Are you experiencing rib pain after breast cancer treatment?
Rib pain after breast cancer surgery is actually quite common. About 50% of people experience mild pain and 16% have moderate to severe pain one year after surgery. For some, this pain can persist for years.
The pain can feel different for different people
- Show Full Answer
Are you experiencing rib pain after breast cancer treatment?
Rib pain after breast cancer surgery is actually quite common. About 50% of people experience mild pain and 16% have moderate to severe pain one year after surgery. For some, this pain can persist for years.
The pain can feel different for different people:
- Sharp, jabbing sensations like a knife
- Dull, achy discomfort
- Tenderness when touching the area
- Pain that wraps around from the ribs to the back
The pain might be constant or come and go, and it can occur under the arm, along the rib cage, or around the chest wall. Common causes of rib pain after breast cancer surgery include:
Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome (PMPS): This affects nearly half of people recovering from breast surgery and is defined as chronic pain lasting more than three months after surgery. It can cause pricking, shooting pain, itching, numbness, or tingling.
Scar tissue: This can develop after surgery or reconstruction and cause discomfort in the chest wall area.
Costochondritis: Inflammation where the ribs connect to the breastbone, which may result from surgery, injury, or intense coughing.
Radiation therapy complications: In rare cases, radiation can cause rib fractures or tissue scarring that leads to pain. It's important to talk with your doctor about your rib pain, especially if it's ongoing, severe, or affecting your daily life. Keep a diary noting when the pain occurs and what makes it better or worse.
Management options include:
- Lifestyle adjustments: Avoid tight clothing or underwire bras, use padded seat belt covers, apply heating pads or ice packs
- Physical therapy: Can help improve range of motion and reduce pain
- Medications: NSAIDs like ibuprofen or nerve pain medications
- Nerve surgery: For severe, chronic cases
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience racing heartbeat, cold sweats, vomiting, jaw pain, or shortness of breath along with rib pain.
January 11
Join
Your Privacy Choices
