornaAnne_X]

Posture maybe if it's like a sharp pain on certain movements for sure personally my tummy hurts on the left side think it's your liver on the right X

[Rebeccad24 in reply to LornaAnne_X]

Thanks , it’s not really sharp more like dull and achy and makes no difference if I stand up straight or lie down etc. It’s just kind of there always. I had my stomach checked out and all there was going on was a slightly fatty liver which is presuming is a common thing. No one was bothered about that so I presumed I didn’t have to be either! 😉

[LornaAnne_X in reply to Rebeccad24]

I know absolutely nothing about this but it might be worth checking out it's on the right side & there is such a thing a fatty liver disease docs should be able to check liver function with blood tests hope you get sorted. Lorna

[RxMan]

Hi Rebecca... I have pretty much exactly the same thing. Mine was brought on after chiropractic adjustments... doc said it sounds like costochondritis... pain around ribs due to a strain or unusual motion. You may not even recall it beginning.

I had this on my LEFT side 25 years ago, when I tried to stop my garage door from crashing to the ground. The pain was bad ! I went to doc... nothing much can be done... I was prescribed ibuprofen 600 mg. It WORKED, but pain returned like clockwork, every 3 hours. I'd waken from a sound sleep and need more. After months, it went away

My current, RIGHT side rib pain, I've had for 1 week. It's worse for me when sitting. I STILL am getting chiropractic, I just describe the pain each visit and the area is worked around the painful area.

Ot just can take a LONG time to heal ..months. sorry